The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-07

Qualifications of Public School
Teachers Lowered.
School Board Decides TO Increase the
Teaching Force in the High
School Next Year.


tion amended has heretofore read:
"a teacher shall belong to one of
the following classes:
list. High school graduates with
one year or more successful expert
ence, or one year professional training
in normal school.
sgd. Normal graduates from ad-
vanced course.
I'D. Teachers of unquestioned ex-
perience of two or more years.
The amendment makes the first
qualification read as follows: High
school graduates dropping every
thing after the word graduates. -
The effect of this change IS TO lower
the standard required of teachers in
the Mankato public schools, and to
make the grades practice rooms for
young ladies who have had no expert
ence as teachers, if the board avails it
self of the changed rule What the
parents of the l, 800 scholars in the
grades will think of this remains to be
seen.
The tendency everywhere is to
tighten up the qualifications of
tea cheers rather than to loosen them.
The whole modern thought along
the line of child education is to re-
quire those who would be teachers to
prepare themselves for their work, the
same as a doctor, lawyer or theologian
prepares himself. For this reason nor
NAL schools are being maintained at
large expense and normal departments
are being added to colleges, univer-
stiles and even to high school courses.
The idea that anybody who has gone
through the high school is capable of
teaching is a very Anticipated one.
There may be one in hundred or two
of the graduates who is capable of
taking up teaching and doing fairly
we'll without special preparation along
that line, but to pick out these will
require a great deal of experimenting
on the pupils. The graduate of a
make good teacher, as special apti
tude for the work is required as a
basis. With that basis, special train
ing makes an infinitely better teacher.
When cities everywhere are raising
the standard of their teachers, it re-
mains for the Mankato school board to
lower the standard required in its
selection of teachers. The wheels of
progress can be retarded for time,
bat the people will eventually see that
the standard is put back to where it
was, and raised instead of lowered
when any change is made.
Two members of the board were
absent, President Davis and Mrs.
Smith, both of whom are opposed to
the Fletcher amendment Had either
one of them been present, the amend
ment would not have received the
necessary two thirds vote. 1t is very
unfortunate that they were absent
In bringing up his amendment, Mr..
Fletcher said that he did not believe
that it would prove detriment, but
rather benefit, as it would strengthen
the high school in the minds of the
people. He said that high school
graduates are as well qualified to teach
as others are.
DIR. Webster said that the amend
ment was a step backward, and he was
opposed to it on broad grounds Peda-
gogics is a science, and no matter how
we'll drilled persons may be in their
studies they need some specific train
ing before they are properly qualified
TO teach. If the amendment was car
ried it would put the schools back
many years.
Superintendent Uline said that
teachers, the same as doctors and law
yers, need special training. 1t is a
dangerous thing to remove restrictions
in the qualifications of teachers. If
graduates without successful expert
ence as teachers are elected and prove
to be failures as teachers it is difficult
to get rid of them.
DR.. Webster said that it was no
reflection on the high school that its
graduates are not Immediately eligible
to election as teachers, for the school
does not pretend to prepare them to
teach.
Supt. Uline said that the whole
force of Mr.. Fletcher's appeal was in
the interest of the girls who are just
out of the high school and not in the
interest of the 1, 300 scholars in the
grades.
DR.. Webster said tn at the tendency
everywhere is to raise the qualifca-
tions instead of to lower them. If the
board was foolish enough to put down
the bars when they are put back, as
they will be, they will probably be
put good deal higher than they have
been.
A vote was then taken on the amend
ment, and it was carried, ayes Messrs.
Coughlap, Davies, Fletcher and Key
sor, noes, Messrs. Comstock and Web
ster.
Mr.. Comstock explained his vote by
saying that he considered the amend
ment backward step. 1t is well es
tablished fact that those who intend to
teach should have special preparation
for the work