The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-26

their wages by increasing to the fullest
practical extent the qualifications required
of teachers. From an educational stand
point, 1t is conceded that no teacher is
fully equipped who has not received train
ing beyond the point where he is teaching.
No person should be eligible to teach in a
country school who does not possess an
education equivalent to that implied by
graduation from a commissioned high
school. In the case of high school teach
ers, college training should be required.
O still greater Importance are some
needed requirements of a moral nature.
L believe the moral qualifications of a
school teacher should be higher than mere
ly the good moral character required of a
saloon keeper. The teacher commonly be-
lieves that he teaches by what he says,
while in truth he teaches Infinitely more
by what he is. AS an aid to the accom-
p%lishment of a better moral status, l
would have all teachers licensed by the
state department. This would secure ab-
solite uniformity and impartiality. Politi-
cal pulls and influences would no longer
avail to secure the candidate d license. The
township trustee could no longer reward
his friends and punish his enemies.
EFFICACY OF TEACHERS WORK.
Both the trustee and the superintendent
should report fully to the state department
upon all points touching upon the efficacy
of the teachers work. Upon such reports
of the teachers success should his license
depend as much as upon his scholarship.
The value of such an arrangement is that
1t would still further limit the opportunity
for nepotism or favoritism of any kind.
AS a further advantage it would secure
more implicit respect for and obedience TO
the suggestions of the county superintend-
ent who, under present conditions, is often
hampered by the obsolete educational
ideas of his trustees.
Another fertile suggestion for the i'm
provement of our schools is to consolidate
rhnn- n TnnNannanT n " 7 r liza
ton has now passed beyond the stage OF
question and experiment, and it should
receive statutory recognition and extern
sion. Among the advantages 10 be derived
from centralized country schools are the
following: Better supervision and inspec-
ton, better graduates and classification,
enrichment of work, better attendance,
longer terms, better teachers. fostering of
township libraries, announcement of town
ship high schools, increase of community
feeling, Improvement In material school
facilities, pTolongation of school life, and
association and companionship with larger
numbers.
According to my idea, the ideal CEN
tralized school should consist of from eight
TO twelve teachers, one of whom, by virtue
of his position as principal, should have
half of his time for supervising and in
speeding the work of the other teachers.
The supervision OF the county superintend-
ent would be much more efficient.
Another direction i'm which L would Sug-
gest Improvement is that OF the course OF
study. We have at present two chief theo-
ries of education in our schools which have
been warning against each other. These
may be called the classical and the profess
sional theories. The former looks TO cui-
ture, the latter to vocation. The one draws
its educational materials from the past,
the other from the future. The trouble
with our course OF study Is that there is no
sequence between the school and the shop,
the schoo and the factory. the farm and
the home. We should have an education
that appeals To the daily life and sets the
pupil into harmony with living problems.
AS il is now, when a child enters school.
all his home and neighbOrhOod interests
are set aside. Ii is taken for granted that
ne has a sufficient fund+of knowledge about
ordinary things. and so he is set 10 learn
ing the symbols of these things or worse.
still filled with facts utterly beyond the
ken OF his experience. The wonders of the
milky way are familiar TO him. but the
way 10 milk is "a sealed mystery"
The paper was discussed by r.. a.
Hutchens, superintendent OF Hamilton
county.
This morning the superintendents will
meet in the Supreme Court room At $50