New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-28
HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS.
THE UNIVERSITY CoNvoCATIoN DIS
c1.ssrS rIE1p n1-AIIFICA T1ONS

Albany, June 81 (SpeciaD.-The morning ses-
sion of the University Convocation was devoted
to-day to addresses on the qualifications Of high
school teachers The programme Of the con-
vocation contained this statement:
The State has decreed claws OF 1895. Chapter losl,
that an elementary school te0 cher must nave, a.
least a secondary school education with one a1u.
tiona year Of professional training should no.
secondary school teachers be required 70 nav a
college education. with al least one addional year
OF professional training, II such training was "o'
part OF the college course?
The addresses were upon the question whether
or not secondary school teachers should be re-
qulred to have college education. William H.
Maxwell, superintendent of the schools OF New
York, who made the chief address, was the nrs'
speaker. He said in part:
A long step forward was taken. longer step
sisia i in ne fnion when in iS5 the statute was
enacted that no one should he licensed or en-
pUyd to o teach tS STATE p Mho s Or d had
Of experience in teaching. or In leu tnereoI
81 9 ranSg Of at least one year But
the work in the elementary senoo Prin ib gor
grammar grades differs materially IRON the WI
In secondary schools and the quan eianentarv
teachers differ accordingly In ne eIe MEM
signify. at least comparatively so. from one an
other, easy TO guide and influence In the a Iee
the nupils from thirteen or fourteen 70 seventeen
or eighteen. adoescents OF rapidly develoPlne
acting self-conscious. possessing the sense OF per-
sonality Of adults but without the selt-conrol tat
ing at the period of emotional adolescence, when
Impressions strike deep and endure long are al
most ineradicable.
NEED OF COLLEGE EDUCATION
Now right in my STATEMENTS Ttso thft de ihe
ferent In character from the pupils IN the nlf,,
schools and that cna the eTs rom 10 the knowg
10 be taught in the high school as empirlclsm az
fers from science. IT follows that dfieIeht me
high school teacher. What shall these qpalilhca-
tons be- Dean RIsse I'll q bs lhe Of supen
tendence Of the National Educa tional Association
general knowledge professional knowledge; special
knowledge and technical Skill ana ddoPL ~ ~
that is better or nearly as good The degree 81
scholarship required for secondary eaG H,ts. S@
by common consent fixed at c9uegate ea ucdoIos
No one with exceptions. should De eHpioyeu
70 IeaGh ~ nf The reason is not far to
seek The knowledge to be taught be i languaE s
knowledge and hence the teacher should have
studied the languages and the sciences in the hght
oi second"Professiona knowledge: No knowledge
believe is OF more worth than the knowledge OF
past or now exist among various peoples their ,sG
ideals Of life and their methods OF training "'e
Third-speclal knowledge: BY special knowledge
] mean Knowledge Of the subject the teacher Is 20
taken possession Of the high schools. The teachers
are supposed 10 be specialists in their various
prenaraflon IN the way Of special knowledge? I
should say at least one year OF post graduate WoIk
intends 70 teach. This work, however. might well
be coupled with the requirement of the fourth
n then. It is admitted that these four qualidca
tonsgeneral knowledge professional hnoweGge
10 the successful high school teacher. It should
not be difficult TO frame statute recurring mem
ttfefta gh
statute should forbid the licensing or appointment
Of person TO teach in ne high SCHOOLS OF me
OF arts approved by the Regents Of the University
Of the State OF New-York, who has not made
education and who has not devoted at least one
year to postgraauete ~oIk IN me sPesdb .n9 -
t4acbinF In addition TO this the applicant should
he reoirAd m nrovn his illness BY rigorous ex-
animation. After years experience as president
Of the Board Of Examiners Of the city OF New W.
a necessary safeguard in selecting teachers. But:
SGg one a nromoio6 Of teachers from the ee-
mentary grades 10 the high school grades. by
no means reply because shIc cesng n coiess
graduates and OF all others who have taught in
he seventh and eighth years OF the elementary
course who have made special studies outside of
srnlnations gain some one NAV object the en-
actment Of such a statute would so diminish the
supply Of teachers that II would not be possible 20
meet the demand The answer TO- TINS objection 40,
regard to elementary schools did not result IN
cutting off the 51Pgy OF sSd b
normal schools waxed In numbers. so that now
schools is abundant Who. it Will be asked. should
under the law have the right 10 approve institu-
s hayqs TSs ese gqy % e r9
New-York unhesitatngly answer, because 1t is
to that body by tradition, by experience. by facili-
ties for doing the work that the right belongs.
from such system OF licensing teachers for high
schools II will tend these institutions
from political influences, contamination devoutly
satisfy the requirements Of the law in the tenure
OF their positions because local officials viii find
little diversion in turning out good teachers. II
only good teachers may be put in their places And
lastly and above all, the establishment Of legal
standard sufficiently elevated will make for excel
lence The enactment Of a statute establishing
high requirements for high school licenses will
make the high schools the true peoples colleges
MR. MKELwAY OPPOSES PLAN.
81. Clair McKelway one of the Regents Of the
University. differed from Mr. Maxwell in re-
gard to thus elevating the standard of the high
schools The influence Of the taxpayers in the
Legislature must be considered He was glad
that no resolution this subject had been
introduced. The benefit OF what had been said
would come from what was printed and read
nv the members OF the Legislature superin-
tendent Maxwell had proposed that the Board
Of Regents should he clearing house Of educa-
tiOnal amDlgulues Inc soHc4tuoe OF thls
State" Mr. McKelway said. lis not it's
high schools or it's colleges; its solicitude
is for It's common schools. Bread winning
is the solicitude Of the people. Let us
get the best qualifications for teachers be-
tween the kindergarten and the high school.
in the common schools Let prepare
boys and girls 10 he good citizens. When l
hear that the boy or girl who desires to be
teachar in the high schools should go through
the common schools the high school, the COL
lege and then have several years OF training in
Europe. feel that there ought also to be rule
in such a case that no aspirant for a position
OF teacher in a high school should get married
vnder thirty
Mr. Maxwell In reply said that II Mr.. Nickel
ways policy had been followed there would not
have been any improvement, even in the ele-
nnentary schools And still further progress