The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-09-03
Teachers Examinations.

Some criticism has been Offered
on the teachers examinations; anc
since few people except teacher,
understand the system or know
anything about the standard OF
plan of certification, 1 offer tn,
following:
On the whole, the examination.
constitute a fair test for teach
ers. Occasionally, there may be
questions that seem a little un.
fair, or not properly adapted te
local conditions, but the exam
iner always makes proper allow.
ance for such when he grades the
papers. True, the examinations
are little harder than they were
10 or IL years ago, and this is
right. We are raising the stand
ard in everything else, and we
ought to raise 1t for teachers. We
need and demand better schools
and in order to have them we
must have better teachers--teach-
ers with higher qualifications.
l feel Very, very sorry for ap-
plicants who fail. I can weep with
them over their failure. My Deep
est sympathy goes out to them,
but my sympathy also goes out
to the children who have an in
|competent teacher. With the
teacher 1t means one year Of dig
il she fails to get a
certificate, while to the child who
is kept under incompetent teach
ers it may mean lifetime of
failure and disappointment. Our
system OF certification is intended
to protect the children.
School boards depend on the
county board or superintendent
to determine whether or not an
applicant is capable of teaching.
III we ignore the examinations and
license applicants, whether they
are qualified or not, we fail to
give to the helpless boys and girls
the protection which it is our
sworn duty to give.
On the other hand, we, as coun-
ty examiners or superintendent,
have no choice in the matter. We
do not make the questions and are
given instructions how to grade.
If we issue certificates on any
other basis except that prescribed
by law, We not only violate our
oath but lay ourselves liable to a
fine. II 1t We're a matter of choice
only with the examiners, of course
we would choose to see all pass
and none tail. We would do any
thing reasonable in the world for
an applicant, but we cannot be
dishonest with him or be untrue
to our oath and trust.
To any who may happen to fail,
/ would say, if you have done the
best you could on the exam ma
tions and during the years OF
preparation for teacher, then
do not feel disgraced or discour-
aged. Go right on with the prep
aration and make good next time.
On the other side the criticism
has been offered that the exam
nations are farce and thay any
body can pass them. This is not
true, for the person who success
fully and really passes the exam.
nat on mus, have considerable
preparation and either natural or
acquired ability. The time is past
and rightfulIy SO, when "just any
body can teach school," Nor would
we have it otherwise, FOR the pub.
lie sch Dol is the grea:est institu-
tion we have. The training OF
III .dren il most important and
responsible trust, and he who as
sumes this sacred trust should
certainly be provided with the
proper training
Next week we will give the
names OF those who secured cer-
tificates; also some notes on
grades of certificates, averages
required for each, etc.
Most respectfully,
w. F. Hupe, Co. Supt