St. Paul daily globe., 1889-01-21
Representative Heidemann's S
Five Bills Relating to
Public Education.
The Proposed Elimination of
the Third Grade Ger
tificate.
Religion a Factor Falsely In
trodueed in Public
Schools.
How Certificates Of Stand
ing Are to Be Is
sued.

school system of Minnesota, propose
changes which. if carried into effect,
will completely revolutionlZe the basis
upon which it now rests. In the prepara-
tiOn of these bills Representative Heide-
mann has consulted high scholastic au-
thority. and now that they are before
the legislature he invites the attention
of the teachers of the state to them.
The purport of these bills, as explained
by Representative Heidemann to the
GLOBE, is:
The five bills are in harmony with one
another. At the same time each of
them is independent of all the others
except the clause referring to annual
examinations and that other clause
fixing the validity of third grade certi-
ficatcS. The bill which amends section
G6 of chapter Sc, General Laws of 1878.
defines particularly (which the law does
not now dol what shall be taught in the
public schools i. e. civil government,
physiology. hygiene, ,Gncluding know
ledge of StimulautS and narcOticS). L
propose also that the validity of third
grade certificates shall be extended
from six months to one year, for per-
sons who cannot be trusted for a whole
year should not be certificated for any
length of time. Besides. if they are not
trustworthy and do receive certificates
they can be annulled at any time.
THIRD GRADE PAPERS.
In paving the way for the elimination
of the third grade certificate from cur
school system | give until Jan. l, 1891,
for the third grade teachers to qualify
for second grade. LII they cannot ac-
cOmplish this it is but survival of the
fittest that they should be removed and
Others more competent step in. By
Jan. l, 1898. or four years from now. my
bills provide that all third grade ccrtiti-
Gates will cease to be in force.
The principle of granting permanent
teachers certificates is right in the case
of those whose standing i'll the profess
sion gives good assurance that they
will keep up with the times on subjects
TO which additions are likely to be made
from time to time. The present school
laws require periodical re-eXamlnationS
i'll reading. penmanShip, arithmetic,
etc, while a permanent certificate is
granted for Il subject as yet in its in
fancy, so far as the positive declarations
of science are concerned. My bill places
physiology and hygiene, including stim-
ulantS and narcotics, on the same foot
ing with the other branches, thus ren-
dcring section ) of chapter 123, General
Laws 1857, superfiuouS.
also propose that markings shall be
on the scale Of 100 instead Of the pres
ent grading of tGa"herS7 certificates on
a scale of five. This brings the mark
ings into harmony with those used for
all other purposes, and also for certiti-
Gates of examinations substitute certif-
icateS of standing. A certificate Of
standing issued by a reputable inStitu
tiOn represents definite amount of
work done in a branch under the di
TectiOn of competent instructor. The
results marked upon it are obtained by
thorough examination or several eX-
amindtions, covering the entire ground
gone over.
INFERIOR EXA AMINATIONS.
Even the best conducted examination
by a board of examiners before whom
appear persons that have attended the
most heterogeneous secondary schools
Gt they have attended any at alb must
necessarily be of a rank inferior to that
of the former. The customary ten
questions asked must be OF a general
nature. Were they TO go too far into
details injustice might be done to can
didates who have attended good schools
iD which the details called for were
omitted. \ general ''free-for-all'' eX-
animation of teachers is a necessary
evil. So long as a majority of ''teacf
ers" have attended no school higher
than the grammar grades. Persons
who have certificates that they studied
q certain branch under a competent
Instructor and were found proficient in
that branch should not be subject to
another examination. Recognition of
the work done in our Normal schools
should be made compulsory upon exam
inerS; for by compelling them SO to do,
i'll lieu of examinations, examiners are
at liberty to reject any such certificate
that may be considered unsatisfactory.
AS for instance in New Clm the exam
liners require a standing of 90 in English
composition. There Normal certificate
showing s. in composition would be re-
jected. A law making the diploma
teachers certificate would not afford
this advantage. In New York the law
makes the state Normal school diplomas
equivalent to a teachers certificate.
Our own Normal schools now issue Ger
tificates of standing to students and
graduates applying for the same, and
they give the attainment in every branch
studied. but a diploma gives no special
Information.
VISITING SCHOOLS.
| omit the clause relating to the visit
ing of schools because it is superfluous
and behind the times. Every indepen-
QenJ U1SIflct mas 1CS principal OF super
intendent who attends to the supervis-
ion, and examiners who are interested
will exercise the same whether there is
law compelling it or not. But do in
sert clause whose purport is that pub
lie functionarieS whose duties require
a considerable sacrifice OF time should
be paid for their services. In the act
relating to county examiners / have
their terms expire in years in which
the Legislature does not convene, thus
making the appointments come in the
middle of the term of the superinten-
dent of public instruction, county Cont
missionerS and county SupGrintendentS.
One great aim of these bills is to elm
mate all creed systems from our
schools. What Catholics are now doing
III the country districts of Stearns
county and in the city of st. Cloud,
ProtestantS have been doing to greater
or less extent in most of our city schools
and state institutions. Devotional eX-
erciSeS in our schools make them
s'placeS OF worship; for the time being.
NV bill attempts to make our schools
purely secular, leaving religion to the
home and church. | oppose the teach
ing of the subjects of self-denial, hope,
mercy, conscience, reflection. the will,
etc, in our schools if the aim be to in-
culcate the doctrines OF Christianity,
MohcmmedaniSm etc.
The purpose of all the bills is to pro-
vide a comprehensive. liberal and Secu-
lar school system in place of the present
unjust and complex one.