The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-12-21
SERIOUS SITUATION
"TEAcHER FAMINE"
Editor nCBoAsh. IN His Excellent
school Exponsnt, Writes Of Il.

PNDlC bCllDOA bcaCuNAhs III ulAAiY ONdbco
this condition Is so pronounced that the
ginning to speak of it as teacher
famine"
The situation is really graver, per-
haps, than it is generally regarded, and
il might not be out Of place TO suggest
here the importance of q careful in
quiry into the cause and the probable
consequences Of the condition with
which our educational system finds
itself confronted.
In choosing the avocation of teaching
every young man and young woman
who enters upon the work Is impelled
by two motives, q desire % to put
their talents to the highest and best
use and (2) TO make 4 living IN
other words, they enter the work both
for what they can give through Il, and
for what they can get out Of Il. Both
motives are perfectly proper, and both
are, in varying degrees, present In the
breast Of every teacher from the high
eat 20 the humhleat.
With the very few the former motive
Is the predominant and determining
one; but with many, with the great
bulk OF our public school teachers, the
one thing that draws them into the
work and holds them there is the
opportunity It's presents for the earn
ing Of q comfortable livelihood be-
cause they can get there q better price
for their time and labor than they can
command elsewhere.
This latter class of teachers may be
just as capable, just as honest and con-
scientious in the discharge Of their
duties, and Just as careful and faithful
in their service, as the other; but they
will remain in the ranks of the profess
sion only so long as it offers superior
inducements in the way of making q
living, and are ready to fOrsake 1t the
moment there Is open 10 them better
market for their time and talents.
Not only have the rapidly developing
industries Of the country opened up to
our young men and women almost num-
berless new and desirable avocatiOns,
but owing to the fact that the work of
the world has been increasing faster
than the workers, there has been a
marked increase in wages, and hence
new attraction added TO all the old lines
Of industrial labor
Public school teaching alone, per-
haps, of all the great fields of labor has
failed to keep pace with the general
advancement in the way of induce
ments held out to ambitious young
men and women TO enter, or remain m,
its ranks. Not many years ago the
profession of teaching offered not only
to the bright and ambitious young man
and woman the surest and easiest
means of rising into prominence, but
presented TO the great BODY OF the
ordinary the easiest, the most respect
able and remunerative employment
capabilities could command. Now all
this is changed. From beingtne most
attractive along these lines, public
teaching has now become least 80.
Is 1t any wonder then that the sup
ply Of new recruits Is growing alarm
ingly less every year, or that the best
and most capable in the service are de-
serting by the thousands2 Rather is
not the wonder that we have left IN
the ranks any at all Of the strOnS and
capable, except the few who belong 20
that first class of teachers referre1 70
in the beginning oil this article!
Bad ~ the conditi N 10, IL Is daily
growing worse. The final result will
inevitably be that the pro- esSIon will
be unable in the main TO attract 70
TO itself only those VINO are unified Tor
anything else, and our public schools,
once justly the pride OF the nation, "ili
be given over almost wholly 70 medl.
Ocrity and incompetency.
The refuse of the nAIlOn's industrial
system will become the citizen m4keIs
OF the republic! This h the real coli
dition that starea Us IN the lace. The
public school system OF America -
committing suicide there's no other
view 70 take Of IL. Already In almost
every section of the country private
schools, primary a. well ~ secondary,
are springing up, and year after year
many Of our best and most thoughtful
people are beginning 70 patroniSe them.
Dissatisfaction and mistrust OF our
public schools are abroad In the land
and are rapidly growing; and 1t IL high
time that our political economists and
law makers should awake 20 the seri-
Gus condition that confronts the public
school system of the country. IL we
cannot get and keep AS teachers In our
public schools the strongest and best
men and women the age and country
affords, we had just AS well abolish
them. for IL is only question oil time
when they will die Of themselves.
What Is the remedy1 There 10 but
one salvation under the sun, and tiiat
IL 70 make the work OF public eduea-
ton equally remuneratlve with other
fields OF labor, and 80 equally attractive
20 the bright, the strong, the ambitious
young men and women OF the country.
Salaries must evsryWhere 80 up, or