New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-01-23

i
best managed city systems they occur
with sufficient frequencyto inspire too
manyof the teachers who are spared, with
/ a sense of humiliation and insecurity. y
TO render permanent tenure effect
ual and prevent its becoming an empty
form, it IS necessary that salaries be ir-
reducible except for cause. Beyond this,
/ the system imposes no obligations or
conditions that are not in higher de-
gree essential to the successful working
Of the prevailing system. The proba-
tionary service of from one to four
years which most writer's on the SUBJ
ject would make condition requisite
to permanent employment, is an absur-
dity. Let the teacher be under per-
manent contract from the very Begin
ming; and whenever there is just cause
i for his removal, remove him, whether
he has served ten weeks or ten years.
Our teachers are the pillars that sup
port the noblest structure ever raised
by the American people. As yet, the
edifce is not completed Too many
parts are propped with shafts too weak
to carry the incumbent weight. Replace
these shafts by others as fast as better
material can be procured; but do not
1 subject the entire structure to the fool
ish process of an annual tearing down
1 and rebuilding, on pretense OF making
necessary repairs. Above all, hands off
the pillars that are sound!
In compliance with q request by the
editor of School EDUCATION, / shall
now outline the system of permanent
tenure that is in successful operation in
the public schools of New Ulm, MINI.
So far as | can ascertain, the teachers
of this city were never appointed for a
1 specified time, except in a few cases in
i which a temporary increase of the
teaching force became necessary. The
system as practiced here is, therefore,
the outgrowth of probably more than a
quarter OF century of experience with
! permanent tenure; and while it may
/ not be incapable of further improve.
ment, / do hold that it is far superior
tokany system Of periodical elections
that can be devised.
(Here follows a copy of contract and
explanations
/ The teachers success is determined
entirely by his work in the classroom.
There is course of study and syllabus
of work; it is an empty form which the
teacher is expected to fill, not to the ut.
most of its capacity, but to such point
as can profitablY be reached. We have
no classes that are "below grade or
| must be brought up to grade; there
is no pushing of work. After the
summer vacation, pupils begin where
they left off at the end of the previous
year. There is no interference with
| ssmethods" so long as they have def.
mite aim and do not degenerate into
mere imitation. The teacher is expect
ed to work for his pupils; consequent-
| ly, all examination questions are pre-
pared by the teacher. I,should consid-
er it high time for me to quit the pro-
fession if were reduced to the extrem-
ity of asking the conventional ten ques-
tions to ascertain whether my teachers
are doing successful work. Ten min
utes in the school room show more of
the teachers success or failures than
any ten questions that can emanate
from the uperintendent's S or principals
chair of Office. Some time ago. super
| intendent in this state inquired wheth-
er would approve q change of date for
certain examinations inflicted from
above. I replied as follows: I should
approve d change of date to the
last Monday in August. By thus hold
ing the examination near the end of
the summer vacation, the entire school
year could be given to educational work,
the special s'cramming'' required to
prepare for the average examination
could be left to the pupils as pastime
for vacation, and efforts to measure
with a yardstick the pupils mental dis
cipline and depth of knowledge would
prove just as successful in August as in
any other month"; do not deem it
/ presumptuous to invite the severest
criticism of my views on this point
which the educational brotherhood can
conscientiously bestow. [ hold thatthe
! prevailing system of examinations is a
high-sWollen humbug, instituted to con-
ceal the lack Of competent supervision;
that it tends to elevate the educational
lackbrain and impostor to The rank of
a teacher; that it constrains the teach
er's individuality; that education con-
formable to it ceases to be education;
and that it is 729 Platonic degrees from
perfection.
/ The peculiar kind of freedom accord
ed our teachers rs-freedom TO do the
best works not among the things
considered desirable by unprofessional
instructors. Such persons fall with the
chains on which they are wont to rely
i for support. To avoid disappointing
| these gentlemen and ladies, who are
abroad in astonishing numbers when
ever there is a vacancy, we cause them
| to give us a wide berth by requiring
teachers to hold professional certif-
cate of high grade. and by making pro-
fessional skill the ultimate condition of
employment. Our teachers certif-
cate is the highest professional certif-
cate in the state. Eight of our teachers
hold certificate of higher grade than
the St. Paul principal $ certificate. Two
hold state high school principals GER
tificate and two more can obtain it at
any time if elected to a high school
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