Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-11-21
srGessTEs AMENDMENT To THE
SCHOOL LAW.


Jail not TO exceed slx montns-
Sec. 2. No person shall be eligible -
the Office Of County School Superintend- |
ent who does not hold first grade |
County or Territorial Teachers Cert
ficate. in full force and effect 10 within
six months previous to the election OF
said officer.
Sec. 3. County Superb { ,ndents shall
make q report TO the Comfy Commis-
sioners in their respective counties AT
the November session Of said Commits
sioners. The report shall contain
brief statement of the finances OF each
district AZ the time OF making the re-
port; a list Of permits issued in lieu OF
certificates and the date vhea each ex.
pires; full statement Of every school
visited, showing the number of pupi.s
and kind OF teaching found IN those
schools. The report shall be Published
by order of the County Commissioner IN
the official newspaper Of the county;
and the salary of no Superintendent
shall be paid until snch report has been
made.
Sec. 4. County Commissioners may
provide suitable seal for the use OF the
county superintendeBts in their respec-
tive counties, and are authorized to
draw warrant upon the county treas
ury for the same.
Sec. 8. II shall be the duty of every
school director to visit the school or
schools in his district once each month
during which the schools are in session;
and any director failing to visit the
schools in his district for two consecu-
tive months may be removed by the
county superintendent and new
director appointed in bis place.
SEQ. 6. The Territorial Board of Edo
cation shall have power to grant educa-
tional diplomas permitting the holder TO
teach in any public school in the Terri
tory for six years, under the same re-
strictions as are now provided for grant
ing Territorial certificates; provided,
that in no case shall such diplomas be
granted TO persons who have never
passed someEort of an examination IN
Washington Territory. This does not
abolish Territorial certificates.
Sec. 7. ANY county superintendent
who shall wilfully and needlessly vio-
late any of the provisions of Section
317S Of the Code of Washington shall
be liable 10 be fined in any sum not to
exceed 500.
The above suggestions, with the fol-
lowing comments, wore sent by prac-
teal teacher TO the Committee on Edu-
cation in the Legislature. For clear
ness / have put these suggestions in
numbered sections:
Written examinations, when honestly
and wisely conducted, give Q good test
Of a teachers education. But il con-
Quoted with fraud, partiality. or by a
county board Of examination that form
ring to keep good teachers down,
these examinations are an denomination,
a snare and trap to catch the unwary.
Frand and jealousy and imposition by
county boards upon intelligent appli-
Giants, to prevent the Issue Of certificates
fairly, Ia extensively carried on IN diff
ferent parts of the Territory. Sections
and are intended az check to these
frauds in the future, and to stop the
buying of certificates.
In regard to the second section, it Is
nos right that a boy or girl barely past
II years Of age, ,eittom a certificate, or
with one of the third grade, should ex
anime and superintend teachers having
q fine education, who were teaching
school before these young County Sa-
perintendents were born. Sometimes
County Superintendent who has no GER
tificate when elected will grant himself
a certificate and teach school. This
has been done repeatedly.
Az to section 3, people should not be
Kept ~ the dark in school affairs. IL
anything Is wrong people should know
IL. What do we see in the papers about
the School superintendent, except that
the County Commissioners have allow
ed his bill ? No one seems to know
what the bill il for. What IL the use of
having School Superintendent unless
he does his duty, and Is good for some
thing. have known teachers to be
employed when there was not one cent
OF money to the credit Of the district by
which they were to be paid.
| Some teachers boast of avoiding the
county examinations right along by
paying the Superintendent for permits
TO teach. have taught school twenty
nine months in one county, where, dur
ing the whole time, / received but one
visit from the Superintendent, and that
visit was of only ten minutes duration.
Concerning the fourth section, in the
larger counties there are at times pa
pers that should be authenticated by
seal. The cost would not be great.
For the fifth section-One half the
rows, annoyances and ISLANDERS oveI
schools would be prevented IL the
schools were properly visited. A teach
er's position Is hard one at best, and
they ahould be supported when they are
faithful and right. II Director has
not time to attend to the duties of his
once, that Office had best be given tc
some man or woman who will take q
pride in attending properly to those du.
ties.
Finally, as to section six--Territorial
diplomas granted only to experienced ed
ucated teachers weuld raise the stand
ard Of qualifications and be great cen.
venienoe to teachers But to proven,
fraud they should not be granted on pa
pers simply without some sort of an az.
animation In this Territory. Terrific
rial certificates are now good for but
three years. and cost six dollars. These
Diplomas should cost six dollars and
last six years.
Our school Law, on the whole, Ia very
good one. we'll adapted 10 the Territory
The Territory 10 large conditions vary
A definite, explicit Law will work hard
ship In some unthought-of places. But
there u no reason Why the present Law
should not be enforced. School teach
ers have rights, fact almost over
looked by Law makers. rs well ~ school
officers. Z.
1 Mf,rx w r.