The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1890-06-19
For the Marietta Journal.
NORMAL INSTITUTES.

NORMAL INSTITUTES. o.
Let us look a moment at the con-
dition OF the teacher of the United
States. From the most reliable
sources We find that in 1881 there
were in the United States Dos Nor
NAL schools which graduated that
year 1907 teachers to recruit the
ranks of the great army of 289, 159
public school teachers. Fully ten
per cent of these drop out every
year then for every 100 employed
only s are trained and educated.
| wish | could give the statistics as
to the training If the public school
teachers of Georgia; but more have
been prepared. Rhode Island, after
careful inquiry, found that of her
public school teachers 40 were col
lege graduates, 627 High school and
Academic, Il per cent. Normal and
Is per cent. had received only a
common school education. l have
no idea that Georgia could show a
better record. | have examined the
reports of several county school
commissioners and find that OF the
examinations made in the last two
years, about 20 per cent. reached LIST
grade, so per cent. reached End
grade and 80 per cent reached 3rd
grade. II blacks are included then
s per cent. LIST, so per cent. End and
AZ per cent. Ord grade. These are
approximations from the best data l
could get. Statistics show that the
average time that teachers follow
public school teaching is not far
from 3 years. In some States 40
per cent. quit or are dropped out
each year. Of necessity many un-
skilled teachers are employed. Of
ten times teacher is selected be-
cause he can be obtained for the
least compensation or because he is
is a cousin of some prominent citi-
zen, without regard 20 requirements
or special training. A. law requir-
ing all the teachers of any state to
be thoroughly prepared, would re-
duce the teaching force at least 80
per cent. And yet no profession
has higher claims upon its members
for high order of intellect. Deal
ing with the immortal part of man,
his influences touches both worlds.
The question naturally arises, What
can be done to improve this large
class of unskilled teachers, and how
it can be done the quickest? Nor
NAL schools supply the demand.
College graduates are practically
out of reach owing to the small sala-
ries paid. The only speedy and
practical way of remedying this
defect is in county Institutes. l go
further and say in state system of
county Institutes, reaching every
county and every teacher, Geor-
gia must come to it. Florida has
adopted it and is meeting with won
derful success. New York has
adopted it and SO has Massachu-
sets, New Hampshire, Connecti-
cult, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wis
consin, Minnesota, Iowa, and sever
al other states. In all OF these states
the Institutes are supported by
state appropriations. The expenses
are from to 10 thousand dollars a
year. Teachers are expected to at
tend and for this purpose they are
allowed to suspend school the week
of the institute, and to receive their
usual daily compensation.
| can scarcely imagine a more
pleasant and profitable way of spend
ing week than for the fifty or sixty
teachers OF the county together at
Marietta and study with one another
their profession in all its phrases,
discussing such subjects as school
management, methods in teaching,
the recitation and other questions
that pertain to our work.
The County Institute, properly
managed, will systematic the
schools: Now there is little in COM
mon among them. Literally "every
man is for himself" Everything is
without system, Instead Of having
1876 distinct plans of classifcations,
methods, and objects, there should
be kinsbip in the school work.
Normal Institutes will create
laudable ambition in teachers, a de-
sire to excel, to do better work, new
beauties will be seen in the chalk
and slate of the schoolroon, in the
waving boughs, the silent stars the
ripping streams, and cloud capped
mountains. County Institutes will
give us better teachers, better