Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-15
BILLS FOR 1HE SCHOOLS
Supt. Barrett Addresses Message
to Legislature on Subject
Of Schools.
Interests OF Common Schools
Should Not Be Overlooked in
Rush Of Business.
Measures Looking to Bettermen
of Most Expensive Branch
of Government.
Special to Times Republican.

Durham, chairman of the committee OF
schools and text books in the house, fol-
information regarding legislation need
J ed in the interest of the common
schools or of state educational institu-
tons. Richard C. Barrett, superinten-
dent of public instruction, sent to him
; the following address. which was laid
before the house Friday morning and
ordered printed In the jorunal of the
house:
Des Moines, March 14.-To the Mem
bers Twenty-ninth General Assembly
Public school education costs the citi-
zens of Iowa sS,5O0,OoO year. If the
! reasonable demands were granted the
state institutions Of higher learning and
of the board of control less than $4,000
would required The total amount es-
timated to operate the affairs of state in
all departments, including the educa-
tional, penal and charitable institutions,
is about S2,2O0,000 a year. Thus, we
find that the cost of public education in
common schools is from the financial
point of view alone relatively Of far
greater Importance than any other
branch of state work.
! Six thousand unframed and poorly
/ prepared, If not wholly incompetent
teachers are annually certificated for
the sole purpose of keeping the schools
open the statuatory time. More than
81 100000 is paid annually to this large
! body of teachers, and more than 100000
| children are committed to the care of
this immature and inexperienced class.
| The boards governing the three edu-
cational institutions, and the board of
control governing the penal, charitable
and industrial institutions Will. in such
manner as to them seems necessary and
wise, present for your consideration the
needs of the institutions under their
control. If the finances of the state
would permit it, you could justly grant
the askings of all with credit to your
selves and the best welfare of the insti
tutions. Could this be done, the total
amount appropriated would not equal
ione-f fourth of the total sum that will be
expended in supporting the common
schools during the year 1902.
AS member ex-off1cio of the three
boards governing the educational insti- |
,tntions, I sincerely hope that the needs
of these institutions will be met. The
fire losses at the state university and
the state college of agriculture and me-
chantc arts make the needs of these in
situations imperative. But, While my
interest in these schools is great, the |
longings of my heart go out most |
strong to the common schools. In them
the vast majority Of the children will
receive their education. No excursions
ever run nor banquets served in the in
terests. No lobby ever appears to urge
upon you the great needs of these |
schools wherein is spent annually 400 |
per cent more of the peoples money |
than is ever appropriated or voted an
nually for higher education. The earn
est, thoughtful, careful attention your
honorable body gives to measures
which affect annually less than 5000 |
students prompts and encourages me to
urge that the same attention be given
to proposed legislation which affects
more than 100000 children.
There is now pending before your
honorable body measure providing for
the compulsory attendance of children
of the ages of seven to fourteen upon
some public, private or parochial school.
This department urges the passage of
this bill. The state has the right to
demand of parents that their children
shall be given at least the elements of
an education. Granted that this be
true, have not the parents the right to
demand that the state shall provide
teachers for their children?
In this state no minimum requirement
has ever been fixed by law for those de-
string to teach. That it should now do
so is my firm conviction. Ii such mini
mum requirement be fixed, it must be
The standard should not
at present be fixed so high that the
public schools of the commonwealth
of teachers The general assembly can
/ think now safely require that after
some certain future date no person
shall be certificated to teach who has
not previously taught or pursued
scholastic course equivalent to that Civ
en- in an accredited high school The
last section of house file No. $50 by Gill
christ embodies this idea. The passage
of such a law at this time would entail
no additional expenses upon the state,
but would stimulate educational ZEAL
raise the standard of admission to the
teachers profession. and in the very 4
near future give to our schools better
prepared teachers with broader
of the general subject of ed
ucation and OF the Importance and wall
ue of the right education of children
House file No. 399 by King If passed
would make 1t possible for the state
board of educa tional examiners to rec
ognize efficient work done In the prepa
alton of teachers in accredited high
private normal schools, semi
naries, academies and UNCONVENTIONAL
colleges. The measure carries an APP /
so small that when COM I
pared with those needed. for higher in
situations it appears insignificant, tho
believed to be sufficiently large to at ;
least encourage the classes of schools
above named to meet the requirements
fixed by the board of examiners. The |
bill further provides that the gradu-
ates of the approved schools may, upon
the required examination, re-
,eive from the board of examiners GER
.iflcates to teach in public schools for
TWO years. Without further explana- {
.ory statements, 1 ask your considera-
ion of this measure, believing that its
passage would make possible the better I