The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-27

average number of subjects in all
schedules examined shows the follow
ing: Primary grade, IS; grammar
grade, 24.6; high school grade, 346.
We find that all the counties repre-
scented in these schedules require arith-
metic and grammar as test subjects;
four require, in addition, spelling; two
composition; one geography; one his
tory; one defining. The per cent in the
test subjects ranges from 80 to 20.
From the foregoing it is evident that
there. should be some effort made to
| adopt uniform schedule for the ex-
animation of teachers, both in respect
to subjects and the required per cent.
The child of one part of the State has
as much right to demand high excel
lence Of training and scholarship as the
child of another part. If we admit
that the county requiring thirty-one
subjects for a grammar grade certifi-
cate has better teachers by subjecting
it's applicants to the greater number of
subjects in the examination, then why
should not each county have the same
requirement? If the county in ques-
ton does not insure higher degree of
proficiency in consequence of multi
plicity of subjects required, then why
this infection? Why this brain worry
to become everything in general and
nothing in particular?
Section 1872 of the present law should
| be so amended as to specifically state
the subjects upon which applicants
shall be examined for the different
grades of certificates. There should
also be fixed a uniform standard, not
only for the average required in all
subjects in the examination, but in the
test subjects as WELL II 1t is possible
to agree upon what is generally known
as test subjects" then these subjects
should be definitely stated. Section
1904 should be amended to read, no
person is eligible to teach in any pub
| lie school in this State, or to receive a
certificate to teach, who has not at
tained the age of y years. With the
foregoing conditions fulfilled and upon
satisfactory evidence of one years sue
cessful experience in teaching, holders
of certificates granted upon examina ton
in one county should have the privilege
Of securing certificates of the same
grade in other counties.
Thus far we have considered only the
lower grades of certificates. The con-
Meeting link between the common
schools and the universities is the high
school The instruction and training
of the student in this department of
learning has much to do with his or
her success in the university Much
Importance, therefore, should be at
tached to the certiication of high
school teachers. The law in it's wisdom
has provided for the establishing Of
high schools and in due course of time
the number of such schools will be in
creased many fold. With due defer
ence to County Boards of Education
of the State, let me say that many of
them are composed of members not
holding certificates above that u the
grammar grade, have not had collegiate
and perhaps not even academic train
ing. AS water cannot rise higher than
its source, SO let us infer that Boards of
Education not having high school mem
bers cannot intelligently and critically
examine applicants for high school Gre
dentials. The result of such failure
must necessarily serVe to weaken the
teaching force in the higher depart
ments of Instruction. What remedy are
we obliged to suggest in this matter?
One of two. Either place at least one
accredited high school member on each
board, or establish a competent State
Board Of Examiners whose duty it will
be to pass upon and certificate high
school applicants. The. latter PROPOSE
ton is the more feasible, and it should
receive the immediate and earnest at
tention Of our lawmakers.
In conclusion let us hope that the
defects in the present method of certifi-
cation may be corrected by judicious
legislation brought about by careful
and intelligent study of the subject by
broad minded and liberal educators
who have at heart the best interests OF
our School Department
Charles J. Walker said that he had
not had an opportunity to prepare him
self by a paper for the discussion, hav-
ing misunderstood the scope of the
committees duties. He! thought the
golden mean lay between the two prop
ositions and the solution lay along that
line. He had some fixed ideas on the
subject and was sorry he had been mis-
| led.
Carl H. Nelson Of Vacaville said his
views had been fully set forth in the
bill that had been defeated. He moved
that further discussion be postponed
until another meeting of the council,
| and it was so ordered.
PUPILS WHO LEAVE SCHOOL.
Superintendent McClymonds of Oak
land, Chairman of the Committee on
Pupils Who Leave School Before Com
pleting the Grammar Grades, read a re-
port of figures collected from six
months past in the Oakland schools,
showing that, of 1922 first grade pupils,
al left the schools during the term OF
the second and third grade year pupils
y per cent. left, part of them in order
to work. Of the fourth year, IL per
cent. left. OF the fifth year, IA per cent.
| left and in the sixth year, 10 per cent.
In the seventh year, IL per cent; in the
eighth year, per cent; in the ninth
! year, Ia per cent; in the tenth year,
| IA per cent; in the eleventh year, IL
per cent; in the twelfth year, 6 per
cent. Out of the 5000 pupils, from var
ious causes OIL dropped out, an average
of 10 per cent. The older the pupils
grew the less percentage was kept home
| to work. This being for half year,
shows that nearly 20 per cent. drop out
yearly.
Mrs. Lucy NJ Washburn of San Jose
spoke Of the understanding at the pre-
vious meetings was that the percentage
of i'll health was to be ascertained as
nearly as possible. The statistics 6iven
| show that of the 5000, over 200 had
| dropped out on account of i'll health,
but this does not show the whole num-
ber She read list of questions de-