The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1906-03-02
EDUCATIONAL IMPROVE.
MENT Commission
Discusses the School Conditions In
KeniuCky.-Beiter Training for
Teachers Needed.

worth 100000. 1he annual income Of
that institution is about $4,000, Of
which 5000 comes from direct tax
alton. Ten teachers are employed, of
which eight are engaged in training
normal students. i99 pupils we're en-
rolled in 1903. This institution Is doing
grand work for the colored race. and
every good citizen is justly proud Of Il.
No patriotic citizen would be willing 10
see a single cent Of its income taken
away from il, but would rather add 70
its efficiency by appropriating more
money 10 further the good work that II
being done.
The 1900 census shows that the white
people comprise s6.7 per cent. Of the
total population Of Kentucky, while the
colored race comprise only 1873 per
cent. In other words there are six and
one-half times as many white people as
colored.
Looking at the matter from stand
point Of justice, Il seems that the
white people should have 81 times as
much for the training Of teachers as is
appropriated for the colored people.
That means that the present legislature
should provide for 81 times 5000. or
$500. 900 for buildings and grounds: Ga
time $4,000, or $4,000 for annual
running expenses. or 6i times 5000,
equal 10 S52, 900 from direct taxation;
~ times 10 teacher. or 65 teachers, or
% times 8 teachers, equal To 50 teachers
in normal work: q times 1879 pupils. or
| |. .293 pupils.
Instead Of this arrangement, We
poor white trash" have no buildings
~ grounds, nor even a room We can
call our own. We have one Dean, q
Principal Of the Normal Department
Of the State College. and he has two
assistants. These three teachers to-
gcthcr receive something like 5000 OF
s., 500 annually. and have an enroll
ment Of something in the neighborhood
OF loo pupils.
There are 782, 233 school children in
Kentucky this year, Of which only -,
ab6 are colored Think Of the contrast
in the preparation for the training Of
those who are TO teach the two races
as now provided for by the State OF
Kentucky $500 and s teachers fol
1886 colored children; $500 and
teachers for 6S7.277 white children
God forbid
Il cannot be said that the whit,
. school teachers are indifferent to pro
. fcssional training. Al this momen
there are more than 1900 white teach
, crs in normal schools inside and outsid,
r Of the state, There are today NOR,
p than !. 30 students attending one pri
yate normal school in Kentucky. Nor
r than 500 teachers left the state las
= summer for normal training In ohio
a Indiana. Illinois. Missouri. West Viz
d ginit and Tennessee. Think of III
j. humiliation Of pride and the ments
depression a Kentucky teacher mus
!. feel In hayig 10 migrate to Tennessee
c In order 10 yet an up-to-date profcs
d sional training in the teaching artl Ca
= any true. patriotic Kentuckian stan
d for longer endurance Of these humi
e aiing conditions,. Are We too poor
do bcttcrg
a But il has been argued that it wi
e cost too much to maintain proper trair
.c ing schools in Kentucky. In the nam
Of the Creator of the Cosmos. has
r. not already cost Us too much 10 d
x without these schoolsi Doing withol
lc the best educational facilities which "
y can possibly provide has cost Kcntuck
h, hundreds of thousands of dollars
In criminal prosecutions, to say nothin
~ Of the sadness, misery and woe il HI
}, brought To thousands Of homes, becau,
Of the commission Of crimes due
IL ignorance and idlcness. II has. in
,e measure, cost Kentucky her prcstg
n, and her good name. Day by day il
" costing her native people their hcritag
cr have seen mountainecr. born ,
purcst Anglo-SaNon blood, but rear,
"far from the madding crowds ignob
strife. sell his mountain home to
Northerncr for s. an acre. and the
I" when filled with ''rcd liquor" ha,
- ! seen him swaggcr down the street AT
!" gloat over his shrcwdnoss in chcatir
Y" that "dancd Yankee" have Sc,
y, ~ that same "darncd Yankee" open up
- ~ rcal mine on this mountain farm al
y" make II worth s. 900 an acre. vcril
:. ignorance is costly.
~ Neglect of efficient education Is CO.
INK our people untold happiness. in IN
oy the yRrc not prepared TO live complct
~ IN their environments, and in N