The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-27

Suggestions Looking to bringing
About Some seeded Reforms.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
In an editorial that appeared In your issue
of Nov. &c. you c~riticise the state superin-
tendent for advocating an increase of the
State tuition tax to 16 cents on the hundred
dollars, that being the rate from which II
was reduced to IL cents by a Republican
Legislature at the recommendation of a Re-
publican Governor. Applying statistics. we
find that in both Ohio and Illionois the
average length Of the school term Is over
100 lays as against Indiana's 1876; that the
average income of the teachers in the
former two States is $50 as against In
diana's average of s240. 1t may be observed
that Indiana's average school term has been
heightened to it's present status only since
the last Legislature fixed the minimum
term at six months; but in the rural dis
tricts the average annual income OF the
teacher has not been increased In proper
ton. Thus do we see that while the earn
ings Of all other classes of workers have
been increased to meet the hieher prices
Of prosperous times, those Of th- teachers
have been decreased: and when the in
evitable reaction ensues, some genius win
be inquiring why the teachers compensa-
" SAO1io " NC " SaAt AhC a u
times!
Referring to the last report Of the State
Board of Statistics it is found that the
average annual income of Indiana workers
skilled and unskilled-is $577.72; the aver
age daily wages, on a basis Of 32 working
days to a year, is s1-Se; the average num-
Der of days unemployed Is seventy-eight.
l speak of organized labor.
Not only is Indiana behind the other
Northern States in appreciation of the
teachers work, but she Is even inferior
IN this respect to the poyerty-stricken
Greece, a country fully as sterile as our
own Brown county, having a population
less than our State and saddied with a debt
OF $4,000, 900, pays her teachers an average
salary of 1928 and provides the superan-
nuated teacher a monthly pension varying
from s2 TO SIS, according TO disability. In
Prussia the minimum salary is fixed by law
at $3.50. will house and fuel additional.
Switzerland pays $3.50 and furnishes a house
and piece Of land to cultivate. England.
Scotland and Ireland pay, respectively, S5SS,
1868 and $3SS, and the teacher Is projected
from rural ignorance and niggardliness by
a parliamentary enactment that. The
qualifications and enrollments of teachers
In the country shall be equal to those OF
city teachers of like grades"
Not the least of the hardships OF the
country teacher is his uncertain term of
position. 1t is not an uncommon practice
among trustees to refuse TO let a teacher
know at the conclusion of his school wheth-
er his services will be required for another
year or not. This Is a stroke or policy on
the trustees part, as it relieves him of a
greas deal of Importantly on the part Of
candidates. He knows that there Is never
a scarcity of licensed teachers; and in more
Instances than is m suspected such
a procedure affords the trustee a fine Op-
portunity for boodling: in effect he says:
The school is open to the highest bidder"
/ believe that the condition Of the rural
teacher could be much improved with but
little addition TO the burden of the tax
payer. There Is a woeful want Of economy
In the management OF the country schools.
both in the expenditure Of money and in
performance OF the work. In hundreds of
dozen pupils to a school. In other instances
~neighboring schools of fair attendance each
SAY twenty or thirty-have all the grades
and years represented, thus in each school
/ cutting sthe programme into infinitesimal
portions of time. With a scheme of con-
solidation such as obtains in Ohio and
Illinois the work can be much better done
by little more than half OF the present
teaching force. Then the saving In build
ings. repairs, apparatus and fuel would be
immense.
OF course, II would not be wise to In
troduce so radical a change into our pres
ent system too suddenly. but a beginning
| might we'll be made by consolidating all
schools whose attendance Is less than ff-
teen-that Is to say, In every township
where such schools are found. The build
ing of any more country schoolhouses
should be prohibited. A united effort on
the part OF the teachers OF the State could
not fail to arouse a powerful sentiment in
favor Of reform in the management of our
| rural schools and treatment OF their teach
ers. Speaking more particularly in behalf
of the teachers, / shall say that some Of
the most needed reforms are:
F~irst-Special training. or an equivalent
in the way OF experience, to be the first
| requirement of candidates for licenses.
Second-A system of seniority that shall
| confer the best positions on the most COM
petent teachers.
Third-More certain tenure of position.
Fourth-Abolition of the per diem system
Of compensation and the substitution there
for of the annua salary.
Fffth-A tax of l per centum on all teach
! ers' salaries: said tax TO be applied to the
| formation OF a fund for the p~ensioning OF
| SUPER nuated or disabled teachers.
Sixth-A minimum term OF nine months
throughout the State.
| Seventh-A more rigid enforcement or the
| truancy law in the rural districts.
j.. NJ. WELDING.
= Azalfa. Ind. Dec. 26.