Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-28
State Superintendent Of lnstruc-
ton Delivers Important Ad-
dress Before Teachers
FOR EDUCATIONAL COMMISSION
Urges Legislature to Authorize Revis-
ion and codifeation of Present
School Laws-Defense Of Now Corr
tificate Law Approved by State As
ISOLATION.


write, to improve. to classify and te
codify the school laws Of Iowa, is pro-
posed by John F. Riggs, superintendent
Of public instruction, and the propose
met with such response from the men,
bers Of the Iowa State Teachers AS
ISOLATION as to indicate that such com
mission would be the most popular
thing the teachers Of Iowa could con-
template. The defense OF the present
new law for certification of teachers
by Professor Riggs In his annual ad-
dress to the association also met with
a hearty reception.
The major portion Of the address
was devoted to the defense Of the new
law. Professor Riggs summed up with
the declaration that it is most impor-
tant to the school interests Of the state
that all attempts in the approaching
general assembly to modify, or amend.
or repeal any one Of the new school
laws enacted in the early months OF
this year 1905 be strenuously opposed
by every member of the great associa-
ton OF teachers. This is the hour
when the teachers Of Iowa should come
to the defense Of this law; but instead
many Of them have assumed the roll or
critics under the impression, doubtless,
that something unreasonable is to be
required Of them when their old county
certificates expire and the new certifi-
Gates are sought. On the contrary, the
provisions Of the law and the rules OF
the board are all framed In the inter-
ests Of deserving teachers of long ex-
perience. 1t is not the intention of the
board to drive out of the profession
any teacher whose work \ foS years
stands approved and whose services are
recognized in the community as of
great value; but there must be some
way to transfer from the old system
to the new, and general rules must be
followed to prevent the imposition OF
teachers.
Professor Riggs explained that under
the rules teachers who have held first
grade county certificates for one or
more years prior to Oct /, 1906, and
who give proof of recent successful ex-
perience, are to have the uniform first
grade certificate simply upon writing
a brief thesis on subject selected in
advance. This certificate will be re-
newed indefinitely. In regard to second
grade certificates examination is re-
Quired in those subjects where the
scholarship as indicated by the certifi-
cate is not of high standing.N But in
some counties where there are the
largest number Of professional teach
ers, many of the certificates issued
from year to year have been given
any test as to scholarship.
The holders Of such certificates will
be considered as professional certifi-
Gates.
'The application for renewal will be
made" said Professor Riggs, "in the
same manner, as in all other cases Of
each application to be acS
companied by a certified statement of
the scholastic training and the length
Of successful service as a teacher.
think speak for every member Of the
state board, as well as for myself,
when say that no injustice will be
done any deserving teacher and the
Is purely the result of an overwrought
Imagination"
Professor Riggs, declared that all
criticism at this time is premature, for
it will require fully a year to make the
transition from the old system to the
new, and at least another year before
the benefits of the new law will be felt.
He insisted that 1t was not the inten.
ton of the board to so conduct the ex.
aminations as to greatly reduce the
number of certified teachers.
The latter part OF the address by
Professor Riggs was devoted to the
need of a commission to rewrite and
thoroughly revise the school laws of
and contradictory sections may be
brought into harmony; that obscure
provisions may be made plain; that
obsolete parts may be eliminated, and
that such changes may be recommends
ed as to bring the law abreast with
our present educational development
Fifty years ago a commission was APP
pointed by the general assembly to
revise and improve the school laws of
Iowa, a commission having as it's most
influential member, Horace Mann
There is a most important work such
a commission could and would per-
form. ALI the sections of law relating
to any given subject could be brought
together the language could be reliev-
ed of ambiguity and the law on the
subject be articulated and put in har-
Enactment special in their
character could be classified, those re-
lating to city independent districts put
in one class, those relating to rural
independent districts in another class,
and those relating to sub-districts and
school townships in still another class.
general assemblies have
come and gone since Horace Mann and
Amos Dean reported their code of
school laws. Every one of those gen
eral assemblies has tried its hand at
amending the school laws, adding a
sentence here, taking away one there
and changing one yonder. few years
ago the code of Iowa Was revised but
the school law was hardly touched.
II the commission proposed should do
nothing more than classify, clarity and
articulate the school laws now on the
statute books, this service faithfully
performed would abundantly justify the
naming OF such commission. In con-