The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-28

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ToQ ssLt sY All DRUGGISTS eEct so< PtRsEUL
"The question is, has the professional
teacher won all the ground to which her
skill entities her? This is a question of
| school administration. AS lang as 5000
! children are playing in the streets of
| Queens Borough, New York City, be-
! cause Of faulty school administration; as
long as personal influence prevails in the
appointment, retention, transfer and pro-
motion Of Brooklyn teachers to such a
degree that those on the eligible list will
not permit themselves to be assigned to
Brooklyn borough, the professional teach
er has not won all the ground to which
her skall entities her. AS long as the
city of San Francisco has a bipartisan
school board, a paid school board and
city superintendent elected in the strife
of party contests, the professional teach
er has not won all the land in which she
dwells. AS long as staunch citizens,
illt4ilDtLS VI TIE DpdIu OL 6uuCd llOn Oh z
neighboring city, must resign to avoid
being committed to the erection of a de-
fective school building, and as long as
the resolutions of teachers OF the same
city endorsing the action Of a principal
in difficult case of discipline, cannot be
published without adverse comment. not
to say ridicule, the professional teacher
has not won all the land in which she
dwells.
''These facts are not discouraging.
They do not indicate that great trust is
not generally reposed in teachers and
school authorities. They do not indicate
that teachers do not fulfill this high
trust reposed in them. They do indicate
that the problems of education today are
problems of school administration, and
that public opinion must address itself
to these problems until no matter If it
does take twenty years to finish the pro-
cess there shall be in no school any
botch work in the product, until the pro-
duct of the public school shall be equal
or superior to the product of the oldest
and richest private schools in the coun-
try.
Let me say, too, that when for any
reason the public is forced to lose conf
dence in its public schools, SO far as
means will permit it turns for a remedy
to reputable private schools. and while
the reputable private school is not at all
to be decried, yet make this loss of con-
fdence general and this remedy itself VIII
create classes and be a direct menace to
the existence Of the state.
Then let US do our work so well that
the product Of our schools will be found
as good as the best even when tried in
the fiery competition of twenty wears
hence. Let such methods of school adj
be invented and applied that
the public schools shall be the most eff
fective and best managed branch of the
civil service. 1t is encouraging, too. that
school administration is in many places |
receiving the best thought of educators
and intelligent citizens. Chicago is quot
ed as being the very storm center of this
discussion. In New York Governor |
Roosevelt himself is taking steps to i'm |
prove school administration and we be-
.ieve that that patriot IS peculiarly fitted /
to do the work
Inc Ideal school administration would /
do one work of wonderful good. It would |
seek and find and broaden the influence |
Or the capable and conscientious teachers. /
me great force at work in our schools /
IS the conscientious teacher. Teachers |
examinations do not always find her. /
they have a strong tendency to do so. for |
ne conscientious teacher is a conscien-
ious scholar, The public does not al
ways md the conscientious teacher. for
hat teacher IS a Door advertiser. but I
am sure the public wants the conscien-
ious teacher or I much mistake what
parents say to me. And I want TO add
nat 1t IS possible for q true teacher 10
influence so powerfully the life of a pupil
hat that pupil Will have the stamina and
1ower TO meet and withstand a moral
'riSis and come on victor I have seen
his thing done. II the state doesn't
mean that its school administration
should broaden the influence Of such
eachers 1 mistake the genius of demo-
ratio institutions
As an aid to this, teaching experience
mould he insisted On as qualification
or filing the more important positions.
Two cities Of oklahoma require three
ears teaching experience before an ap-
'licant is eligible for the position Of
eacher in those cities. This puts a large
actor Of safety into school organization.
specially whore there is a great temp
alton 20 put cicy's hish school gradu-
ties at once upon the teaching force.
Many such provisions could be made
which would make school systems more
Elective. For instance. high school ad-
ninistration IS at its best in che state OF
minnesota, and President Elliot SAYS OF
3: The principles OF its high school
e<islation may be advanJaseausly copied /
4 any state of the union. however old OF
ich or densely populated"
okia0hna herself enjoys several fun
-ameutaJ provisions which benefit The
chools one Of these Is the preparation
Z teachers examination questions .by. one
entral body and another the plan OF
from the common schools.
Soth Of these are probably abused by
hose who apply ,hcm, bat Il they we're
-iven the authority that regents exam
d lions receive il New York. they would