Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-08-09
Tho Examination Farce.

There may De grcdtcl dno nioAo o
lust farce imposed upon class OF peo-
pie than the teachers examinations OF
which our city saw an example Fri
day. but we do not know Of it. There
is neither reason nor good policy In the
proceeding.
Upon what grounds does the State
compel every teacher to go through an
examination at least once in three
yearsp Is 1t because the teacher may
forget what she has known? The per-
Bon. who, rehearsing lessons eight
months in the year, would do that
ought not to be in the school room as
an instructor.
Is It test of the teachers ability
There never was q falser one. Mere
scholarship is no more a criterion OF a
teachers ability to govern school sue
cessfully than red paint on the bell
rope is of locomotives capability for
speed. Hundreds Of teachers have
made lamentable failures in the exami-
nation but have gone into the school
room and done most satisfactory work
and proven themselves true educators.
No other profession is so degraded.
The lawyer or doctor, though they may
be but poor sticks, when once admitted
to practice are not re-eIamined.
Then there is an element Of favorit-
ism about it that makes it look like a
quiet little game to boost the State
Normal school. The verrest greenhorn
who can graduate from the institution
will get a life certificate, while the
principal or superintendent In Kansas
village or city, no matter how able OF
how well educated, il he has moi
paid his tribute to the State Normal
must be hauled over the Goals at least
triennially.
The questions given out were a
good sample of the idiocysfoisted! upon
our teachers. They indicate hide
bound old-fogyism on the part Of the
trainers that belongs to the years "befo'
de wah." They are questions that have
absolutely nothing to do with practical
life but are many Of them sphinx-like
puzzles at the answers of which the
weary applicants can only guess. CUES
tions have been asked in physiology in
this county that the best physicians
in the city admitted they could not
answer without reference to their
books.
Nearly $500 are paid in this county
every year by applicants for permission
to go through this farce. Multiply
this by the LOG counties of Kansas and
see what we are paying for this relic of
barbarism. Every. school man will
laugh at it as magnificent piece of
foolishness but no step is taken to rem
edy the evil or to supply our State with
a sensible certificate system.
We are not saying that teachers
should be recklessly allowed to enter
the school room-for teaching is high
and important calling. But we do say
that when once. under strict regula-
tions, a person has been vested with
the right to instruct, 1t is rank injustice,
if that person continues to teach, to
compel another examination unless the
applicant wishes to rise higher in the
profession. ANY other position is an
insult to the great army Of teachers
and Turns our institutes, which should
be for higher things, oftentimes into
mere examining machines.
Kansas educators should rise in their
might and make q determined stand
for such recognition in this State as
the followers of noble, soul-lifting
profession deserve.