The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-18


Tor In a large sense the teacher is the
school, and as Is the teacher, so Is the
school.
with well prepared. undesirable, en-
,husiastic teacher, and twenty or thirty
toys and girls from seven to twenty years
old. 1t will take but a short time 10
evolve q good school. With an iil-prc-
pared, slow and pessinistic teacher not
even the brightest boys and girls. backed
by the lncst equipment. Will ever develop
into even a fair school. Hence, TO re-
rcat. any real Improvement must start
With the teacher.
In saying this, 10 reflection on the pres
ent teaching force of the State is In
tended. Having worked twenty years
with the county and city teachers of this
end ono other State. the writer Is con-
WINGED that there can be found no body
OF moro conscientious workers than the
public school teachers Of virginia. But
they lack opportunity to III themselves
for tho highest usefulness in their re-
spcctIve schools. ON an average salary
OF fifteen dollars and eighty cents tSlbSVo
par month for twelve months IN ,hc year,
ono can hardly expect them TO do inuch
towards fitting themselves for better
work When It, is remembered that nifty
per cent OF them receive considerably
less than this pitiful average. 1T car hard
" be expected that they shall do any
thing towards increasing their efficiency.
rho salaries are so small that persons
who have ben able to prepare themselves
FOR efficient work in the schools are ht-
tracted TO other pursuits. while the oth-
"rs, desiring 10 be useful in some walk OF
life enter the schools because IT is tho
nearest open door. They realize their in
efficiency and live in the hope that some
day they will. somehow, somewhere. find
:,,I opportunity to prepare for better SER
vice; but as the years creep on and they
have found IL impossible to accumulate
= nm amount sufficient to spend even
week in the distant summer school. hope
begins to wane and the heart grows
heavy and the work more ard more bur
dcnsome. Under these conditions. along
with the many other most dlscouraging
features OF rural school work is 1t sur
prising that they cannot make the schools
what they should be?
Let no one be alarmed. An increase OF
salary will not be asked for in this
communication. however desirable that
may be. But n plan VIII be suggested.
which, " executed. will furnish these
teachers ~ oportunity for such improve
,uent a. >, make them decidedly moro
efficient
The SITE has established and IL seek
ing TO enlarge It's system OF State normal
schools TO fit young men and young wo-
men to teach. but this most desirable sys-
tom does not reach those already in the
\ service In whose hands rests the well
fare OF the present school children. Nor
does this system keep In such vital touch
with Its own graduates who teach as TO
inspire them with new enthusiasm from
year to year. or to bring 10 them the
ever changing and ever improving meth
DDS OF work. These can be brought only
by men and women who are face to face
with the daily experiences of ne school.
The State has its large summer
schools at certain central points.
These schools deserve praise for
the fine work they are doing.
gut when 1t is remembered that these
schools could not accommodate one-third
OF the teachers of the State: that only
one-ffth of the teachers actually attend
them; that those who do attend are gem
orally the best paid and best equipped
teachers, and that those who do not at
lend are absent. not because they lack
means to GO one is forced to the conclu-
sion that something else must be done
for the other four-fifths OF the teachers
and schools of the State.
,rhe following suggestions are. there
fore made. with the hope that they may
aid in securing the adoption of some plan
for the improvement of our schools:
4 That there shall be established In the
State a system of county institutes
-. t,>,t ttt,fG
Quoted within each county during -four
uccks Of each year. between June 18th
md September 18TH except that in case
Of small counties the State supcrintend-
ent of public instruction may combine
two counties for one institute.
2: That the institute shall be held at
tho place most accessible to the teachers
OF the county. 49,,
!, That each institute shall be supplied
with instructors who are non residents
Of the county In which the institute IS
located. but that SO long as e1hc1e,t -,
structors are available residents VI
Einia shall be employed.
S. That the instructors shall devote
their time first to the presentation OF
the best methods of teaching the branches
required to be taught in the primary
schools OF the State.
c. That whenever 1t is practicable. a
4 model school shall be conducted IN con-
nection with each institute.
! q. That all teachers of the county and
all applicants for license to teach in the
county shall be required to attend the IN
stitute in their own county, unless ex-
cused by the conductor of the institute. or
unless they shall certify to, the county
superintendent that they have attended
8 some other school for an equal length OF
time.
S. That the sum of twenty thousand
dollars year for four years be appro-
prlated to pay the instructors In these
Institutes, the said sum to be so dis
tributed that no institute shall receive
less than ono hundred and twenty-five
dollars.
Such system of summer schools would
INSPIRE and enthuse the teachers, and in
four years time double their efficiency to
the children of the State.
Since writing the above have learned
u Httr