The Butler weekly times., 1906-02-01

VIII have a continuous term this
year Others, however, do not feel
iuelined to change their usual plan
OF division this year, but think they
will do so next year. Ii is safe to
say that there will be be but few di.
vided school terms. aud hence but
few OF the old time ''spring terms
next year.
There were 81 districts last year
that had an average daily atten.
dance Of IL pupils or less. There are
about that number that so far this
year have had daily average OF 10
pupils or less. These schools are
greatly lacking in vigor and IL Is no
fault OF the teacher or pupils either.
There must be larger number OF
pupils In order to secure that spirit
and emulation necessary to healthy
school work. At least four OF these
weak schools are seriously consider
ing disorganizing as districts and at.
taching the territory TO the adj DIN
ing districts. Although this may
cause some Of the children to 20
further to school, the districts will
be much stronger and hence will fur
nish much better school advantages.
The cost OF incompetent or indli.
ferent teaching can never be definitely
known. However, it is known that
the incompetent or Indifferent teach.
er robs the pupil of his opportunity,
the tax payer Of his taxes. and jsop-
ardizes the reputation OF his success .
sor. What the best teacher can do
with pupils depends upon the intel
lectual condition OF the pupils when
he gets them. The difference between
competency and incompetency-bs-
tween good methods and bad meth
ods-betwsen the teacher who loves
children and the one who does not
love them-can never be fully d Q
scribed.
Oae OF the chief features OF the
State Teachers Associs tion held at
Jefferson City during the Christmas
holidays was the consideration OF
teachers salaries, and the raising OF
levies or assessments necessary to
produce the wherewithal to meet the
condition. Some teachers in the
state are down to bed rock In tho
matter OF salaries. Indeed, what
they get scarcely deserves such re-
spectacle name as salary.
Supt. Greenwood OF Kansas City,
In a paper read before the Associa-
tion, showed that the average salary
paid teachers in Missouri Is less than
one dollar per day; and that this is
less than the wages paid to mechan.
les, hotel walters, and other day
laborers. In Bates county the aver.
age salary paid teachers is about the
same as Supt. Greenwood's figures.
This is counting three hundred work
Ing days to the year. How can
teachers exist, much lesR live, on
such wages? Well, they don't live.
For the most part the teachers are
young persons who live with their
parents during vacation and are. in
part supported by them, or make
both ends meet by vacation work Of
various kinds.
What is tho result7 Nobody will
long continue to sell his services even
to the State or the county at less
than cost. Hence large majority
OF the teachers in the country schools
Are beginners. Az Q rule they are
good beginners, IL is true. But what
b needed 10 for the State to pay
enough wages to retain the service
of those teachers who have had sue.
sessful experience or special training
|or the work Then will there be fewer
pupils drop out Of school at an early
Ags. Then will We have moro men
and women In the profession who
,an really inspire children to noblsr
md higher ideals Of life. When this
. done perhaps w can point with
pride TO the achievements Of the
country echools. They are doing Q |
rood work now, Il Il true. But there
: Q great educational waste, and
hey afs not accomplishing what they
'ould under more favorable condi
Hons.