The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-06-06
NEED MARRIED. TEACHERS.
School Authorities Suggest Other I'm
provements. Also.

~AH male teachers in our public
school should be married men, or, in
the event of their entering the service
single, they should be made to declare
their intentions Of being married before
being accepted. says Head Master
Alonzo Meserve. dean Of Boston's head
masters and principal of the Bowdoin
school at the west end.
This opinion formed but one Of many
interesting statements contained in a
paper read by Mr.. Meserve before the
regular monthly meeting Of the Boston
Masters association in the school COM
mittee rooms on Mason street, yesterday
afternoon.
The speaker was discussing in his pa
per. The Public School From the stand
point of the Intelligent Parent" He de-
clared for not only married masters but
also more male teachers among the
girls, saying he believed the sexes would
profit more and be better prepared for
worldly life if they met on the same
common ground instead of in separate
classes.
Mr. Meserve declared the intelligent
/ parent of this day believes children
should be under the influence OF more
4 men teachers.
The sad thing to be noticed in the
/ present system he said is shown nv
/ pupils between the ages of fourteen to
twenty years. have but five male teach
ers, while the boys of the same age do
not come in contact with a single fe-
male teacher.
"A great warfare should be waged
against dirt. dust and vermin. Many
! children in the poorer sections come to
( school dirty day after day and I be-
I easy access to bath house in the
vicinity of the school where dirty chill
dren could be compelled to clean them
selves"
Coming to the question of male teach
ers, Mr.. Meserve deelarezz that school
masters need good homes and congenial
companions for moral. mental and
physical reasons 1t being not only for
his own good, but for the good of the
school.
No teacher, so the speaker stated,
should be received into the service who
uses tobacco in any form. The tobacco
habit. so he thought, sets q bad exam
pie TO the children.
In closing Mr.. Neserve stated that in
telligent parents want the basis of all
teachers work in the public schools 10
be love Of the child. No nagginS,
coarse or petulaHt manner should be
used by thesteacher.
TOO much Of many things and too
little of the essentials" was the practi-
cal criticism made by Head Master Ed
ward P Sherburne. who spoke on the
question of the public schools from the
viewpoint of the taxpayer.
He declared the public schools are at
sequently are not doing anything well
I The children are studying at too many
subjects and SO are not mastering any OF
them The chief duty of officers and
teachers is to train the pupils to see,
think and accumulate. Too many in our
schools over fourteen years. he said are
wanting in energy and ability to stand
alone.
1T is useless to deny the facts; it is
criminal to shut our eyes to the truth.
ut is noted and commented upon by
I business men Of this city that the young
people who come to them are wanting in
( those strong. rugged. masterful qualities
! which characterize the country boy who all
his life has helped hl1nsele and hoed his
| own row.
To remedy these conditions the speaker
proposed a ten year course for all not go
ing to high school; an eight year course
I for those intending high school; all IN
tending to enter college should so to the
/ Latin school; those children unable to
study at home on account Of insufficient
] accommodations should be allowed to have
some place at an evening school for the
purpose of study rather than a kitchen
I T2oSfou Journal.