The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1901-06-07


islature recently enacts THAT the coun-
ty superintendent of the several coun-
ties in the State of Kansas shall re-
ceive the sum of 81 per school per an
mum as travelling expenses in visiting
said schools, provided in no case shall
superintendent receive expenses for
school not visited" Besides this, he is
entitled to money expended for post
age, stationery, freight and express.
The trouble with our school system is
that there is too much disposition to
load it with steeples, domes and cor
nices, when the foundations are mani
festly insufficient. This has long been
the case. Nobody hears of appropria-
lions for the betterment of the teachers
and children of the primary schools.
There is a woeful lack of room for chill
dren in those grades, and whenever
there is any money 10 be disposed Of
it is applied to the upper end of the
system.-New Orleans Picayune.
The question of the short skirt for
teachers is still being occasionally agi-
tated. The superintendent of the New
Haven schools has recommended that
all the teachers wear short skirts the
year around on the theory that the hy-
gienic effect will be good. The author
tiles of Ell PasO, Texas, have gone
step farther, and prohibit teachers from
wearing skirts that touch the floor. The
subject is one that seems scarcely
worth all the attention that it has re-
ceived during the last two years.
In the spelling book and it's proper
use seems to rest the hope of the com
ing generations of spoilers. Yet too
many of the spelling-books now in use,
though offering to the young student a
bewildering variety of words, are
thrown together on no recognizable
principle and afford no opportunity to
the pupil to discover a relation be-
tween his lesson and his own attain
ments The aim in some books seems
to be to bring in as many difficult
words as possible. But the ability to
spell difficult words counts for little I'M
less they are to be used in ones own
composition. There is no use in an
ticipating in the elementary school the
, wants of the man of forty. 1t need not
cause a shudder If the pupil should be
unable to spell more than small frac-
ton of the less-used technical and diff
cult terms of science. These may bide
:. their time. The pupil cannot in any
l case master them all. What is import
ant is. that he form the habit of spell
ing accurately the words that belong
to his range of thought, and that he
! continue the process when he ad
vances to the higher studies. To the
objection that many pupils who leave
school early often assume responsible
positions in later life, and hence ought
to learn the spelling of unusual words
in school, the answer is easy. No sucf
u prophetic method is possible. The ext
gencies of life are far too varied to en-
l. able the schools to fOresee them all
William Z. Mead, in Educational Re
view
The true teacher is not chiefly con
! cerned about his salary. This is an i'm
\ portant item in his list of necessities
and he is not likely to receive too nue.
of it, If he is a true teacher. Schoo
o directors are not given to extravaganza
: of this kind. But salary is not the mos
J, important thing in teachers life.
is more important that he be conscieI
tious in his work. The teacher VIII
puts his conscience in his work will SUI
coed where others fail. If in no OthC
! way he will succeed in being at peaC
4 with himself. The palnstaking, cor
scientious teacher is apt to give eac
pupil the attention which he deserves
and so secure for each one the be:
fruits of his toll. He VIII necessaril
"a make each scholar feel his interest
C. him, which viii inspire pupil to do h
D, best To get each pupil to know h
: own weakness and to remedy it;
bring each pupil to the point of doir
his best; to enlist every energy of Il
child in the tasks to be done-this
= work which has no money valuatio
The true teacher cannot measure Il
/ amount of his work by the size of
\ salary, but will do whatever is nece
II sary, and as long as it is necessary Il
il success. He who gauges the amour
of his labor by the size of his salary
ii a mere hireling, and unworthy of
place in the ranks Of true teachers,
high ideal, and conscientious work a
essential 10 every one who is worthy
being called a teacher-American JoU
nal of Education.