Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-19
RURAL SCHOOLS
Up AGAINST /
Scarcity of Teachers Will Pre-
vent Many From Opening
Winter Term Dec. l
TWO SOLUTIONS ARE OPEN
Consolidation Of Schools and the Pay
ment Of Higher Wages Only Way
Out of DufficuIty-Board Is Slow
to Act-city Schools Also Seeking
Competent instructors.
Special 10 Times-Rep,,bl,can.

Des Moines, Nov. 19.-Unless teach
ers are found somewhere before the
beginning of the winter terms of the
rural schools, December l, there will be
large number of schools that will
have to be closed for want of teachers.
There has been an increase Of 50 a
month on the average paid to the
women school teachers of the state
during the past twelve months, but this
amount, tho considered by educators to
be large, has not induced enough
teachers to enter or remain in the pro-
fession 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 q 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 certifi-
Gates which would be an unheard of
occurrence. that county would still be
about dozen teachers short for the
winter terms soon to open.
At Council Bluffs the supply of
teachers is so short that the board of
education is advertising in the newspa-
pers of that and other cities for teach
ers. Council Bluffs pays $50 month
for experienced teachers to begin with,
with an increase of So 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 demands for teachers and
both must be resorted to. Two thou
sand country schools of the state must
be closed and the children transported
to adjoining schools and the school
boards must pay higher salaries. Sal
aries now paid in the grade schools in
the cities must be paid in the rural
schools of the state and the salaries
Of the city schools must all be raised.
The average salaries paid to the wom-
en- school teachers of Iowa now is
5000 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
are saying that Iowa rural schools
must eventually pay as high as $500 a
year before the supply of teachers will
permanently meet the demand ana
teachers will remain in the profession.
On the other hand it is claimed that
there are at least 1900 rural schools
in the state that are kept open largely
because the local pride and not be-
cause the number of scholars demand
it. The law enacted at the last ses-
sion of the legislature allows the
greatest elasticity as to the consolida-
ton Of schools. The consolidation can
be temporary or permanent to suit the
people of the districts. Directors of one
district can make temporary arrange
ments with the directors of an adjoin-
ing district and hire men and teams
to transport the children of the district
to the adjoining district. The arrange
ment can be made permanently or tenn
porarily and county and township
lines are no barrier to the arrange
ments. However, because of local pride
in the school, it is claimed that many
districts are being kept open when
there are but few pupils in the district
to attend school,
Since such an extensive consolida-
ton of schools as to close 1000, and
such an abrupt increase in wages as to
nearly double the wages in the rural
districts are out of the question, there
seems to be no immediate sign of re-
lief from the demand for school teach