The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1901-05-09
NEW SCHOOL LAWS.
Superintendent Griffith Writes in an
Interesting Manner of Recent
School Legislation.
NO ALLIANCE WITH POLITICS.
Politics, According to the superintendent,
are Ringing the Death Knel1 of Wis
consin's Common School System
NO ALLIANCE WITH POLITICS.

In order that the vast sums spent on
the public schools may bring the great
est returns, the State of Wisconsin
has devised a code of school laws.
The main parties in running the
mechanism of our public school sys-
tenn are the taxpayers, the school OIL
GERS and the teachers. Of these three
the teacher fills, by far, the most re-
sponsible position. Whatever, then,
tends toward the Improvement OF the
teacher, makes for the betterment OF
the school. There is an old saying
that, 'sAs is the teacher SO is the
school," With certain limitations the
foregoing maxim is strictly true.
One of the prime qualifications OF
teacher is that he must have wide
and deep knowledge of the subjects
which he is to teach. This is, or
ought to be, se1f-evident. A person
who knows nothing of the use of car
pentet's tools would not be engaged to
build house.
In order to secure the qualifications
Wisconsin has provided that eff any
person desires to teach in the common
schools he shall procure a certificate"
See Sec. 448.
Examining officers are elected to
carry out this provision. Zach one of
these should fix a standard of attain
ment. This ought to be high enough
to keep out those applicants who lack
the proper academic qualifications.
No amount of teaching knack," no
kind of pleasing personality, can ever
make up for lack of thorough scholar
ship. While true that few teachers
of limited attainments know how tof
arrange and display their meagre stock\
of goods to the best advantage in the
front window, yet it is eternally the
fact that all other things being equal
those teachers who know the most can
teach the best. The primary teacher
ought to be among the brightest stars
in the educational armament, for she
trains the young at the most impress
siona BILE period of life. Between birth
and the age of six the child gains the
most important part of his training.
That any one can teach child is an
idea vicious and irrational. It has
robbed thousands of children of their
birthright without putting in its place
even decent mess Of pottage: Many
scnoo1boards do worse than Esau.
No one should be allowed to teach in
the common schools unless he can
pass reasonable examination.
County superintendents are sometimes
obliged to hold special examinations
and grant limited certificates good un-
til the next regular examination. See
Sec. 461, School Laws. No ''permit'
is lawful. Only a certificate in due
form is valid. This law holds true in
cities as well as in the country. No
school board has any right to pay an
uncertifcated teacher from the school
fund. In many towns and cities there
is an unholy and scanda1ous alliance
between politics and the public
school.
This thing, if continued, marks the
beginning of the end Of our common
schools. Fair education will drop and
die if forced to abide in the same house
with the gris1y ogre of polluted politics
whose breath of life depends upon the
cohesive power of public plumber. 1t
is well known that many teachers ~
are selected because they have sfpu1l'
with some member of the board, or
because the board member has po1it-
zeal debt to pay. Frequently the SUI
perintendent is ordered to certificate
somebody's darling"
A superintendent should fearlessly
and furious1y fight such thing to a
finish. Doubtless he will thus make
enemies. To make enemies is often
the proper thing for public officer to
do. The better thinking class, the
properly qualified teachers will rise
up and shout "wel1 DONE" Let them
remember and we'll note that every
teacher selected by ''pull" without
reference to merit displeased some
teacher who is the pure gold.
WILLIAM GRIFFITH.
TO BE HEARD MAY "a.