Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1907-11-22
1Cg5OGRS
~>erD lGlLAE@ES

From Maine and Missouri come COM
plants of low wages paid to teachers in
the public schools. A committee Of the
Maine Teachers Association has investi-
gated conditions in chat State, and re-
ports that the, average monthly salary of
men teachers is S1l.61 below the average
for the nation, and $21.27 below the av-
erage for New England. For women
teachers the average monthly salary is
$12.91 lower than that for the entire
country, and $3.50 below the New Eng
land average. The majority of women
teachers in the State work for from six
to nine dollars a week. About one-eighth
are paid more than ten dollars. Over
1000 elementary and high school teach
ers board at home. and this explains how
it is possible for many teachers to sus-
tain themselves on their small salaries.
Maine has good teachers, and 1876 of
them have taken partial or complete nor
nal training courses. The committee
finds that G,53O women working in the
Maine cotton mills get an average weekly
wage of $500, while the average pay of
women school teachers is $500 a week.
The average weekly pay of men in the
cotton mills is $S.01, according to his
report, and the men teachers receive
$9.1S. The committee says that the only
other occupation in Maine for which fig
ures are available is that included in the
wooden industry, where the annual wages
run from 1927 to $500. The average pay
of school teachers, including principals
and superintendent, is $421.
Japan is to have q unique revenge for
any real or fancied Sights it may lave
received at the hands of American school
authorities if President Otto G. Schnei-
der of the Chicago school board has his
way. President Schneider wants to adopt
the Japanese imperial rescript on educa-
ton as the standard of ethical and moral
teaching in the Chicago public schools.
The rescript, which is n sort of educa-
ticnal creed, was issued some thirty years
ago by the Emperor of Japan and has
been used since that time as a formula
for ethical teaching in the japanese
schools. In part it reads: BE flial to
our parents, affectionate to your brothers
and sisters; as husbands and wives be
harmonious, as friends true; bear your
selves in modesty and moderation; extend
your benevolence to all pursue learning
and cultivate arts, and thereby develop
intellectual faculties and perfect moral
powers; furthermore, advance public good
and promote common interests; always
respect the constitution and preserve the
laws should emergency arise, offer your
selves ~courageously to the State; and thus
guard and maintain the prosperity of our
imperial throne, coeval with heaven and
earth"
In an address before the National Edu-
cational Association at Los Angeles re-
Gently, President Benjamin Ide Wheeler
of the University of California criticised
the prevailing custom of prescribing a
college education for all mental ills and
condenning when the potion failed to
cure. He said the public school must be
made and kept the school for all, without
recognition of classes or conditions, and
that it must shape it's work and plan so
as to close no door, but rather open the
freest opportunity for the best achieve
ment and the highest advance. He
thought, however, that the present rigid
system of the grades, whose chief excuse
has been economic necessity, must yield
to permit the more rapid advance of gift
ed and diligent pupils, and that it should
be borne in mind that the school exists
for the child and not for the grade.
President Schneider of the Chicago
SCDOOl DOlIu- ID aduNoShl4hS Vic Japanese
imperial rescript on education as the
standard of ethical and moral teaching in
the Chicago public schools. A copy of
this rescript. which recently has been
translated, shows it to be a sort of edu-
cational creed. issued some thirty years
ago by the Emperor of Japan. 1t in
cludes such injunctions as devotion to
parents and family, modesty, moderation,
benevolence, pursuit of learning. cultiva-
ton of arts, Advancement of the public
good, respect for law and loyalty to the
State.
Supt. Maxwell of New York has urged
principals to give the group system of
teaching and grading a trial. The gem
eral principle is to so arrange the pro-
gress of pupils that each may have in
d.yiduai attention. Glasses are separated
into divisions and definite times are fixed
for study. This allows bright pupils to
do more advanced work by going from
one division TO another as fast as they
are able.