The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-10-23
discuss our duties to our schools and
through them, to u states, towns
ana children.

through them, to our states, towns
ana children.
For instance, IN our own c1ty, with
the last census showing 5000 school
children. when w find q man, with
the education and culture that a SUI
perintendent OF such q system Of
schools should have, a man. with fac
ulty for organization, q man with
the energy and power, the broad I'M
Outstanding and sympathy necessary
to maintain harmonious order and dis
cipline. for while he has a fine corps
of teachers to assist him, the burden
OF responsibility must fall upon him.
/ repeat when we find d man Of all
these qualifications, and we think
rightly, the best are nome too good,
can we expect him ito. work for two
or three thousand dollars a year, when
our business and professional men Of
the same power would never expect to
make less than five, teight ten or ff-
teen thousand a year.
What Is true OF the superintendent
is true of the other teachers when
we remember that we want only the
best, that 1t takes years to prepare for
this work; that the teachers must
dress we'll, having no time, or often
place, to attend to their own ware
robe, their expenses are of necessity
heavy. Three months Of the year
must be vacation. They must keep
abreast Of the progress in their work.
This means constant study and every
now and then postgraduate work. If
the teacher is a man, he has a fam.
lily to support.
"1f a woman, if she stays in the
school, she must provide as far as pos
sible for her old age and possible
sickness.
II ask in all fairness, is there any
reason why we should expect men and
women Of power and ability to en-
gage in work which hardly gives them
a decent living with the prospects Of
being objects Of charity after a life Of
hard work? Is it not q burning shame,
that in our own beloved country, the
home of the brave and the free, q
country boasting such colossal wealth
and commercial power, that our teach.
ers should be SO poorly paid; that
there is a movement On foot to estab'
lish a pension role for them to look
forward to, a sort OF refined poor.
house for the men and women whom
we acknowledge are worthy to under
take the %unfoldings Of the godlike
power Of the man in the child, and il
they are not worthy 1t is a sad com
mentary on us as fathers and mothers
that we have them there at any price
1.-The women Of Montana have the
right to vote on all school questions
Let us face this responsibility, ant
ask ourselves, How are we meeting
1T? II.
How many of us concern ourselve!
about the election Of school trus
tees or county and state superintend
ent of schools, those most importan
Offices within the gift Of a county
state, or city. To be sure we canno
vote for county and state superin
~tendent as they are put onsthe regula
county or state party ticket, but W
could do much to create the sentimen
that would demand that the best abilit
of our county and state be placed il
these positions. How many Of u
trouble to attend the primaries, whe
the nominations are made for trustee!
when we might do at least what lie
] in our power; to g that none bu
the best qualified, and the best is to
poor, are nominated for this impor
ant office, men who would undertak
the work as q sacred trust and not q
: low politics, friendship. or their ow
! sordid interests to influence them ]
their selection OF teachers or placin
! Of their teachers.
: ."The p~erpetuation OF q nation, 4
!, integrity and strength, depends upo
its children; the peace and happine'
!. of our own lives depends upon Q,
! children, then how cam any one thir
, that toom UGH time, or money ca
be spent in cooperating with IA
: best teachers and the best oppo
: tunities to the end that Dur SOM al
! daughters may unfold not only phyl
calry and mentally, but also spiritu'
Z ly, for the time must come when mi
will stand silhouetted on the canv
of the universe, not 9 physical
!, mental being alone, but a the 8
Y God using his powers and attribut
!. to master the conditions of the wor
The education that does not work
this great end Is not true education
Y. But two places bid for the conve
ton Of 1909, Kalispell and Great Fa1
4. and the latter won out by q handsor
majority. The next convention "
!. be held in that city In June, 1909.
Nearly all Of the visiting delegad
left for their homes last might or Il