Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-05-07
RIGGS To DISCUSS
TEACHER SHOR T AGE
STATE SUPERINTENDENT WILL
WRITE TO SCHOOL DIRECTORS
CONCERNING PROBLEMS.
NATURE NOT KNOWN
Educators Agreed on Two Remedies,
Higher Wages and Consolidation Of
Small schools-county Association
Acts.
Des Moines Bureau OF

Dies Moines Bureau OF
The Ottumwa Courier,
Des NoSes, May 4.
Some time this summer State SUIT.
Riggs will address letter to the
school directors and members Of
boards Of education throughout the
state on the question of shortage of
teachers. He is not ready to discuss
the contents of the letter but is max
ing careful study of the situation
over the state and will seek to assist
the directors as far as possible in
finding teachers as the office has al
ways done.
Educators Of the state, however, are
agreed that there Is but two ways Of
solving the shortage Of teachers pro-
blem and that Is higher wages for
the teachers and consolidation Of
schools where there are but few
pupils. School journals have taken
up the fight and are preaching higher
wages and consolidation Of small
schools and county superintendent
are agreed upon the same remedy
1t is claimed by educators that there
Is no united and agreed plan to preach
this doctrine but that everybody is
agreed because the matter Is SO plain
County teachers associations have
taken it up. The latest is series Of
resolutions passed by the county
teachers association of Crawford coun-
ty. County Superintendent F. l.. Hoff-
man of that county has endorsed the
resolutions. He says that unskilled
laborers are paid $50 to $40 month
and their board and school teachers
are paid the same wages and allowed
to pay their own board with Everyone
refusing to give them a chance even
to pay their board. In the country
to find place to board and condi-
lions generally are not made very
pleasant for her.
The resolutions by the Crawford
county teachers association are inter-
esting as bearing on the general ques-
ton of the shortage Of teachers. They
are as follows:
Whereas, There were in Crawford
county two schools closed during the
winter term because Of shortage of
teachers and the quitting of Is teach
ers this spring fortells shortage Of
Is to rs to fill the schools for the
spring term and a goodly number sig
nifying their intention Of quitting this
summer foretells even q greater short.
age for next year.
And whereas there are In Crawford
county at the present time seven
schools vacant for want Of pupils, nine
whose average is less than five and
So whose average attendance Is less
than 10, therefore be it resolved:
First, that since we believe the
shortage of teachers to be the result
of combination of causes chief
among which are: first, low wages
paid to teachers as compared with
other professions Of equal or inferior
rank
Second, lack of accommoda tion in re.
gard to board, ETC., and the neglect
Of proper courtesies to the teachers
in many Districts general raising
of wages and a more considerate
treatment Of teachers Is the only ef.
fective and permanent means Of re.
medying this shortage of teachers.
Third, that, questioning the wisdom
and economy Of maintaining schools
where the enrolment Is less than ten,
we recommend temporary closing OF
all such schools, transporting the
pupils when necessary to the neigh.
boring schools, and raising the teach.
ers' salaries SO that $45 for the first
$40 for the second and $38 for the
third, shall be the lowest wages re-
ceived by all rural teachers in Craw.
ford county.
Fourth, that we recommend a nine
months school or eight months with
the same annual salary as for the nine
month year.
Fifth, that teachers be allowed the
same holidays as government EN-
ployes.
And be 1t further resolved, that we
as teachers and educators cooperate
in every possible way with the school
officers Of Crawford county in put.
ting the above recommendations into
early and successful operation.
%
County Superintendent Hoffman Of
Crawford county gives some interest
ing statistics on that county. He has
discovered by comparing the rolls Of
teachers Of the county for the year
1866 with that Of 1906-7 that there
are " teachers WHO Taught d year dSC
that are not teaching in the county
now. OF these % got married, ia
failed in examinations, "a left the
county for better positions and better
wages elsewhere, 80 left teaching and
went into other work for various rea
sons, and just quit because they
didn't want to teach any longer. Dur
ing the same period there were AZ be
ginners started in the county and Il
came in from other counties and II
dormant teachers re-entered the work
He claims that the difficulty in pass
ing the state examinations Is not the
cause of the scarcity for the reason
that the standard now Is down as low
as 1t dare be and he has complaints
frequently that teachers are unable .c
solve moderately difficult problems.
Ora Williams.
CHARLTON CHILD BURNED.