Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-12-15
SCHOOL TEACHERS CHARACTERS.
Trouble That Followed Too literal CO.
struction.

In the last issue of the Eastport Senti-
mel was the following communication:
i wish to say q word for those who. un-
der the circumstances, cannot well speak
for themselves. l consider that a gross
and malicious insult has been given to
some Of our most deserving and success
full teachers. which should not be allowed
to pass unrebuked.
Moral character is either good or bad
There can be no question Of gradation OF
percentage applied to it anywhere. yet in
granting certificates to those who took
the State examination last summer. the
State superintendent has given them a
mark in moral character which places a
stigma on their good names.
These teachers are known to be above
suspicion. and / cannot allow such vile
slander to go unchallenged
At the request of the State superinten-
dent | conducted the examination. and
all the papers passed through my hands.
Fortunately | examined all the answers
given by the Eastport teachers and know
what their marks in each study should
be. On the strength OF that knowledge
| am prepared to give them the certiii-
cate required by law, and would advise
the teachers to return the State paper
with an indignant protest against any
such gratuitous insult.
T. +. ST. JOHN.
Supt. of Schools for the City of Eastport
Feeling certain that the educational de-
partment of this State would not WHITING
iy place "A stigma on the good names of
the teachers of this State we made In
quiry as to the facts in the case and as
certained that the seeming stigma was
the result of adherine too literally to in
structions.
The way in which the educational de-
partment sought to get information IN
regard To a candidates moral character.
skill in instructing. ability I'm managing
capacity for work etc, was by applying
to people named references by the can
didates. This method OF ascertaining
these facts is stated on the face Of the
certificates. 1t is also stated on the GER
ificate that excellent" is indicated by
the rank ao-l00 Good by 70-ao etc
Some of the references in making their
answers 10 the inquiries sent them an
swered good in regard to moral character.
using the word in the ordinary sense and
not in the restricted sense Of the circular
When they said good they undoubtedly
meant To place the candidate in the high
est grade. which was denoted i'll the cir
cular by excellent
But the person who had charge Of max
ing up the ranks of the candidates and
placing them in their certificates. having
been instructed to follow the scale pro-
ceeded tn interpret the word good when it
was the answer to the question concern
ing character. the same when in an
swer to the question in regard to skill In
teaching. The result was that when a
reference had answered that "A candi-
dates character was good his moral
character WAS marked on the certificate
as ~ while when reference had an
Swered excellent ii was marked 100. Thus
1t came about that there We're two grades
of character on the certificates. and a
seeming stigma was put upon some of the
teachers, The truth is the person who
made up the ranks followed orders too
literally
As soon as the blunder was discovered
circular was sent To all persons to
whom State certificates had been issued
stating the facts\and asking them to re
turn their certificates If their character
rank in them was less than loo.-Portland
Press.