The record-union., 1897-12-30
CERTIFICATION OF TEACHERS
ADDRESS BY STATE SUPERIN-
TENDENT BLACK.
The Feature Of Yesterdays Session
of the State Teachers
Association.

nOlQ1nS It's annual COilNeLliou III NS'hA
Francisco, was one by Hon. Samuel L.
Black, State superintendent of Public
Instruction, which is given in full be-
low The subject of Mr.. Blacks ad-
dress was the
"CERTIFTCATION OF TEACHERS" :"
On being introduced to the convention
Mr.. Black said:
Mr.. President and Fellow Teachers:
In all callings of a public nature re
quiring expert knowledge, custom or
statutory provision demands some form
of certificate of qualification at the
hands of those seeking public conf
dence. The lawyer, the doctor, the
dentist, the pharmacist must exhibit
their diplomas of graduation from a
reputable professional school attesting
their fitness to begin the practice OF
their respective professions. The ship
Captain, the engineer, the army and
naval officer must arm themselves with
similar evidence of preparation. Our
civil service rules, like those of Great
britain and other leading European
countries, admit only the best quail
fed candidates to positions of trust, as
tested by competitive examination.
urated the system of competitive ex-
animation for certain positions in our
hospitals for the insane
Only the other day a stewardship va
cancy in the Agnews Asylum was filled
by the competitive examination meth
cd, and a man selected, not because of
his position on the tariff or silver queS-
tion, but because of his peculiar quail
have also lately been held at other
asylums. Even the milkman, peddling
from door to door. must equip himself
with a proper certificate regarding the
genuineness of the fluid offered for sale.
During the earlier years of the Repub-
lie it was the custom to test the scholar
ship of those who would teach the
young. and many amusing anecdotes
are told of the old-school committee
examination. The custom established
by our forefathers has developed into
statutory enactment, and the school
committee into a board Of experts Up
TO within a comparatively short period,
though, only the scholarship side Of the
teachers preparation was tested, and
even now this practice prevails to a
large extent.
Those boards of examination that
recognize the professional side of the
teachers preparation place by far the
greater stress on the academic side
and but few applicants are refused
certificates who can make a. good
academic showing in the examination
II is just the opposite in the other pro-
fessions, academic preparation being
taken largely for granted, the real test
being along professional lines.
Conditions are such to-day that we
must continue the academic test, but
the time has come when the pro-
fessional test ought to be emphasized
more than it has been in the past. New
York has taken the lead in the matter
of requiring professional as well as
academic training at the hands of those
who aspire to city positions. The law
has been in effect since January /, 1879,
and provides that no person shall be
employed in the city or village schools
having a City Superintendent unless he
can give evidence of three years sue
cessful experience, or in lieu thereof he
must be graduate of a high school
or academy having at least a three
years course of study, and in addition
TO such graduation he must have taken
a full year of special professional
training in an approved school for the
training of teachers.
1t has never been quite clear to my
mind why the Empire State should have
inaugurated this reform in the city
schools alone-why not in the rural
schools? 1t will be seen that the law
OF New York very properly considers
three years of thoughtful, progressive
teaching as the full equivalent of three
years academic work. plus one years
professional study and practice In
fact it is the actual schoolroom work
the resolute facing and solution of
everyday problems that furnishes the
best training, and makes the best
teachers. The true teacher is meyer
fully trained. Each days work only
adds to the training already acquired
it is only a part of an apprenticeship
that never ends-and this is true of
all professions But an adequate
amount OF preparation is necessary to
guide and direct the novice in the solu-
tion Of the ordinary problems common
to all school work, and the recon-
mendations I shall make in this paper
are intended to apply to those persons
who desire to become teachers-not to
those already trained. no matter wheth-
er that training has been acquired by
professional preparation or by actual
contact with the problems themselves.
California has reached that point in
her educational history-and ! speak
from personal observation in fifty out
OF the fifty-seven counties of the State
when she should demand that those
who would, in the future, enter her
schools as teachers shall approach as
nearly as possible the high plane now
occupied by the experienced teachers
Of the State. / favor the preparation
of teachers at public expense, but as
little Of this preparation as possible
should be done at the expense Of the
children. 1t should be done in the
future. as far as practicable, prior to
taking up the actual work and re-
sponsibility of the teacher, which, from
the nature of things, call for ability,
scholarship and expert knowledge.
New York and Massachusetts,, with
their small areas. numerous normal
schools and splendid railway systems.
bring the offer of professional prepara-
ton almost to the very doors of those
who would prepare themselves to be-
come teachers. California. with her
1bo,OUp square miles of area, has but
three State Normal Schools: another
VIII be opened within a year. We are
justly proud of these professional
schools-they have no superiors in the
United States-but there are counties
so remote that it is almost impossible
for young people ambitious 10 teach to
attend any OF them IF ortr norm, n !