Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-15
RURAL TEACHERS
Are CRITICISED
DIES MONIES CONVENTION TOLD
THEY ARE INCOMPETENT BY
SCHOOL OFFICIAL.

Des Moines, May 13.-"We require
a special training before a man can
become a preserver of dead bodies,
said County Superintendent b. Il.
Jackson of Pottawattamie county at
the school convention yesterday.
"Why then should we not require
special training for those who would
become preservers of children
souls?"
In a discussion before the annual
conference of county superintendent
high schools should offer courses III
tackled the system which permits an
1S-year-old girl to assume charge OF
country school and declared that
Iowa's greatest need is professional
training for rural school teachers.
AS remedy for what he declared 10
be the incompentency of Tural teacn-
ers Mr.. Jackson proposed that ALL
high schools should offer cources IN
pedagogy, didactics or Psychology, SO
that the students who expect to teach
may secure at least some training.
Without mentioning the Cedar Fails
school, Mr.. Jackson asked why there
is no normal school in the state that
does not make speciality of preparing
teachers for the county schools.
Failures as Scholars Teach.
81 know of pupils who failed in
their eighth grade examinations and
then became candidates for teachers
positions in the country" he said. DO
you think such condition is right?
'sIn the smaller towns and cities a
majority of the girls who complete a
high school course become teachers in
the country, and it seems to me that
the school directors in these towns
could well afford to give some atten-
ton to training them for their future
work. l would make the courses cleo
tive so that those who want training
could get it.
More thorough supervision Is an
other crying need of the rural school
system, said Mr.. Jackson. He told OF
the establishment Of central school
in one township of Pottawattamie and
said he hoped to work out plan by
which the principal of this central
school should supervise the work OF
other schools in the township.
Miss Jessie Field of Page county
described her efforts to reach the In
dividual teacher and pupil.
when a teacher is sent to new
school | always try to write her per
sonal letter on personal stationery, en-
couraging her and making her feel
that am interested in her work" said
Miss Field.
For reaching the boys have found
that the organization of clubs are
very valuable One such club has 800
members. Boys who may be dull and
| backward in school work will take an
| interest in corn planting. In agricul
tural work am not so much interest
ed in the material results as in the
boys 1t is the boy behind the corn
that is important"
Plan Legislative Campaign.
Others who led in discussions yes.
terday afternoon were County Superin
tendent J. r. Wilson on 'How To Sc.
cure the Maximum of Efficiency From
| the Institute" and State Superinten
dent ]. F. Riggs on Renewal of Ger
tifica s." At the morning session
Henry Wallace of Des Moines talked
on agriculture in the schools.
A committee on resolutions will re
port this afternoon plan for a state
wide campaign looking to revision
of the school laws. This subject will
be discussed during the morning ses
sion and again in the afternoon. The
committee comprises Superintendent
A. NJ. DeYoe of Garner, E. e. Kuhn O
Bedford, R. R. Hunt of Wapello, Mar!
E. Hostetler of Marshalltown and R
H. Belknap of West Union.