St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-04-17
The Teacher In America.

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and differences in the March number
of the atlantic Monthly" illustra'
tive of the position Of the teacher in
this country which ought to COM
mand the widest attention, because
they bear so directly upon the educa-
tional programme, at all times a
problem of the very highest import
ance. With a view of ascertalnlng
the actual status OF the teaching
profession, the Atlantic Monthly"
has recently circulated among the
public school superintendent and
teachers in every part of the country
series of inquiries with regard to
the average number of pupils per
teacher, the proportion OF teachers
who have changed their profession
during the last ten years, the proper
ton of teachers over thirty-hve years
of age, the freedom of teachers from
approach of political or other i'm
proper influences on appointment or
removal, salaries of teachers, charac.
ter of requirements for appointment,
chances OF promotion. Answers to
these questions have been received
from about 1000 teachers and super
intendents in all parts of the coun-
try every state and territory, except
New Mexico and Oklahoma, being
represented. The analysis Of the
replies is extremely suggestive.
1t is demonstrated beyond ques-
ton, in the first place, that the num-
Der OF pupils per teacher is altogether
too high for the good both of the
teacher and the pupil. 1t is impossi-
BILE for a young teacher to conduct
recitations and at the same time
keep from as to So children in order
without serious sacrifice of teach
ing force and nervous energy. The
multiplication of numbers tends
directly to the development of the
mechanical side of school work. It
appears, in the second place, that in
New England thirty per cent, in the
Middle states forty per cent, in the
Southern states fifty per cent, and in
the Western states sixty-hve per cent
of teachers, so far as those who have
replied to these inquiries are able to
send statistics, have changed their
profession within the last decade.
1t must be remembered in this con.
nection that great majority of the
teachers are women, and that a
great many women marry; but the
proportion of change is still too
great for helpful and efficient profess
sional work. The facts indicate that
teaching, instead of being regarded
as profession of the highest charac-
ter and the most satisfactory
rewards, is treated by great mum,
Der of teachers as a makeshift. DR..
Hall says that other statistics have
shown that nearly one third of the
teachers in many sections of the
country change their vocation every
year. No more significant fact could
be elected respecting the estimation
of the teaching profession in America.
In the matter of the teachers
tenure of position and protection
from appropriateness, the answers
show wide range of experience,
varying in different states. So far
as New England is concerned, YER
mont for instance, reports eight per
cent. of teachers who have been ap-
preached by the improper influence,
and Connecticut forty per cent. In
the Middle states, New Jersey reports
nine per cent, and Pennsylvania
fifty per cent. In the Southern
states, Virginia reports twenty per
cent, and Kentucky seventy
per cent. In the far Western states,
Oregon reports forty per cent, and
California sixty per cent. In the
Middle Western states, Minnesota
reports thirty-three per cent, and
Kansas eighty per cent. The condi-
ton in Kentucky is suggested by the
statement that when Boards
change politically, sweeping changes
of teachers often follow" and from
Texas teacher writes: IF your
school board is democratic. the
teachers are democratic; if Baptist
they must be Baptists." Under the
term improper influences" are in
Guided politics, local or individual
preferences ard whims held by com.
mittees and trustees, personal favor
and religious prejudices. A state sup
erintendent writes from Washinn=