The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-25
HUMBARGER IDEA
ThinksThereShOuId BeRefOrms
in Teachers Examinations.
Questions Impractical and Not
a Fair Test.
WHAT HE WOULD DO.
Reduce the Work to Plane of
Country Teacher.
Not Be Candidate IF Ed Little
Enters Politics.
HAT HE WOULD Do.

L. P Humbarger of Abilene, superin-
tendent of schools in Dickinson county,
is a receptive candidate for state sup
erintendent on the POpulist ticket but
he will not get into the race if Col. z.
c. Little wants anything of a political
character. At least. that is the way
Mr.. Humbarger expressed himself to
Journal reporter during recent visit
in Topeka.
Mr.. Humbarger says he will make no
extended campaign for the nomina-
ton. Il have lived in the western part
of the state for several years. he said,
and have a large acquaintance among
the members of our party, and many OF
my friends have been very kind IN
sending me information of their desire
to aid me in securing the nomination
for state superintendent. However, If
Ed Little wants anything political 1
will not for a moment stand in his way.
He is all right and 1 am ready to help
support him for any position he may
seek.
Several of the newspaper men have
also been very kind continued Mr..
Humbarger, in talking about my can
didacy. I appreciate all that has been
or may be said.
There are several reasons why I
would like to be state Superintendent"
continued Mr. Humbarger thoughtful
ly. THE principal one is a desire to
see some reforms inaugurated in that
department OF the states business.
My attention was first called to
condition which think should be inn
proved by examination questions which
we have had from the state college and
state board men. One instance L re-
member was when the questions were
so difficult that a large number of the
best teachers in my county failed. This
was also true in every county from
which [ have reports. The questions
were not along the lines of work which
the country or small town teachers pur-
sued. They were technical and in some
instances ridiculous. Some of the best
teachers in the state failed to pass the
examinations and received no certif-
icateS, being thereby retired from their
work Some Of the teachers in Dick
inSOn county who failed to pass those
examinations were among the best
there. They We're competent in every
particular; able to impart their knOwl-
edge to the pupils and in that were do
ing much good.
Then we had the other extreme. The
teachers complained of the questions
principally as to the general character
thereof, and the next series of Ques-
tons which We received We're very easy.
Any person who wanted to could pass
an examination in these questions an
procure a certificate. In this way
hosts of incompetent teachers We're
started out to take the place of those
who. although competent to do the
work and do it well, had been forced
out by the former sets of questions.
1.-THE point I want to make is this:
the questions which are put to teachers
are impracticable. They are technical
and sometimes ridiculous They are
clear out of range of the
work being done by the teacher but
represent the ideas of professors and
high grade teachers who think that the
country teacher should be as well up in
things with which he never comes in
contact as the teacher who drills away
at them every day.
These professors and state board
men do not recognize, in my opinion,