The Portland daily press., 1897-01-01

which waste the energies and sensibilities
of the child, and also the mistaken ideas
with which the children and some teach
ers approach the work Ut the school.
In coming to the money question, he
Gays: "The average amount OF money
expended for textbooks in this state for
five years Ia SOL, $3.50. an average OF "a
cents per annum for each child. One
city in the state has supplied Its children
with books at oh average of SO cents per
annum.
The practice of employing the peaoh er
who will work for the smallest sum, he
says further, has been carried to snch an
extent as to render a considerable por-
ton of the amount expended in this way
total loss.
In the report of year ago, on this
same subject, he said: "The Elowest. es-
Innate that can be made of poor teachers
is that one-ffth of our teachers are not
qualified for the place they occupy. This
means that 1000 teachers in the state are
failures as instructors.
Speaking of the need Of trained super
intendenoe, Mr.. Sterson cities case OF
one town, which allows sl20 for superin-
tendent, with but three schools to LOOK
altar. His report all through speaks de-
oidedly for grouping of the schools OF
the state, and the employment OF men
who shall attend TO them exclusive OF
OCu0T pQSlu0sSs
In reply to question as
to the recommendations he Should make.
Mr.. Stetson said: "My plan, which
shall submit to the committee OF 10 ap-
pointed to consider the matter. ia as fol-
lows: The first thing to be considered
in the improvement Of the rural schools
is to devise ways and means OF imprcv-
ing their physical surroundings. It is
impossible to transport children long dis
tanoss until the country roads have boon
very greatly improved.
/. "Echool lots In country communities
| should not be less than one acre In area.
The land should be thoroughly drained
and attractively located. Plans for out
houses and school buildings should De
prepared by experts, and the erection of
these buildings should be in charge of
those who are competent to do WORE OF
this kind. The furniture should be of
such character as to be suited for the pur-
pose for which 1t is used.
1--WE pay more than we need 20 TOT
school lots, the creation OF school build
ings, the furnishing of school appliances,
| textbooks, fuel, mHkina repairs, etc. The
waste along these lines aggregates more
than one-third Of a million of dollars
| each year.
.." The next vital point with US is the
matter Of the training of school teachers.
believe In teachers getting their acade-
mic education in the high schools, semi
naries. academies or colleges OF the state.
/ believe that our normal schools should
give their entire Tins to professional
training, so that teacher who is grad
uate of any OF the institutions mentioned
above could get her professional training
in com paratively short time. We are
also making fight for grouping OF towns
for the purpose of securing expert super
vision.
"We are TO take up. consider carefully
and work out as fully as we can plan
for interesting clergymen, lawyers, doc
tors, manufacturers, business smen, me-
ohanics and farmers In the public
schools. We find that these people know
nothing about the schools, because they
do not visit them, and practically care
nothing about them.