The herald., 1897-02-27
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS
The Fridsy Morning Club Discusses Their
Qualifications
Interesting Papers Read by Hrs. }. 5. samp-
son, Jr., and hrs. Hilton V. Brown.
Some Caustic Criticism

There was an unusually large atten-
dance yesterday at the Friday Morning
club. The subject being one in which
there is universal and always increas-
ing interest, 1.-The Case of the Public
Schools"
The first paper of the morning was
read by Mrs. ]. s, Sampson, jr., entitled
1.-The Case of the Public School Teach
err Acknowledgment of the fact,
said the speaker, that there is nothing
new under the sun Is mans salvation.
The world is constantly demanding
something better and all creation is put
ting forth its best effort to answer the
call. Should we wonder, then, that the
community at large Is not entirely salts
fed with our public schools. A teach
ing force nine times larger than our
standing army, as we have today, must
be a tremendous power either for good
or evil. Is not the man or woman who
helps our children up the hill Of knowl-
edge entitled to as honorary position
among us as the one who carried them
through the whooping cough or protects
their legal rights. Does the fault lie
in the poor inducements offered, their
low intellectual attainments. or, are the
parents to blame for the low standard
Of our teachers. over fifty per cent of
teachers leave the profession every year
while other professions do not average
one-f1fth so high. In choosing a life
calling the first consideration is the
financial reward. In putting teaching
as q life work we find 1t does not pay
as we'll as other professions. Young
men and women look to it as a handy
stepping stone to something more lu
crative and dignified, rather than life
work Very few men or women are
willing to work a lifetime for salaries
ranging from SIG to $40 per month.
Besides, we do not guarantee them con-
tinuous employment. A married man
finds teaching hazardous. giving work
but nine months in the year. There is
but one road required within the peda-
gogues horizon that is operated by
treadmill and requires neither presi-
dent nor treasurer. Aside from the poor
financial inducements offered, there still
remain many objections to the pro-
fession."
The speaker cited a number of cases
to show how the teacher Is kept in un-
certainty concerning her retention in
office and how a ''puIl'' with the school
boards frequently operates In securing
or losing position as teacher.
What is wanted Is not only higher
salaries paid our teachers, but higher
standard of scholarship and natural
ability to teach. ut is unjust to blame
our normal schools for the low standard
OF the teachers they turn out SO long
as they have such material to work
with. We ask them to make too many
bricks without straw. A vast multi
tude of their students come to them
with the house beautiful as vacant as
church steeple, and to furnish them
with sufficient knowledge during four
years course to, enable them to supply
the young with ideas could only be ac-
complished by a power divine. Were
our teachers required to be high school
graduates and to take q college course
at least In mathematics and literature,
they might then learn the science OF
teaching, by q course In methods and be
In possebsion OF q sufncient store of
knowledge to be trusted with the minds
of our children"
The second paper on the subject was
presented by Hrs. Milton v. Brown on
the influences Of Pohtics.'
sThat the coh6Uoa element tAFy ochodla