The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-02
MUST TEACHERS
BE BEAUTIFUL?
PHYSICAL BEAUTY DESIRED
But NOT ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL
SAY EDUCATORS HERE.

Chicago Insists That Its Lady
Teachers he acknowledgements
tendent AshmOre Says Pleasing
Personal Appearance, Loving
Heart. and Beauty Of Character,
Are better Than Mere Physical
Renuty-Snvannah Teachers Must
Have Good Personal Appearance.
Ought school teachers to be beauti-
full? Should physical pulchritude be
held as an indispensable condition in
the selection of women to teach
children?
Chicago answers with an emphatic
Yes" New York just as emphatically
answers in the negative, and thus the
two largest cities in this country di-
vide on the question.
The matter of personal beauty in
school teachers has been attracting
considerable attention in the Northern
cities and school boards are taking ac-
tion in the matter Chicago has in
sisted that none but beautiful teach
ers be employed even though there
must be some slight sacrifice in mem
tai ability to compensate it. other
cities are not so strenuous.
Mr. Otis Ashmore. superintendent of
the Chatham county schools. and Col.
George a. Mercer, president of the
Board of Education, were both asked
about the value put on beauty in Sa
vannah. Both stated that d beautiful
teacher is always to be desired
though neither took the position that
there should be any sacrifice of men
tai ability to obtain it,
All applicants for the position of
teachers are examined not only as 10
their ability and experience, but close
attention is paid to their personal APP
pearanCe. 1t is held that a pleasing
personal appearance is essential, and if
this is combined with a loving heart
and beauty of character, that teacher
, is more desirable than the one who
possesses merely physical beauty
Supt. Ashmore, in speaking of the
matter. said:
Character Beauty Essential.
That a pleasing personal appearance
is one OF the qualities to be considered
in the selection of teachers there can
be no doubt. and should this pleasing
appearance amount to beauty so much
the better, if it is free from that van
ity which sometimes accompanies it,
"A pretty face and a beautiful form,
however, are not absolutely essential
to a successful teacher, but a neat per-
sonal appearance attractive and pleas
ant manners, and above all the out
ward expression of a good heart and
of beautiful character within, are
important qualities to be considered.
Very young children admire kind
h H..
in their teachers more than they do
personal beauty. With older children
the latter quality unquestonably has
larger influence. All children like to
take a pride in their teacher and it is
fortunate for the teacher If her pupils
admire her attractive personal appear
ance.
The Teacher an Ideal.
Children are largely influenced by
the personality of their teachers. They
unconsciously in a large manner re-
gard them as proper standards for i'm
itation and for this reason, if for no
other the teacher should possess a
pleasing personal appearance, good
manners, neatness in dress, a pleasant
voice and as much personal beauty as
possible
Downright uglness, accompanied by
untidiness and careiessness in dress
and manners, should have no place in
the schoolroom.
Personal beauty is Considered.
In the selection of teachers for the
Savannah public schools all applicants
are rated upon their scholarship, ex-
perience in teaching, professional prep
aration, age, voice, health and gem
eral personal appearance. other things
being equal the better looking of two
applicants is selected.
$50 il will he seen that while
nah may not give the same weight to
the matter of good looks as does Chi
cago this important element is duly
considered, and rated in the selection
of our teachers"
COmeIy Teachers Wanted.
Col. Mercer. in speaking of the per-
sonal appearance of the school teacher,
said:
The Board of Education, while not
requiring that the teachers be in ap-
pearance what we know as beautiful
yet does insist that they be comedy and
of pleasing appearance. The examining
committee always pays especial atten-
ton to the attractiveness, personal APP
pearance, manners, and general bear
ing of the teachers.
Il think it is necessary that we
should, from the effect on the pupils.
The children are naturally attracted
TO a teacher who is of good personal
appearance and who possesses winning
characteristics. They are Just as nat
urally repealed from the reverse. And
no one will dispute the fact that the
children make more Roadway in their
studies under a teacher whom they like
and to whom they are attracted than
they do under opposite conditions"
Col. Mercer is a warm advocate of
physical training for ladies and of the
development of the body along with
the mind. In his address to the
graduates of the High School he called
especial attention to this fact and ex-
pressed the belief that only by paying
more attention to the development of
the body can the American women
reach the highest standard Of woman
hood. wifehood and motherhood.