Suggest This Page To A Friend!
Submitted by Christine Gorman
From The Protestant and Evangelical Witness, April 22, 1865, An address to a departing teacher.
TO MR. JOHN BUTLER, TEACHER
Dear sir, We, the pupils of the Cherry Valley School, Lot 50, beg most respectfully to tender you this address as a token of the respect and esteem which we entertain for you, as teacher of our school. We sincerely regret that you are about to resign the charge of our school as we were in hopes, until very recently, that you would remain another year; but as you have been offered a situation equally as good as ours, and six miles nearer you home, we cannot expect you to remain with us any longer. You have had over sixty scholars in attendance during the last year, and we know that one person, without extraordinary exertions, is incapable to perform his duty efficiently, and to the satisfaction of all parties. The pay which you have received from the people is insufficient to reward you for the extra trouble you were compelled to undergo in order to do justice to so great a number of pupils, but we are happy to inform you that could you be induced to remain, you would receive a handsome remuneration for your services. In conclusion, we sincerely thank you for the valuable information imparted to us during the past year; and we sincerely hope that you may be successful and popular in your new situation, which is the earnest wish of your grateful pupils..
Alfred Beers
Mary L. McDonald
Jane Huggan
Charles Mutch
Jane J. Irving
Joseph Murphy
Annie McIsaac
William H. Irving
Mary V. Hayden
Fannie Beers
Louisa Beers
etc, etc.
DEAR PUPILS,C I have to acknowledge the receipt of your kind and flattering address, in which you regret my resignation as teacher of the Cherry Valley School, but I can assure you that the regret is mutual, and that nothing would have induced me to resign at present, were not the school so inconvenient and remote from my home and family. I must say that during my long experience as a teacher, I have never received more respect from my pupils than during the last year; and I most sincerely thank you for the valuable assistance rendered to me in teaching, and the willingness with which you responded to every call, for, were it not for your aid, there would be some neglected in the large number attending my school, and which in fact is too big to be crowded into one small room, or taught by one person. During the year I have taught your school, I have endeavored to perform the onerous duties connected therewith in an impartial manner, and to the best of my ability, and it is gratifying to know that, from the docility and studious habits of the elder pupils, and from the exemplary conduct exhibited by you in general, that, by persevering in the same course, you will be a credit both to yourselves and your country.
Wishing you health and prosperity, and hoping that you may get the services of a better teacher, I bid you adieu, and remain,
Yours affectionately,
JOHN BUTLER
Cherry Valley, April 12th 1865.