Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-03-02
Riggs Makes
Explanation
TELLS REAL STATUS OF AFFAIRS
CONCERNING SCHOOL WORK IN
IOWA.

In regard to the new teachers GER
tif1cate law. Superintendent John F.
Riggs has submitted the following for
the benefit OF Iowa ingtructcrg:
lit requires 1877 tcahcers to I'LL
all the public schools Of Iowa. The to-
tai number OF teachers. however, must
be considerably In excess Of this num-
Der, since there are many designations
in tho course Of the year. There are
1851 state certificates and life diplomas
in force in Iowa at the present time.
In 1905 county superintendent issued
S,649 first grade or two-year certih-
Gates. Doubtless as many, If not more,
first grade certificates were issued IN
1906 and are velid in the counties
where they were Is. ;ued for two years
from date OF issue, so they will not
expire until 1908. Under the new law
fully two-thirds of the old county GER
tificates are renewable efth-r in whole
or In part. Since the new law went In
to effect there have been few less
than 1000 applications for renewal OF
old county certificates hled In the state
office and favorably passed upon; 1t Is
estimated th-t fully 10000 more the en-
titled under the provisions of this law,
to renewal privileges either in whole
or In part. Those teachers receiving
their first certificates in 1906, or who
had taught less than one year, may
not under the new law have their cer-
examination in fun. AS nearly as can
be estimated. the number of teachers
receiving certificates In 1906 who can
not now have any renewal privileges Is
| between 5000 and 1000. But these
| teachers are all fresh in their knowl-
edge Of the certificate subjects. They
are supposed to have passed a thorough
so ,HyofY1
| tendents in 1906, when the average re-
quired for first grade certificate was
80 per cent for a second grade certif1-
cate IS per cent and for third grade
certificate 80 per cent. Under the rules
Of the state board the average now re-
| quired for first grade certificate is
| 85 per cent, for second grade rs per
cent and for a third grade IS per cent
Since passing the examination In 1906
| these young teachers have had time to
add to and improve their knowledge
The certificates they will receive under
I the state board will be valid anywhere
In the state, and both the first and Sec
ond grade certificates are subject to
renewal. There is no injustice, there
fore, in requiring such teachers to pass
the examination for this better certifi-
cate, especially since the average re.
4 CURED Is less than they were obliged
to make under the county superinten.
4 dent.
Tells Of Expenses.
"2.--It is reported that 1t will cos'
\ the teachers $4,000 besides the time
spent in taking the examination. You
readers should know that examination!
under the law are held in the count!
4 seats, exactly as under the old law
They should also know that under thu
4 old law the teacher paid 81 If a second
i grade or third grade certificate wa
sought and 50 if a first-grade certih
cate was sought. Under the new lay
applicants for all grades of uniform
county certificates pay 81. The time re
, quired in passing examinations unde
the new law Is no more than under tn
old. 1t is true that an additional dolla
Is required annually as a registration
fee, but there is a bill now pending Il
the legislature to remove this fee alto
: gether.
7 "A determined effort was made pre-
? ceding and during the recent stat
!, teachers meeting. when more tina
: 1,500 Iowa educators were assembled
y to discredit this law, but the followin
resolution introduced by Iowa's great
est edueator--Henry Sabin-passe
: the convention without negative vote
Resolved, by the Iowa State Teachers
association, That while we approve tn
: general principle of said law we realiz
that the law has had no time to dem
: onstrate it's weakness or it's strength
and we therefore request the thirty
4 second general assembly to allow tn
: law to remain in its present form fc
two years in order that we may test il
workings and determine in the light {
. experience what points should b
= amended with the view of increasin
= its efficiency That ought to indicat
:. the position Of the educators of tn
:. state on this law that means so niue
!. for the deserving teachers and for til
schools"