Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-01-31

The following i, . circular from ". J.
Couhell.
II i. proposed to establish State board Of
examiners OF the public schools.
WIN,
/. Because the people. money /. wasted BY
nnqurllied teachers.
J. Because III. time OF the children /. los,
by means Of unqualified teachers.
). Because The incnt..! sg.. ih Of the chill
dren is hindered By unqualified t- achers.
I. Because children are made to hate in
stead Of to love knowledSe, by unqualified
teachers.
5. Does no, the examination by the town
committees lin out the unqualified tescbers'
Ii doe. not.
l. Because in very many towns the exam
inarion IL . nominal one.
.. Because agents hire teachers and press
them upon the committee who know that In
REJECTING them they bring war upon them
selves. and kinde war In he district.
). Because the standard required By very
many committees Is so low as TO admit person.
utterly unit 10 teach.
4. Because there is no examination in
methods Of teaching and management. which
are Is important as examination in subjects TO
be taught
8. Because many committees are =. they
freely admit, not q ialihed TO examine.
Advantages Of the proposed plan.
!. II will subject all candidates TO = fair
test Of knowledge Of subjects and methods.
them better prepared teachers.
8. IL Will aid the schools indirectly. but
gresty, by requiring the public school. to
teach more thoroughly and systematically. in
order. that those taught in them may b. able
to pass the examination for teachers places.
Who will gain:
l.: The pupils, ia knowledge, in hsppines.
while in school.
2. The people by getting better education
for their children for the same money.
he. g.ne - l..
tected from the competition Of the unqualified.
4. The teachers, by having = certifcA te
which will be recognized in all parts of their
own State. and in every State in the union.
Who will lose.
The unqualified teachers.
Objections.
1T takes away power from the towns Not
ut all. The law for, and power Of the school
committees and supervisors will be just - the
are now.
2. ut will cost the teachers 20 much.r Not
ct all, only one dollar for . certificate good in
all parts OF the State and every State in the
union.
3. cit will cost the State so much.p Not =
dollar. The expense will all be met by the
fee Of one dollar for each certificate granted.
4. eft will take so much time and travel OF
the teachers" No. So many places will be
appointed in each county for examining, that
the distance will not be great for any teacher,
and no teacher will need to spend more than
one DAY Iof the exAntnatl0u.
8. But 1t will be such plague to be exam.
ined every year" Then let the first class Ger.
ti6cates be good for three years; the second
class. for two years, end the third class for
one year.
q. But not enough qualified teachers can
be found" The reason that not enough can be
found ID because the schools have not de.
manded any qualification. Let an examination
be established demanding some qualifications
and attachments and the demand will be met.
But the test for third class certificates must be
put low enough 30 - 10 secure enough teach
ers for the schools. The next year this test
may be raised one quarter and the teachers viii
be ready.
Examples.
Thiry-two states. alI the territories. oil the
provinces Of the Dominion, haye some exam.
lining board. like that asked for.
The i've statss which do not have 1t are lab
0ring for Its establishment. The American
Institute Of Instruction, with membership Of
100 from every State 10 New England. 1t its
last annual meeting In July, unanimously de-
msnded the establishment OF the system.
Maine and Massachusetts II their State sssoci.
atoms recently held, ask ii by unanimous vote.