The news & observer., 1905-11-18
A CLASS UNOERP AID
Superintendent Starts a
Reform in Wake Co.
Raises the Standard of Examination
of Applicants for Position as Teach
er in the Public Schools. Inter-
esting Interview.

County Superintendent Y. V. Judd,
has begun a reform in the public
schools of Wake county Nv making the
examinations for positions more rigid,
thus raising the standard of efficiency
of the instructors. He believes that
teachers are greatly underpaid, and
that the best way to bring more ade-
quate salaries in this PROFESSION is 10
make the teachers more competent.
He said yesterday that the condl-
tions in Wake county are far from
satisfactory yet there are many things
to offer encouragement. Not least
among these be said is the spirit man.
ifested by the teachers. Both on the
July and October examinations a con-
siderable number of teachers failed to
make as fiattering grades as they mad
hoped TO make. but few were diScour-
aged by this disappointment those
making unsatisfactory grades express
ing their intention to take the next
REGULAR examination. using the inte
rim for hard review.
SuDt. Judd said he regarded this as
u very fine omen. saving that dissat-
iSfaction is the first step in any for
awrd movement. 1.-The value of n
teacher in a rural school TO the COM
munity in which he or she lives and
works." he said. tcan be measured on
" by his or her ambition TO be of ser
vice. lie continued.
Teachers Underpaid.
There is a feeling among teachers
everywhere that their services are ur-
derrated and that they are underpald.
This feeling is weil-founded l see no
reason why teaching, even in the most
remote rural districts, should not be
regarded as an honorable profession,
Just as the law medicine or the min
istry. Certainly no one Yields great
er inf1uenhe in a community than
teacher of the right stamp. / believe
teachers have mere to do with mould
ing the character. not oniy of individ-
uals but of nations as well. than any
other class of men. They are. as IL
were. thought centers. They are think
ers and they promote thought. Six
hours a dav for five days in every
week of the scholastic year, there are
gathered around every teacher in a
rural school, on the average. about
twenty-five u"ils-young minds
learning after the manner in which
the teacher thinks. The pastor of a
country church meets his people once
or at best only twice q month. The
physician meets his people only semi
occasionally and the lawyer comes in.
contact with the people still less. And
when members of the last named pro-
fessions do meet the people it is in
less important way than that of the
teacher Teachers have to do with vital
process-procesa, that determine
both ktne mental ca,iber and moral
stamina of men and nations. The
teaching profession will be properly
este erned only when there is attached
to it that value which belongs to
thought itself and moral character.
Who can estimate either of these?
Immense wealth may prove a great
benefit to a community, but the great
est blessing is found when thought
commands it's ample resources to pro-
mechanic art. Every useful impie-
ment of toll we "ossess. every piece
of mechanism of whatever sort from
the watches we carry in our pockets
to the powerful engines that make
possible all our travel and commerce
by land and sea is the result of
thought process. Every religious move
ment and political upheaval has its
beginning in the mind of some more
obscure though he may be. AS with
thought so with character. great is its
power. intellectual and moral power
can be estimated only by the value of
the men and women who possess them
and these in turn by the value of our
nation itself. Intellectual and moral
power-these are products from the
teachers hands and by their value
alone can we estimate the teaching
profession.
'Bht if the office of the teacher is
one of so great import. why is the
teacher rated below men of other pro-