The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-03-30
SAYS TEACHERS
ARE TO BLAME
PIoNEER-ExPREss
TALKS OF EXPOSE.
Thought They Were Simply Being Fair
in Having State Superintendent
Mark Examination Papers--ln heal
isy Voted Him Big Salary Increase.

Pembina Pioneer Express: This
writer served an apprenticeship as
a teacher in the public schools. He
is an undergraduate OF a Minnesota
normal school. He was one OF the
first county superintendent OF what
Is now North Dakota. He has sent
rather more than average number of
children from his own family to the
public schools. This Is said simply
to show that we have been very much
interested for many years In the well
fare and management OF the public
schools.
For a number Of years in this state
there has been strong effort to ele-
vate the profession OF teaching. The
criticism me have on these efforts is,
that as yet except to a very few
persons compared to the whole num-
Der engaged in this work, thehe is no
such thing as the profession" of
teacher Consequently nearly all the
efforts to raise and elevate the pro-
fession has amounted to very little.
Nineteen -twentieths OF those who
the teaching in the public schools to-
day will be at some other kind of
work in less than Ave years. The
profession OF teaching is but a step
ping stone, bread-and- butter prop
osition for the time being, to most
But these same teachers" meet to-
gether in associations" and "conven-
tions'' and frame up resolutions" and
ask for laws from the state legislature
to raise the standard OF the teachers
profession.
II all these suggestions and requests
were needed by the lawmakers, we
would have the whole teaching corps
in a sort of labor union which would
beat the hard shell Baptists as CLOSE
communicates
For instance, among the later laws
passed, at the request OF these teach
ers' associations. is the law that no
teacher snail receive less than $45 a
month. Another is thar no more
third grade certificates shall be issued.
cessful a eacher has proven in actual
work in the school room they cannot
teach unless they can pass for a sec
ond grade certificate.
But these are but minor matters.
Under the cover Of such higher stand
ards Of teaching, these same wise
teachers have evidently been led by
their noses by some OF the real pro
fessionals' who combine politics and
pedagogy until the system has
worked up the present exposures by
the legislative committee. Under
the cover OF making uniform and Inn
partial examinations for teachers. the
teachers associations were lead to ask
the legislature that the examination
papers be sent to the state superin-
tendent for marking Theoretically
this has some good points, though it
does not take away the poyer of dis
erection in particular cases from the
county superintendent that they
should retain. But the teachers were
just looking at the one point in this
matter while certain interested parties
were looking another Of vastly more
| importance to them.
The teachers never noticed that the
same law they asked for gave the state
superintendent an additional salary OF
about $4,000 year. Elk Governor
Devine who was state superintendent
did see it however and Mr.. Stockwell
has been seeing it ever since. While
this law was and is clearly against
| the spirit and the text of the state
constitution yet nobody noticed it, and
because the teachers wanted 1t, it was
passed-and now the explosion.
All OF which goes to show taht the
4 younger teacher are careless, though
enthusiastic. the older teachers are
earnest but not practical, but. In order
\ to be real pedagogue, with all that
the term implies one must take q
normal course in politics. so as to
know how to lead the teacher lambs
and sheep. That dollar fee the teach
ers themselves voted to give the state
superintendent and so fas as they are
concerned they have no kick coming
1 If he puts it where they asked him to
place it.
| But even the teachers, who ought to
know everything, seem to be very
simple folkr--in political way.
1 Kan VT .- s 81 Z . n. Il #.