Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-10-26
The System Of Selecting Teachers for
Country Schools.

The question as TO how teachers Of
country schools shall be selected Is a
very important and u very perplexing
one The old law left the selection of
the teacher with the people, but the
present law puts it entirely into the
hands OF the trustee. The old custom,
which allows the patrons OF school
to select their teacher, is a very pop
ular one, and is yet the general rule,
the law to the contrary notwithstsnd-
ing,-it is certainly democratic, and
has some very PLAUSIBLE arguments
in its favor. At first thought, 1t
seems but fair and right that the reo-
pie should select the teacher Of their
children; but, after years Of testing.
it is found to have some serious de-
fects. 1t is the uniform testimony Of
all the State Superintendents that
more trouble, more contention, more
trials and more appeal cases grow
out of these meetings. Tor the selec-
ton OF teachers than arise from any
other source, and. some years, more
than from all other sources combined
We have In mind this case, which is
only sample OF what occurs almost
every year in almost every township.
An influential patron has son who
wants the school. The young man is
not popular, is young, has attempted
one school and proved a failure, and
the director and a majority of the
best patrons do not believe he can
teach a satisfactory school, and are
determined that another teacher shall
have the place. A bitter contest
takes place; the young man first
mentioned, through the influence Of
his father. and by the votes Of sever
al unmarried men who have no inter-
est In the schools, gets the school.
Then arises rhe questions as to the
legality OF the call Of the meeting. the
rulings Of the director, the right OF
persons who are not patrons to vote.
ETC., etc. After bitter strife and an
appeal, the young man Is victorious
and begins his school. II all conten
tion and all opposition could end
here, the evil might be endured for
the sake OF the democratic principle
involved: but, In most cases, the real
trouble has just begun. The confined
opposition to the teacher usually de-
tracts very much from the efficiency
OF his work, II the school Is not en-
tirely broken up. he.
To remedy this trouble, Supt' Hop
kins framed law and secured it's
passage, putting the selection OF
teachers into the hands of trustees.
He argued that the trustee could
select and assign the teachers Of his
township to better advantage than
could the people, and that In any case
i III Tic tiuStcC toOA VIC iCopouSioiity
the bitter strife would be avoided,
and the teacher could begin his work
unprejudiced, and thus the same
teacher would be enabled to accom-
plish very much more good. How.
ever good this theory may be practic-
ally il has not done what was expect
ed of 1t. Trustees shrink from the
responsibility, and the people stu in
sist on their rights"
The Journal suggests the following
compromise: Let there be one or two
good men chosen in each district,
who, In connection with the director
and trustee, shall be empowered to
select the teacher. This plan will, fol
the most part, avoid the strife, and
at the same time, enable the trustee
to consult the wishes OF the district
That this would be great improve
ment on either of the above plans
there can scarcely be doubt.-Indi-
ana School Journal ea ~
The Fort Wayne pension agency
annually disburses $500. 600.