The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-02-08

Especial Cor. STATE CHRONICLE

Especial Cor. STATE CHRoNIcLE.I
An old, if not the oldest, teacher in the
State, | ask the privilege through your
valuable paper, of calling the attention of
the members of the Legislature, ii two or
three articles, to some improvements IN
the school Law, suggested by long eXper-
ience in this and another State.
Flrst-Enact that a diploma from any
regularly chartered college male OF female,
shall be PRIMA FACIE evidence Of qutliica
ton to teach public school and equiva
lent to FIRST Grade Certificate issued by
a County Superintendent.
To require one having spent from two
to three years OF SPECIAL preparation for,
and four yea in college, holding dipl0
ma. it may be from the State University
signed by Kemp Battle, Ii D, and half d
dozen or more learned Professors writing
after their names Ph. D. John Hopkins)
or Leipsic) 10 be examined upon sucn ele-
mentary branches as spelling, reading
arirhmethic aud geography by {" County
uperlnteudent, Is, to say the least. IN
NECESSARY 1t is, however, far more and
worse than unnecessary; il Is insulting and
humiliating 10 the teacher and 10 every
college ii the State; it is "a Iivalent TO say
ing 70 him, to them and to the world that
the University OF North Capolila, aud
Davidson. and Wake Forest, and Trinity,
aud Peace Institute and Greens boIo Fe-
male College, and st. Mary, sc x. are
| frauds, shams and Iarces.
But apart from any mere matter Of
FEELING or sentiment involved, the change
suggested would mutually benefit the col
leges aud the public schools. Young men
| Will have a strong incentive TO work, 10
| take the full course and secure @ plomas,
| thus increasing the number OF students by
| keeping them longer IN college II Will
| benefit the schools. because many, very
many, III fact most young graduates, who
ultimately intend TO study some profes-
sion, would be glad to teach, a few mouths
or years, in the public schools where the
pay, though small, is SURE, and is far bet
ter than dawdling and idling for mont rs,
waiting and hunting for PAYING situations
| which often never found, thus furnish
| ing the schools a thoroughly educated
| class Of teachers, who by their example
and encouragement may start many q
| bright boy upon 4 course which VII even
tuallv land him in some college, which, in
turn, will send him back to teach a public
| school, and SO on AD INFINITUM.
1t will also help the village and County
Academies taught generally by gradu
ates, the main feeders of the colleges and
| furnishing all the education, above tbs
| merest rudiments, vast majority ever
get. by enabling this hard worked and
poorly paid class of professional teachers
often times TO supplement- their measre in
| comes by running" their academies for {
time as public schools without the degra
dation-and it is such a degradation az
many will not submit to-of being draggeC
| up once a year to the Court House to ID
| examined along with, perhaps, three o.
! four of their own pupils OF the day before
and half dozen negroes, and returning
like them, with only a First Grade Certiti
| cate
But must occupy no more Of rival
| uabe pace to day. may have some aims
to say on another point next week
OLD TEACHER,