Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1889-05-16
Teaehers cerlncates rs. saLa,.tes.

of conversation and the salaries of the
teachers are named, the friends Of popular
education are told that you have many
teachers now that do not earn one-half the
paw they receive and all because "they are
not properly graded" They admit, at the
same time, that there are many teachers that
do not receive one-half of what their seryi-
ces are worth, even as ordinarily estimated
In explanation of what they mean by mot
properl, graded" we are told that there are
too many number one certificates. 1t is
the hone of unravelling this complaint that
prompts this communication. The charge
is indefinite and no specifications are made
so as to fix the responsibility, but its effects
are seriously felt by the most successful
teachers in the county and is driving many
of them out of the school work, so that the
boarls of education and trustees are COM
PEELED to adopt some means to retain the
good teachers. The school law will not err
nit the board of education in fixing salaries
to make a distinction among teachers hold
ing the same grade of certificate and, hence,
some boards fix the minimum salary for a
number one certificate, claiming that teach
ers known to be inferior by actual trial, still
obtain number one certificates, and are thus
classtd with the best ones.
Is THERE A REMEDY?
Let US see, first, what the school says
about examinations and certificates.
Sec. rs. "No teacher shall be employed
to teach any public school until he shall
have presented to the trustees having charge
of the school for which he applies, cerifi-
cate of his qualifications to teach said
school.
The board of examiners shall examine
each applicant as to his competency to teach
photography, reading, penmanship, arith-
metic, geography, history, English grammar
and physiology"
Sec. 20. "They shall grade the certificates
granted according to the following scheme,
numbering them from one to three, accord
ing to the merit Of the applicant. 4
To obtain 4 number one certificate, the APP
picant must make a general average on all
the branches of, at lea t, eighty-seven per
centum and must not fall below seventy
five per centum upon any one branch; to
obtain a number two certificate, the appli-
cant must make a general average of seven
ty.seven per centum and must not fall be
low sixty per centum on any one branch
to obtain a number three certificate the APP
plicant must make a general average OF
sixty seven per centum and must not fall
below fifty per centum on any one branch"
These are all the requirements of the law
in reference to fitness, with the addition Of
a good moral character and sobriety. To
ascertain the competency of the applicants,
in accordance with the law, the county
board Of examiners hold annual examina-
tions at which they submit TO the applicants
a series of questions on each branch, attach
ing numerical value to each one. If cor
rect answers are given sufficient TO make an
aggregate of 81 out of 100, the applicant is
entitled to a number one certificate; if sufii-
cient questions are correctly answered to
make an aggregate of II out of 100, the APP
plicant will be entitled TO a number two
certificate and so on It will be noted that
the same questions are given to each appli-
cant and the determination of the grade de-
ponds upon the number and numerical value
of the questions the applicant answers more
than upon how he answers them. This
board having granted certificates to the APP
plicants based upon the results of this ex-
animation. its duties end
Sec. says, The board Of education, in
determining the salaries to be paid the teach
ers of its district, shall have regard to the
grade of certificate, fixing to each grade the
salary that shall be paid to teachers holding
said grades, in the several Sub-districts." 1t
will be seen that this board had not the au-
thority to fix the pay of the teacher OF one
sub district different from one in another
sub district, though his ability and the at
tendance of pupils might justify it.
JOSEPH MCMURRAN.