Evening times-Republican., 1903-12-26
Henry sabin Questions Acenr.
acy of Figures Showing De-
creased School Population
TOO MANY SCHOOL OFFICIALS
The Ex-stste Superintendent Thinks
10000 Instead of 10000 Such Off
cials in Iowa Would Do the Work
Better-Meetins of the State Teach
ers' Association Next Week.
Special to Times Republican


Des Moines, Dec. 26.-Iowa people
are not cultured to the point of decreas-
ing the number and size of families
Statistics regarding the school popu-
lation reported by the school officials
of the state seemed to point to thai
conclusions; but the accuracy or COM
spleteness of these figures are ques-
toned by Henry Sabin, exstate supef-
intendent, who is the only man to have
been five times in succession NOM
mated for head of the state educa-
tional department.
Il see that the school enumeration
as returned from the counties shows
decrease of about 1000 in the yea,
and the school enrolment dropping
off of nearly 10000 he remarked
The statistics are wrong. They are
sander on our young married peo-
pie of Iowa. We are not losing in the
number of children of school age noi
In school attendance in Iowa. have
been around among the schools Soma
and l know that there are more chill
dren in the schools than ever before. A
few days ago l asked a we'll informed
school teacher from 4 nearby count y
about his school and he said ii wis
fuli to oyerfiowing. He said the SAME
was true of other schools all over the
county. 1t is the report that comes
from many sections. The trouble is thu;
the school officials become careless ana
do not report the school population
nor attendance.
'One trouble we have in Iowa." :ie
continued, lis that we have TOO many
school officials. Do you knew there
are upwards of 10000 school officials
in Iowa. 1t is too many. Ten thous-
and would do the work better. There
are too many school boards and too
many school districts and too great
division of the work. Why, the
saxpapers OF the state pay to school
board secretaries and directors aboul
$160.000 a year. There is need of
some reform in these matters and :.
better system of keeping The records
and getting the actual school popu-
lation.
We have admirable schools. bu;
the superintendent of public instruc-
tion, at the head of the department,
Is practically helpless. He gathers
statistics and makes recommendations,
but he has no direct authority and he
rea ches the schools and the pupils only
thru the county superintendent He
ought to have some authority and be
clothed with power TO straighten out
matters where he finds them going
wrong. And his recommendations 20
the legislature or those in authority
are pretty generally disregarded."
The topic of perhaps greatest impor-
tance that will come before the state
teachers association which meets here
next week will be that of the better
ment of the conditions of teachers. Thr
state association will be in session
nearly all week. The preliminary
meeting, that Of the educational coun
ell, or higher court, of the associa-
ton, begins on Monday evening, and
this body on two separate days will
consider two important topics. On
Tuesday committee under the le:d
OF Superintendent Hukill, of Water
loo, will give a second years report o.i
THE Teaching of English" When
this subject was presented last yea.
there was such diversity of opinion
that no report to the association was
possible. 1t is regarded as possible
that the subject may have to SO ovar
for still another year before being fin
ally disposed of. But a special COM
mittee was created to consider th.
teacher question and to report this
year for final report If possible. State
Superintendent Barrett named as head
Of this committee Professor Thona 5
Nicholson, of Cornell College. Pro-
fessor Nicholson has since become
president of South Dakota University,
denominational college at Mitchell
and he will not attend the association.
His report will be presented and Will
be taken UP by the council for dis
cussion. The committee was given by
Professor Nicholson, at the meeting
last year, an outline of the subject. In
the following form:
"a thorough and scientific investi-
cation of the average salaries paid In
Iowa for the various grades of teachers
compared with those in other states
and in other countries; comparison
of the compensation of teachers with
that in other professions, as law, medi
cine, the ministry. business, etc; a
determination, of methods of tabulatine
them to school boards and to publish
them in the papers and in other way.
so as to make them the basis of 4
+ campaign of education for the raisine
of salaries and OF the social appre
citation of the teachers
With this outline as starter thf
committee was organized into divisions
with the following topics in the hands
of subcommittee as Indicated:
As to salaries. investigation o.
amounts paid in comparison with
teachers in other states. average tern
of service and similar statistics-J. J
Williamson, Fairfield: H. c. Thorn
burg. Des Aioines; s. w. Stookey, Ce.
dar Rapids.
Comparison of salaries in the teach
Ing profession with those in other pro-
fessions and in trades-A. T. Hukill
Waterloo; w. NJ. Stevens. Sioux City;
Maurice Kicker, Burlington: Bruce q
Fink. F'ayette.
Social standing of teachers as corr
pared with those in other occupations
and those in other countries-W. S
Hendrixson. Grinneil; Dan f. Bradley
Grtnnell; I.ibbie Dean, Newton.
AS to pensions, what is done in othel
states, whether feasible in Iowa--H. c
JolIjnpsvorth Abba. w O. Riddell