The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1901-01-16
STATE EDUCATORS.
Notes and Comments by Superin-
tendent S. j. Race.

| have thought that your readers
would like to know something of
the association which is now reach
ing such a large membership and
which yearly shapes many impor-
tant educational conditions. This
association known as the ssM. p. A.
first discussed the Library Law for
Public Schools, the Free Text Book
Law, the Temperance Hygiene Law,
the State Certificate Law of 1899,
the Special State Aid to High
Schools and Rural Schools, the Spec
ial Compulsory Educational Law of
1899. Rarely indeed has any great
educational law gone upon our stat
ute. books, but thatit did not first
originate for a discussion in this
association. At the last M. E. A.,
Dec. 26, ~, and 20, the enrolment
reached 1895 Minnesota educators.
There are in the NJ p. A. depart
ments of city and county superin-
tendents, a graded school section,
a child study section, a college sec
tion, and last, but one of the most
important Of all in my opinion, the
associated school boards. It means
a good omen to see business men
and farmers, too, gathering together
to talk over school problems. Here
are a few of the questions discussed:
The ethics Of teachers contracts,
relation of the board of education to
the teacher, relationship of the
school board to the superintendent,
cooperation of school board, teach
ers and parents. Several members
said to me We get much help here.
/ We go home with broader views,
and new ideas as to our duty
The new certificate law of 1899,
I which relieves the county superin-
tendents of much labor, and which
gives US uniform certificate law,
was by the county superintendent
section voted an endorsement for a
further trial of two years, unamend-
! ed. There are some defects, but a
further trial may prove the defects
.
either more or less detective.
The law relative to the minimum
salary paid per district to county
superintendents Of schools, will
most likely be amended to $15 per
district, instead Of $40 as now, il
the trend of discussion can be taken
as measure.
There is. a growing feeling, too,
that no county superintendent OF
schools should be given to exceed
60 schools to look after, and that his
salary should not be less than
ST., 200 per annum, with allexpenses.
IF we shall ever get good men to de-
vote their lives to this work, we
certainly must pay them for it. Our
teaching profession to-day is the
most unsatisfactory of all our pro
fessions. The poorest paid the
noblest; too, of all callings, and yet
the sorriest of all trades. There
are in Minnesota 5000 teachers,
good, bad and Indifferent, nearly all
of whom are underpaid. We are
constantly raising the standard. OF
requirement for the teacher, but we
ought to raise the salary according
| ". Thoroughly do believe in a
professional equipment for the
teacher, but too, want to see them
paid a just compensation for the
quality Of service rendered. At
these annual meetings are brought
face to face educational men, who
| had perhaps never seen or heard OF
one another. It's a great inspira-
SEPARATION to hear some strong soul
tell how he has worked out some
problem, or to hear for the first
time the discussion Of some q uestion
you have never dreamed about.
You suddenly wake up, SO to speak,
and you inquire, Where am at. s
You find yourself aroused quick
lened SO to speak. You go home to
do some thinking and some doing.
The general session Of teachers
would like to see the State Superin-
tendent Of Public Instruction elect
ed every four years. Why not? It's
more democratic, is it not?
S. ]. RACE