The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-06-01

Heath, Thomas O'Niel, Mary Walsh,
Ella b. Ross, Mary Honey, Samuel
Stitt, w. G. Stoelting, Lizzie Donohue,
Jessie p. Ross, G. J. Hutchinson, Clara
Blesch, Nancy Darling. Laura Hamilton
Leroy l.. Backus, Mary A. Knapp, Dan
'. Jones, Fannie E. O'Connor, Ferdi-
nand Lonsdorf, Mary L. Patnode, Chas.
j. Shove, Maggie Foye, Mrs. H. Barns,
Addie Van Week, Hannah Geary, Fan
ME Ill. Bean, Edward Brown, Alice Ma
ganity, Jennie Sharp, Alice NJ. McMil-
Ian. ella Roahn, Ella Binkelman, Ida
Baker, Satie M. kittell, b. 4. Nolan, Il.
E. Beach, Maggie e. Cannon.
The attendance ut the examinations
the presel spring, has exceeded that of
former years by a large per cent, 40
applicants IN all having been examined
81 Of these succeeded in obtaining licen-
SEES The number of persons obtaining
certificates of the higher grades is an es-
cess OF those applying, will undoubtedly
have the influence to incite others to
strive for similar distinction. Three
| persons succeeded il attaining a stand
| ing high enough to entitle them
to First Grade, but want Of experience
IN teaching prevented the issuing of such
certificate to one of the applicants
The large number of licenses issued
| has created IL surplus of teachers in the
! County, and consequently situations
have been in active demand. Had such
| Il result been foreSeen, the standing
would have been raised sufficiently high
| to bring the number of teachers more
nearly equal to the demand. No better
answer can be made to the criticisms us
to the difficulty of the examinations than
the fact above cited.
| While it is true that the county is be-
| coming overrun with teachers, it is not
| lceable that the increase is confined al
! most entirely to the class averaging he
tween 40 and SO, and further, that with
few notable exceptions, the teachers
already in the field are not advancing in
| qualifications. 50 of the 81 persons Ii
| censed average below so per cent. and 25
| below 43 per cent. An examination of
the records for The past years shows that
the positions taken by many are not the
results OF accident, but have been earn
ed by long occupancy. An average of
40 seems to satiate the ambition of many
| applicants, and when once obtained is
firmly and persistently adhered to. The
standing required for first, second and
| tllrd grade certificates is probably as
| high IN this county at the present time
| as it should be, viewed in comparison
| with the requirements of other counties.
The need is more Of such teachers, and
| the problem to be solved is, how to OBJ
| tam them. @ -;
The complaint is made by teachers
that an advanced standing is of no value
to them except. as a personal qualification.
That it does not aocigh with school
boards, or give to the possessor any ad-
vantage in obtaining situations. It is to
be regretted that these complaints are
not entirely unfounded. That too little
| attention is paid to the grade of licenses
presented by applicants, and to the
standings obtained in the several sub
lects. No one thing would do so much
| to elevate the character of the schools of
the county, by giving an incentive to
teachers to prepare themselves more
thoroughly, than radical change i'll this
particular. Let teachers understand
that it will pay to work, and they will
do SO. If an average standing of 40 is
of as much value to them as one of so,
they will not labor for tie latter. when
the former can be obtained without eX
ertion.
1t may not be out OF place to give
word Of advice to those WHO have just
entered upon the work of teaching, or
contemplate doing SO in the near future.
The serious mistake is apt to be made of
commencing to teach early, both as
to age and intellectual capacity, ard the
present over-supply of teachers is large
~ due to the crowding III of a great
number Of such persons. A good I'M
derstanding of the subjects to be taught
and in which an examination is to be
passed, will amply repay the time neces-
sarly required for such mastery, con-
sidered as a strictly personal matter.
When once school labor is commenced,
unthought of difficulties often prevent
further attendance at school, except per-
haps for limited time. Unframed fac
ulties and a pinched mental capacity
make the requirement of book know
ledge, unaided by instructors, SO diff
cult that little progress can be made
study under such circumstances being
extremely burdensome and almost value
less. Tt is particularly true of the teach
er's profession. that to make haste slow
ly is the surest way to win fair success
in the end.
An advancement in the average re-
CURED for limited certificates is. under
the circumstances, necessary. The re-
suit of such an advancement effects not
alone those who desire to enter the field
of teaching, but also many at present
therein. How high this average may be
placed cannot be determined at this
time. Judging from the present indica-
tions, it can be put at so one year from
this spring. The fall and winter schools
require a larger number of teachers than
the summer schools do, and therefore
the average cannot be placed at SO high
figure at the next examinations.
1t is not the intention to review the
late examinations extendedly. In some
of the subjects improvements has been
made in others, little evidence of pre-
paration was shown. Too great disre-
gard of proper orthography, OF the pro-
per use of capital letters, of the gram
NAUTICAL construction OF sentences, and of
neatness and order in form and arrange
ment, prevailed. A looseness in the
statement of principles and vagnaness
in answers, characterized the work of
many applicants.
The papers in History have not mater
tally differed from those of last fail in
character, and the average standing IS
lower, probably, than that in any other
subject. The value of knowledge of
history to teacher consists not alone in
the ability, Thus given, to teach it, but
also in its aid to intelligent instructions
in other studies. The low standing GEN
orally attained in the Constitutions
seems unwarrantable. Their very bre-
witty makes it possible for them to be
entirely committed to memory, in a
short time, and with the aido the text
books commonly used, a fair understand
ing can certainly be obtained. The i'm
| preston seems to prevail among teach
ers. that these two are the subjects that
are especially difficult. and in which a