Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-10-14
ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT OF
TEACHERS

Ni6aSOo HOi many VI sAS "AHsS1
schools. The motives which actuatt
the district officers in the perform
: : ance of this part of their duties are
various. Many wait for some ont
) to apply for the school, and ther
select the teacher with whom they
can make the most favorable bar
gain. Some make use of theil
official position to further some
selfish aims, trying all the while to
persuade themselves that their own
personal interests are not in conflict
with those of the public, and that
they simply enjoy the fortunate
position of one who can kill two
birds with one stone. The majority
however, it is reasonable to suppose,
take the course which, in their
Judgment, best serves the interests OF
their respective districts. If their
Judgments were never at fault there
would be many more good schools
than can now be found. There
would be fewer unqualified and halt
qualified teachers going through a
daily farce of pretending to direct
the growth Of the mental powers.
There would be absolutely NO young
men and women importuning the
county superintendent for certificates
which they well know their abilities
do not entitle them to.
Is it not possible to lay down
some general principles by reference
to which these errors of judgment
may sometimes be avoided? A few
generally accepted maxims govern
these officers when they transact
their own personal business ; could
they not use the same maxims adj
vantageously when transacting bust
ness for the public ? They reason
that the cheapest articles are often
the most costly in the end. Expe-
rience has taught them that a linn
tied quantity of that which is good
is more profitable than an infinite
amount Of worthless material, and,
most important of all, they have
learned to estimate everything for
which they pay by the results they
are enabled to secure through its
agency. If anything fails to ac-
complish the object for which they
procure it, after fair and reasonable
trial, they are justified in condemn
ing it.
Now to apply these principles to
the employment of teachers. If a
teacher of known ability, character
and success can be hired, is it not
wisdom to secure his services, even
though the price necessary to pay
should be somewhat above the
average? 1.-THE amount Of available
funds should be limited would not
fewer months ofhis services be better
economy than longer term by an
inferior teacher? So far as these
principles are concerned the member
of school board would seem to
require no greater sagacity than is
required to successfully conduct The
simplest matter of business.
But the most reliable test-the
teachers fitness-that which meas
ures instrumentalities by the results
effected - it must be confessed,
.equires somewhat rare endowments
for the application. 1t is difficult to
find unit for the accurate measure
ment Of mental or moral growth.
Parrot-like repetitions of memorzied
words and phrases are too often
taken as satisfactory evidence Of
learning nay, even the mere fact
of promotion of many pupils into
higher grades or frequent calls for
more advanced text books, is too
often accepted as proof of skill on
the part of the teacher. Like other
professions that have to deal with
humanity in the mass, the teachers
has its plodders and its charlatans
persons who know nothing but to
follow a routine, and who secure
whatever reputation they enjoy by
the CELEBRITY with which they get
over the well worn track and per-
sons with sufficient insight into
human nature 10 enable them to
discern weakness and Ignorance
where they exist, and moral char
acter sufficiently low to permit their
taking advantage of such weakness
to further their dishonest purposes.
The results wrought by these classes
of teachers are most deplorable +; and
yet to the superficial they are often
made to appear highly valuable.
How shall the district officer guard
the school, whose interests it is his
duty to protect from this class Of
persons?
His most pressing need evidently
is an extensive and thorough ac-
quaintance with men. Whether he
have this or not, however, two or
three general principles may be of
service to him
First, 1t will be safer to employ
teachers of whom he knows some