The Ketchikan miner., 1909-03-27
- Editor Miner :

The cry Of economy Is in the air and the question is being seriously dis cussed by our people how We can econ omize on the expenses of our public school. Any sensible plan for eeono- my is welcome. but would it not Se well 10 weigh the matter very serious ly before we take backward step in our school and try to falsely economize o1 our children who are the most val uable asset America has today?
 The general yerdic. of the community is that keschikan never had such an able effective faculty and school as thls year. The instruction is the equal of any city school anywhere in the country, the discipline is first class, the espirit-de-corps of the pupils is superb. All this is true because we have efficient teachers. with university and normal training. 10 handle the school. The school has tended strictly to business and is making good. The teachers for the last few months. in addition 10 their full work. hare toiled overtime. nights and Saturdays Q send 10 Seattle to the exposition sn exhibit that will place Kelchikan first n ran< among the towns of Alas ka- Do we not appreciate this:
 The proposition is made to reduce the teaching force 10 three next year and thus save 3 thousand dollars. Can we afford to do this? It will compel either the abandonment: of the High school, which 10 sensible citizen xonld consider moment. or else it would mean ,he burdeping the teach CTS with far more grades and classes than now. For i1 school the amount. and quality of the work done is not a question of the humber Of pupils but .he number of subjects taught and classes met. l. takes as hard work for conscientious teacher 10 prepare for and teach class of five as fifty Where would this extra burden fall?
 On tne primary teacher? She has a full room and three grades now and could handle DO more. On the intermediate teacher? Anyone ac- Quaiuied with up-to-dste school work knoxs that siipshOo. crowded aork iD that department Is rUinous 10 the boys and girls preparation for all their after years of school. She has her hands full now. Shall then one teach CT be obliged 10 teach three grammar grades, the highest and most difficult and also three years of high school work2 This year we have two teach CTS working full time 10 handle justly the sixth and seventh grades and two years of high school. Next rear there will be the sixth. seventh and eighth grades and three years of high school work. One can readily see that for one person 10 attemp. 10 handle six grades of as exactiDg and important work as these would be folly.
 Ii can be done but the money spent 10 pay for II would be as wasted as all money is spen, for shabby. half done work.
 Probably few of the present teachers Hoyld remain under such conditions ano Ee could not expect to get teach CTS of high standing to consent to do what they know is doomed to failure from the start.
 Would it not be far more sensible to have school year oi nine months and thus save s451 The present teachers state the work can he planned to be done in nine months and be done we'll
 Last year it cost ys se;0 tc, pay for she broken windows in the school This year under splendid disc .pline, it has not cost q cent.
 Let US keep four teachers of the kind we have, have nine monti.s school, save sjlO and if necessary have a school poll tax to raise the other si9O needed, which would be less than 2 one cent postage stamp week per citizen.
 But the fact is we need no such tax. Rather let us spend the government money where il rigbtfplly belongs, on the school, and pay a penny postage extra q week for punlic improvements
 How many of Ds have visited the school and really know the situation, How many realize that. 70 cDs down the school in it's year Of best work and just when the school population may be doubled by the coming Of the New England Fish Company, would bs far from economy. but genuine civic disaster. I plead for the sobef second thought. for OUT children. for the honor Of our city and for fair play.
 4 Parent.