The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-13
INDIANA SCHOOL BOARDS
AN IMPORTANT PAPER BY MIR. s. ID.
LOWE, OF BEDFORD.
Submits the Report of the Leg
islatfve Committee.

OF the important papers read yesterday
was by S. b. Lowe, secretary of the Bed
ford board, whose topic was THE Employ
ment and Dismissal of Teachers" He de-
clared that the present system of
tions is efficient to a high degree and in
sures that the licensed teacher has sufi-
cient knowledge.
This, however, does not insure success"
said Mr.. Lowe. The finest teachers do not
always have the highest grades. They may
be lacking in government, or ability to
reach the pupils In a social way. The frigid
teacher is rarely successful. The teacher
must be in touch with the school. The Ii
cense and the grades of the teacher should
be considered of the highest Importance,
but should not be deemed alone sufficient.
Mistakes are usually the result of care
lessness, and while 1t may be quite i'm
possible to avoid mistakes. yet by close
care and watchfulness many of the bad
selections could be avoided. - There
is no excuse TO have inferior teachers in
the schools Of city and town. There are
more than enough excellent teachers to fill
all such places. The country school should
be the nursery for the inexperienced teach
e. In city and town the supply is greater
than the demand, and the School Board can
select the best and leave the rest to find
employment elsewhere. This being true, no
experiment should be INDUCED in. .
All cache are moral, but they differ in
degree. Some are moral In a negative
sense, but have no actual moral influence.
1t is not enough that the teacher does MOTH
ing wicked or moral, but the best teach
ers have a moral influence that annot be
described, but can be seen and felt through
out the community where they live. The
teacher should be refined in manner and
speech and a constant example of refine
ment to the pupils who are to be the bene-
fciaries of such influence. With a rough,
uncouth teacher, harsh of speech and cold
and forbidding In manner and tone of voice,
little could be promised the pupil in the
way of refinement. The time is almost
here when school boards all over the State
Will deem 1t a condition precedent that
teachers must have moral training before
beginning to teach. A bad teacher
is a positive harm to the schools. and, in
the school year rather than wait till the
end"
CHARLES w. MOORES'S REPORT.
Charles w. Moores, of the Indianapolis
School Board. and chairman of the asso-
cations education committee, made a re-
port regarding the committees work dur
ing the last session of the General Assem-
bly,. The report follows in part:
Eat last years session of this association
this committee was chosen to look after
the interests Of the school boards of the
State during the session of the Legislature
of 1903. 1t was not possible for this commit
tee to meet, and its business was transacted
by correspondence and through the chair
man.
"At the opening of the session contribu-
tions of S. were asked from the boards be-
longing to the association. A small sum
was secured in this way. This fund was
spent in employing stenographers and a
lawyer, who kept the chairman advised
daily Of the progress of school legislation.
"Fifty-one bills affecting education were
twenty-five became laws. So far as we
could learn none Of these twenty-five were
injurious to the interests of the city and
measures that seemed to the committee TO
be dangerous in the extreme were defeated.
OF these 1 mention the school supply COM
mission bill and the bill to increase the
state levy for school purposes. To defeat
these bills the interest of the indianapolis
press and hat of some other portions of the
State was sought and in part secured, and
were submitted to the commits
tees on education OF each house, both in
writing and by the chairman in person. In
these efforts We were ably assisted by the
State. The author Of the school supply
commission, or its putative father, took oc-
casion to impugn the motives of the repre-
ceIldllNSS VI Tie city ana lOWn SCHOOLS,
and charged private ~pecuniary interest In
the defeat Of the bill. The sentiment of the
school men, boards, superintendent and
teachers throughout the State, so far as
gathered, was unanimous against the meas
ure, and it's defeat was the occasion of pro-
found relief to those who fought to prevent
this attempt to injure educational work in
the cities and towns.
The abandonment of the State tax in
crease was a distinct victory for the cities
and towns and during the most of the ses-
sion there seemed to be no hope of accom-
plishing it.. Many local school bills were
enacted and relief was thus given to school
corporations that would lave suffered
grievously without 1t. In this the commit
tee helped.
aside from the local. benefit derived
from legislation secured 1t may be said
that the last Legislature was generous
to the school interests Of the State. II
refused to lower the city schools to the
level of the rural schools by requiring uni
form equipment in both; IT increased the
taxing power of the cities and towns for
school purposes and in many instances en-
larged the borrowing power for the same
purpose. 1t killed a few fool bills and II
listened with patience and sympathy to
the m and appeals OF the repre-
sentatives of the city and town schools.
Il think / can say for the committee tina
ii recommends the appointment of a stand
ing committee to suggest and submit to the
next session of this body ideas for needed
legislation and to prepare a more effective
organization to prevent foolish and corrupt
legislation at the next session of the Gen.
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