The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-21
|EXAM|N|NGBOARD
| D|0ESGREAT| WORK
Excellent Results to Teaching
Profession Of State
Obtained.
VARIED Ar !: TASKS j PERFORMED E: J Il e.
Much Constructive Education
Work Has Been Accomplished
in Virginia. Ii
VARIED TASKS PERFORMED
BY CHARLES G. 9IAPHIs,
Secretary Education Commission OF

secretary Education ComInisston OF
virginia.
AS you have done me the honor to
request me to prepare an account OF
the work OF the State Board Of Exam
iners. submit the following brief
statement:
Our Office Is not one OF record except
In the matter OF teachers certificates.
our circuits arc SO large, each cover
Ing TWEEN ty- five counties. our duties are
so numerous and varied, our work so
general In character and so largely
cooperative, that 1t is difficult for US
to report specific. statistical results.
Being supervisory and co-operative,our
work Is rather to give direction to the
efforts OF others than to complete par
ucular tasks ourselves, except the ex-S
animation and certihcation OF teach
ers. I shall therefore confine myself
largely to this phase OF our work and
the results on the teaching profession
of the State. though 1T occupies but
small portion OF our time. When wa
are not engaged In examining teach
ers our time Is fully and completely
occupied In Inspecting high schools
addressing citizens meetings. conduct.
Ing teachers Institutes. participating in
educational conferences OF various
kinds. from meeting OF two or three
gathered together for the purpose OF
discussing means OF bcttertng school
conditions in the community. to thu
large state conference; attending meet
1 ings OF school boards, boards Of refcr-
ence. boards Of supervisors; assisting
IN locating school buildings. soliciting
private contributions For schools. lay
ling corner-stonas, dedicating new
school houses, making COMMENCEMENT
addresses. attending summer schools.
holding meetings Of our own school
board. writing articles on educational
subjects for school journals and the
| attending to a rather vo1uminous COZ.
respondence. etc.
Our Office, therefore, is sort OF
educational clearinghouse for the
schools OF our circuits and the De-
partment Of Public Instruction.
"A Crying Need.
The superintendent OF Public In-
struction in his reportEo Of 1901 has this
to say Of the conditions then oxi sting
ana the necessity for q uniform ssys-
tenn under a board OF lexaminers:s zone
OF the most crying needs OF our PUBIC
schools Is better equipped teachers.
The average salary Of the rural male
i teacher hardly exceeds $26 per month.
and that OF the rural female teacher
Will probably not exceed $40. The
length Of the school term rarely OK.
ceeds five or six months. AS long as
| we continue to- pay such slender
salaries and have such short terms Tor
our rural schools. Just SO long must
we axpect the rofession Of the teach
er to be considered a stepping-s stone to
moro lucrative Positions"
He should have added that salaries
were kept low largely on account OF
| the low standards. AS long as school
otncials could secure persons to teach
! FOR twenty and twenty-five liars a.
| month they would not employ others
| a advanced salaries. Just MS soon
| as the weak teachers began to be-
eliminated by the advanced standards
1 of tho board OF examiners salaries be-
ran to increase. and they will continue
to do so as the standard is ra1sed.s1n
1905 the salary for white women
| teach hers was 1898; In 1903 their
salary was 340.27. It Is only the Weak.
sinetficient5 and snon-progresstve teacn-s
ers that object to the more rigid re-
souirements OF. the examiners. the
qualified teachers realize the in1ustlcet
Of bringing them In competiti lon Win ll
low grade teachers who are Wiling
Ito accept any compensation. anu
J he nee welcome the advanced reqNlre--
men "a which weed out OF the system
\ those who cannot ortwill not ut the
selves for the work They are more
and more realizing that as the laWy s,1.
must invest time and money IN MS
\ legal education, and the doctor must
4, invest literally IN preparation for his
8profess1on before he can hope @1oxs
\ liberal returns In fees, 50 the teao1hers
4 must invest largely OF her y me,
talents and money In reparation 10Y
\ her profession before she can reason
i ably expect liberal returns IN salary
Of the necessity for q State board
OF examiners the report OF y 9Ol D ur'..
A sther says: We are all convinced sori
!, the necessity Of a uniform. systeHlaoI
4 discrimination requirements u z, q 8u1n il,'
Il system OF public instruction. For
i @venrs we have had the uniform exam1.
4 nation question. but we are probabE
Il j : Ear away from a uniform system Of
Grading as we were when every
4 examiner. made out his own uesdons.s
nj rst- grad certificates In some coun-S
j ties do not lrepresen emit any hi gher ATT
tainments or greater fitness to teach
than do third grade oertth cates IN
i other jurisdictions. Any &. ysten1 ofl
public instruction that renders 4 pos
i sible such inequality OF grading IL
UNJUST to well-qunltf fed teachers and
ruinous to the SCI ools.
Sad state OF Affalrs.
When the State Board of Eixaininers
took charge Of the cert hca ton az
teachers In 1905 II a rather appalling
state OF afratrs existed In this regard.
There were lis q different standards IN
the State a rst- grade certitcata
meant one thing In one s a vision and
quite different thing In another.
Some parintendents we're rlgid In
maintaining sta ndards OF scholarship .
but many wv ere very lenien e II In their
Snp, a fnvI
ranewal and extension Sof cert lhcatess
while many others paid title heed
4 to the matter, Some were liberal s In
dispensing tavors, Will others con-
sErerred them on their merits. AZ ssa
SE6consequ a very large pr oportion
of the teachers al the stato he'll cAr-
u tlacatas which had finally expire ana
.lSwege, therefore,, not wal ld i and 81 SvsAa