The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1876-10-05
Edited by J. W. JOHNSON, Co. Supt
How Is 1t?

was not only teacher, but police officer
in certain sense. He who teaches now,
or who may teach hereafter, is watch or
guardian over those placed under his care.
But is it as it used to be? We can all
remember when we played pranks in
school that the teacher did not and could
not see, and public sentiment said it was
all right, for the children had licence by
this came public sentiment to do anything
that the master did not have "eyes
enough to see." Hence, he was police
in this sense, and had to be. Now, we
do not say that the teacher of oday
should not be watchful. IF he is not he
is next to worthless as teacher; but
public sentiment is fast changing. The
individual who feels his responsibility has
within him keen conscien ciousness that
tells him his duty. He knows that he is
a police force of himself, to watch over
his own conduct; indeed, that he is to
help the teacher preserve order by mind
ing his own business. The public hand
does not pat the truant on the back and
say, 'run him out" but says to him, IF
you would be a respectable citizen of this
proud America, you must be a chaste,
upright school boy, and spurn from your
spiritual, mental and physical life, every
thing that is not ennobling Go higher
up with this sane principle and see if it
has any place in the affairs of men. Let
us measure by this rule in the teachers
examination room, and find if there is
any one short. / suppose, owing to the
fact that teachers form an important part
of humanity, that they possess and always
have possessed their share of the charac-
teristics which make up human character.
1t the world has once thought as at once
described, and if many of our teachers
formed early ideas under such conditions
of thought, could it be that they have
ever thought they had a right to do that
which the Superintendent cannot see? |
do not knO,0 that any teacher in our
county thinks so nOoo, but | do know that
in the days gone by they have, under the
influence named, thought it all right to
"pump" each other concerning the ex-
animation, thereby enabling themselves to
"pass the examination. We have no
severe comment to pass upon this practice.
Indeed, it does not seem unnatural that
such has been the case, when we study
causes and their results But the cause
is fast being removed. What can we,
the teachers of Mahaska county, do to
remove it ?
A prevalent error, and one most PERM
clous in its results, has been the renew
ing and endorsing of certificates without
examination, [ practiced it till May 1st,
when becoming convinced that the results
were furious to the schools, | discontin-
ued it at once. From actual examination
since then, am assured that majority
of the teachers holding first class certif-
Gates are not entitled to them. This has
arisen partly from the fact that when
candidates have reached the point where
they are enabled to get first grade they
rely entirely upon renewals, and having
no incentive for further study and prepar-
alton, necessarily lose ground. | have
made the following regulations, therefore,
in regard to my examinations and earnest
ly desire your approval and cooperation.
First, that all candidates are required
to pass the examination.
Second, that for first grade they must
answer 90 per cent of the questions
For second grade so per cent.
During the summer many first grade
teachers were crowded out of the profess
sion because teachers of third grade quail
ifycations were so numerous. | urge all
school officers to grade salaries according
to grade Of certificate, and call upon pub
lie sentiment to sustain the Superintend-
ent in grading certificates according to
proficiency in scholarship, and attention
to Normal training.