The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-12

It remained for the gentle. almost effeminate.A French priest. Abbe Fene- Ion. to say that "children belong less to their parents than to the Republic. and ought to be educated by the state. There should be established public schools in which are taught the fear of God. love of country. and respect for the laws" Such q sentiment. taught In the very presence of a des- potic kfnR. contained the seeds of q political revolution through education. And. two centuries later with the ut most favorable political environment for such a doctrine. many of us still find 1t difflcult to believe. in a practi- cal way. that the state. and not we, should have greater interest in. and control over. the education of our children. Our state governments and our public school systems. however. are now so organized as to carry out an often unconscious but a direct applica- ton of that Idea. Ana 1t is a duty of each individual to bring himself 10 the point where he can readily see the profound bearings of such basis for a state educational system.
 Tenelon did not say what was the relative value of the teacher in such an ideal system of state schools. The educational progress of the last century and a half has centered chiefly about this point. How is the teacher re- lated to the schoolg Increasing ex- perience with schools Is leading more and more offlciais and patrons to say. "As the teacher. so the school" As a country we have passed through the, stage of permitting any person. accept able to local schools authorities only, to reign in our schools and there our children. The state in It's sovereign authority over the general welfare of its citizens has long since stepped in between the parents or the officials of that only those individual who meet certain requirements ahall be permitted to teach and be clothed with authority in the school room. Who is a qualified teacher. what is his relation to the child, the chooi the public. and the state system of schools. and by what right does the state step in to declare the requirement. of qualified teaching force? These are the points for us to consider.
 A 'auaiifed' teacher may be one who meets the requirements fixed by law of those who seek license to teach within the Jurisdiction of the state say may be-, inasniuch as the school laws do not always necessarily re- present the best and uniform opinion as to what is requisite for full qualif- cation for the high office of a teacher, It is usually true that law for q commonwealth either specifics mini- mum requirements for alicense, or. is a compromise between existing condi- tions and the best opinion in order to permit of it's being samely applied. And, as a matter of fact. while there is pretty general agreement beween the experts as to what qualifications q real teacher oughtto possess. there Is a lack of agreement among the educa- tional laws of different states and governments as to what requirements. shall be and might be exacted of those authorized to teach.
 The chool as instituted in our daily life is the latest product of civilization. It is the most complex organization in our social fabric. This is true because education touches every phase of con- crete human living. The preparation for every legitimate calling is to be
 de rived from the school. And, to do it's work successfully the school must be throughly alive to it's duties and opportunities. To the school is conn mitted the great task of making human bodies, human minds and human char acters grow alright. To conduct such school properly the teacher must possess such qualifications as distinctly