The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1900-11-19
MARION COUNTY TEACHERS
A Brief Report of Another of Their In.
teresting and Instructive
Sessions

Inc teachers OF Marion county, 10
the number of fifty, convened in the
armOry Saturday to resume the work
of the session in discussing questions
of great interest and benefit to their
profession and the educational inter
ests of the county.
The first thing in order was the cleo
ton of officers, which resulted in nam
ing the following persons: President,
J. H. BrinsOn, Orange Springs; vice
president, Miss Claudia Miller, Ocala;
Secretary, Miss Susie Milligan, Eure-
ka; treasurer, Superintendent w. D.
earn.
A program committee was appointed
by the chair, consisting of Professor
Green, Belleview, Miss Edith Mead
ows, Anthony, Miss Louise B. Horne
and Superintendent earn.
Mr. earn made few remarks on fl
nances. Heretofore a small sum was
left over from examination fees, which
was used to defray the incidental ex-
penses of these gatherings, but this
year there was little of that fund re-
naming. Seats had to be secured.
The Witness chairs used free for two
years through the good will of Rev.
J. c. Porter, had been sold; hence 9TH
ers had to be hired. He suggested that
voluntary assessment be made of
% cents for each teacher, but wanted
it distinctly understood that all white
teachers in the county were members
of this association whether they paid
that quarter or not.
w. B. Burt, in charge of the McIn-
tosh school, said he saw the need of a
small sum for association work and
hoped all would respond. And they
did
The following letter from State Su-
perintendent Sheats was read by w.
H. Russell, of Grahamville, which
formed the subject and basis of the
mornings discussion:
Tallahassee, Nov. 10, 1900.
w. H. Russell, Esq, Grahamville, Flor
ida.
Dear Sir: Yours of the 18th inst
asking my views on the subject of "a
change in the method of grading teach
ers' examinations" received.
The apparent impOssibility of Sc
curing capable and painstaking grad
ing committees in many counties and
the frequent charges that the work is
not satisfactorily done, lead me to ia
vor either a state grading committee
or one for each judicial circuit.
In the larger territories, capable
committees can certainly be secured
and the liability of knowing the papers
of individual examines would be re
duced to a minimum, and possibly the
work would be done more satisfactory
ly. 1t can be done in ample time anC
will really cost less.
In lieu of the whole present system
of examination, prefer to have state
| examining board of three expert teach
ers to visit each county and hold ont
examination a year, the examining t.
be more largely oral and directed in ;
way to test teaching ability as we'll al
scholarship. This board to issue al
certificates good in any part of tn,
state.
This system would relieve the exam
inees of much fatiguing labor. be NOR
uniform. diminish the chances 70
fraud, favOritism, ETC.; and could b.
conducted IN such a way as to max
= much more reliable tests of teaching
ability. These suggestions outline
= plan | would like the legislature t
adopt
The cost will be no greater an
T there need be no special examinations
for if it be incOnvenient or impossible
for one to attend the examination i
his own. he can one held in anothe
: county.
There is too much fraud and favOri
= ism creeping into our present syster
for it to be much longer tolerable.
have not time to give you all the d,
tails of the system l suggest.
w. n. Sheats.
Prof. Warn of the Ocala school wa
delegated to lead off. In substance, h
cold Tho oborgo of fraud ooD,o IorCai