Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1906-11-28
TEACHERS SCARCE in IOWA.
Schools Will be Closed in Many Counties
Unless Teachers are Found.


Unless teachers are found some
where before the beginning of the
winter terms of the public schools
December /, there will be a large
number of schools that will be closed
for want of teachers. There has been
an increase of So a month on the
average paid to the women school
teachers of the state during the past
twelve months, but this amount
though considered by educators to be
large, has not induced enough teach
ers to enter or remain in the profess
sio.. to relieve the demand.
All over the state of Iowa special
teachers examinations are being held
in the hope that more teachers can be
secured In Iowa county special ex-
animation was held last week and
twenty took the examination. The
county superintendent there says
that if all should pass and be given
certificates, which would be an un-
heard of occurrence that county
would still be about dozen teachers
short for the winter term soon to
opeA. At Council Bluffs the supply
of teachers is so short that the board
of education is advertising in the
newspapers of that and other cities for
teachers. Council Bluffs pays $50 a
month for experienced teachers to be-
gin with, with an increase OF So a
month each year till maximum OF
$40 month is reached.
Prominent educators of the state say
that there are but two ways in which
to meet the demand for teachers and
both must be resorted to. Two
thousand country schools of the state
must be closed and the children
transported to adjoining schools and
the school boards must pay higher
salaries. Salaries now paid in the
grade schools in the cities must be
paid in thc rural schools of the state
must all be raised The average sal.
aries paid to the women school teach.
ers of Iowa now is $50. 80 a month
while the school year runs from
seven to nine months out of the
twelve. While no sudden or abrupt
increase is looked for, educators art
saying that Iowa rural schools must
eventually pay as high as 5000 yea
before the supply of teachers will per
manently meet the demand and teach
ers will remain in the profession.
On the other hand, it is claimed
mat there are at least 1000 rura
schools in the state that are kept opel
largely because the number of scholar
demands it. The law enacted at TIN
last session of the legislature allow
the greatest elasticity as to the con
solidation Of schools. The consolida
tion can be temporary or permanent
to suit the people of the districts
Directors of one district can max
temporary arrangements with the di
rectors of an adjoining district an
hire men and teams to transport tn
children of the district to the adioin
ing district. The arrangements Cal
be made permanently or temporaril,
and county and township lines are n
barrier to the arrangements. How
ever, because of local pride in TIN
school it is claimed that many dis
tricts are being kept open when Their
are but few pupils in tire district t.
attend school,
Since such an extensive consolida
tion of schools as to close 1000, an,
such an abrupt increase in wages a
TO nearly double the wages in tn
rural districts are out of the question
there seems to be no immediate sigl
of relief from the demand for schoo
teachers.