The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-22
DIR. THOMAS TELLS
SCHOOL NEEDS
Continued From Page I,

ings. the people of Salt Lake for OPEN
ing their homes, and Superintendent D.
III. Christensen and his corps of teach
ers for the arrangements made for the
convention. In 1907 there were 1,400
members. at the first meeting this year
1,466. and there was balance of $500
in the treasury, a part of which had
been appropriated for publication of
some of the speeches delivered at the
last gathering.
No profession is on such an unprofes-
sional basis as the teaching profession
said DR.. Thomas He divided those en-
gagged in it into four classes: those who
are prepared and make it their life
work: those who are prepared and leave
it to become home builders; those who
are well prepared and efficient, but
leave it because the conditions are not
satisfactory. and lastly. those who are
poorly prepared and are compelled to
leave for want of special education.
Better inducements and greater per-
manency should be offered to the first
class: for the second class he had only
words of commentator; efforts should
be made that the third class should be
retained, and the fourth class, the I'M
qualified teacher. should not be admit
ted. Those who leave the profession on
account of unsatisfactory conditions
a
should IL retained. The ranks of teach
ers were Slapped to fill other professions,
and means should be devised TO stop it.
To do this and encourage those who
make teaching their life work, condi-
tons in the school system must be mn
proved. Along these lines DIR. Thomas
said:
Eliminate Politics.
The first thing to do is to eliminate
politics from school boards They have
no business there, and conditions cam
not improve much until political school
elections are abolished. / know there
are people who say that it cannot be
done. but my answer is that it is done
by millions of people in the nation, and
that in the interest OF better service. 1
see no reason why we should divide ex-
cept as to men to do the work For
there is no controversy. Everybody
wants the best schools they can afford.
A real honest division only comes when
there is a conflict of ideas. But nom
partisanship, if it is TO come, must be
genuine, otherwise it will be a failure.
THE first and most important thing
to be done in this direction is to have
the legislature pass a law placing the
school funds with reliable banking in
stitutions offering the best terms. You
into the matter do not know what "a
potent force the question of the deposit
of funds is in giving a political COM
pleXion TO school elections. If school
accounts are worth lighting for by the
banking houses it is because they have
a monetary value. My suggestion is
that if they. possess such value let the
institutions desiring them pay for them
instead of interfering in the elections of
the boards to get them, and let the
money so received go into the school
funds to be added to the salaries of the
teachers. Require this reform from,
your legislature next time and you will
get it.
Unite the Teachers.
In order to carry out a policy or
-partisanship it may be necessary
for the teachers of each county to Gre
ate a conservative teachers union to
look out for needed legislation and for
such other reforms as will benefit the
schools We are frequently told that
teachers are theorists and do not know
anything about the practical affairs OF
life.
IF partisanship served the best in
terests of the schools, 1 would say moth
ing, even if the teachers suffered, but
it does not. So we must learn practical
affairs, and one of the most effective
things to would-be partisan would be
to learn that we, as a united body, car
ried a big stick, which we ord not want
to use, but which we would use pro-
vided politics and incompetent men
were thrust into the public service. The
demand should be, regardless of re-
ligion or politics, we want and will
have the best men, men who will adj
minister our schools in a non-partisSn
6 Incl let hat rx-17. Of
tempt to go contrary to the principles
of good government will feel the effects
of the big stick so far as we can adj
minister it on all occasions, il viii not
be long before they will leave the
schools alone
Another long step in this direction
would be to abolish the 800 salary per
year for members of boards of educa-
ton in cities of the first and second
class The salary is just large enough
to attract a class of men who are not
wanted. Make the school board position
strictly one of honor. If the great city
of Boston can secure the services of the
best men and women Of the common
wealth to serve for nothing, then the
small cities of Utah should.
Larger Governing Units.
I'VE want larger governing units.
| The daV may come when All the teach
ers and superintendent of the state
will be made one state educational CON-
mission. When that day comes every
boy and every girl in this state wiz
have more nearly equal educational adj
yantases. instead of in Wayne county,
for instance, where the children in
some sections get from four to five
months schooling a year. and those IN
the weather and more thickIy popC-
lated sections nine months. A more lid
eraI policy in this respect should pre-
vail both in common and high schools.
"A happy solution of the problem N
the whole at present is perhaps impos-
sible. but a step in advance, and one
nossible under our present laws, is the
replacement of the present obsolete
small district of the county unit II
should be done in regard to the en-
pIoxment of teachers at once. if, as IN
Prussia. the construction and care OF
| tbe buildings are to remain in the HANDS
of local bodies The larger district will
at least equalize taxation within It's
boundaries By this plan one school,
district. within whose boundaries some
| large corporation is located, will not
| in, xrhila in n