Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-03-29
Deals With Prot Clark's Talk
Before the Ladies Liter.
airy Club.
TAKES HIM SEVERELY TO TASK.
Asks How He Knows That 50 Per
Of Salt Lakes School Teach.
ers Are Incompetent.

Salt Lake City, March 2s.-Prof
Clarks talk to the Ladies' Literary
club, as reported by the daily press,
Is certainly worthy Of more than a
passing notice. We cannot but give
unqualified assent to much that Prof.
Clark said, but some points should be
carefully considered by the public. For
the sake of the children the parents
should think as well of the teachers as
they deserve. II Is possible mat infer
ences may be drawn from what Prof.
Clark said that he himself would de-
plore, IL Is evident that he labored
under some Misunderstanding. He Is
quoted as follows rs II not terrible
that In a Christian country the public
schools should close two months before
the regular time. IL We are going TO deal
With the educational problem, let us
find out why this Is. II you don't know
what becomes OF the city taxes hire an
expert accountant, as we did IN Chica-
go. aud find out II will be a paying
Investment, You are willing that your
children should be educated by ignor-
ant, Uncultured. inexperienced teachers,
simply because you are unwilling 10
pay sufficient salaries to secure properly
educated men aud women
When have the schools OF this city
closed two months before the regular
time? II Is true that there has been
financial stress. The cause Is known.
The women's clubs, the school board,
the teachers union, and the citizens
at large have endeavored through leg
islaton and other means to remedy the
evil; but Il Is not true that the Ladies
Literary club and others are willing
that their children he educated by ''ig-
norant uncultured inexperienced
teachers" and they are not being so
educated.
Mr.. Clark Ia further quoted, III |
had the means, | would try the expert
ment AZ conducting the educational sys1
TEN Of city like Salt Lake, and the'
first thing | would do would be TO dou-
bic the salaries Of teachers Doubtless
50 per cent of the teachers now en-
ployed In the public schools would have
TO retire, but In their places ] would
have men and women who are able 10
educate themselves IN the high schools.
the colleges, and the great universities
Of the country. who are able 10 travel
during the summer and visit the great
Ccnters of art and culture In this cOun-
try aud the world do not want my
children educated by teacher who
has 20 live on pork aud beans six
months out OF the year and whO has
no means 20 buy books. or travel, or
attend educa ti0nal institutions
How did Prof. Clark arrive at the
conclusion that so per cent OF the
teachers at present employed are In
competent? How many NJ the city
schools did he VISIT How many teach
ers aid he interview? Did he draw his
inference from the fact that more than
so per cent Of the teachers, after day
OF hard work IN the school room, at
tended one or more OF his lectures
daily during the two weeks? Or does
he know that quite percentage OF the
small salaries Of more than so per cent
OF our teachers Is spent IN
procuring educational Journals
and books. In attendance on
lectures, and special courses OF STUDY
In purchasing pictures and other Illus
t.ative material for class use, or decor
atlons for the school room? Would not
those facts rather tend to show that II
the salaries Of the teachers were dou-
bled. as they should he, not so per cent
should be asked TO retire but that they
would make themselves practically IN
dlspensable, through the additional
means provided for their self improve
ment, as has been the result In New
York CITY?
In spite OF the inadequate salaries
paid our teachers that they are not
uneducated, unframed and untraVeled
is shown by the following facts;
There are In the grades and high
school, exclusive OF principals az grad
yates Of colleges and universities, 1914
normal school graduates ~ high school
graduates, and 80 non graduates, The
normal school graduates, outside of
those from our own state represent In
stitutlOns Of the states Of Indiana, Ken
lucky, Pennsylvania, California, Kansas.
Iowa. Massachusetts,, New York, Illinois
Nebraska, Virginia, Missouri, ohio,
Minnesota, and Michigan. there being
I'm many cases number from the same
state. notably New York Pennsylvania.
and Illinois. Among the colleges and
universities represented might be men-
toned Harvard, Columbia, University
OF Chicago, University Of Michigan,
University Of Wisconsin, University of
Minnesota. Knox College University Of
Kansas, University Of Utah, aud other
well known institutions. Thus Il will
be seen that Salt Lake City probably
has the most representative body OF
teachers IN the United States.
Those who are high school graduates
or non graduates are teachers OF many
Years experience and rank among the
Very best. The present policy is to re-
quire Of inexperienced teachers nor
NAL diploma OF graduation, and these
usually rank as assistants during the
first wear, Many OF our teachers have
Travelled not only In our own country,
but I'm Europe.
This statement is made simply In
Justice to the teaching force, which, |
believe, after personal inspection OF
many systems, will compare fayorably
with the best In the country,
ROSALlE POLLOCK,
Primary Supervisor