The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-21

many had no certificates whatever,
Some were teaching on second-grade |
certificates which had not been res
! newcd for ten years. It Is not exag- \
geration to say that one-third OF tho
teachers Of the State were not prop
| concern shown amongst them because
/ OF this fact.
Teachers salaries were low, and the
impression among school trustees pre-
walled pretty generally that they were
being paid all they We're worth, as
3!they were doing SO little for their inn
.fprovement.
The task OF bringing order out of
/, this chaos~of constructing proper reg
Enlatioas and OF enforcing these regula-
tions as gradually and at the same time
las rahidly as conditions would permit,
/ was not an easy piece OF constructive
\ work. We believe. however, that our
spresent system Of certification Of teach
ters compares favorably with that OF
amy of the progressive States and
meets the needs Of our schools (though
las yet the standards are not as high
las some).
!; Above are described tho conditions
existing among the teachers as a body
ten years ago. That is a rather gloomy
lpicture. We are glad to report a
brighter one to-day,
Counties Organized.
The teachers in practically every
county are organized as a local branch
B3 of the State. Teachers ( Association. In
every county teachers institutes are
held regularly at least once during the
term, and in most of the counties dis
strict meetings are held monthly. The
examiners have attended most Of the
county institutes and have assisted In
adapting the. uniform course OF study
! to the various local conditions. SO that
most OF the teachers are now following
q definite course OF study.
In addition TO this. almost as a direct
"A Jesuit OF the present system OF exam
q ina lions. more than. 1000. or nearly
il half the teachers OF the State. attend
cd the State summer Institutes In 1909.
and about 5000 in 1919. They not only
8 attended. but they did serious work in
preparation for examinations. rs no
y credit whatever is given for mere at
a tendance. This magnificent response
Of the TEACHERS to the higher standards
tset UP for them is most gratifying and
! reflects g<eat credit upon them as q
II body. -. So
Until the appointment OF this board
Virginia certificates received NO rec,
ignition outside OF the State. Since
tho standards have become fixed and
uniform. nearly all the States have
given proper recognition to them. The
secretary OF the Board has recently
communicated with the Department Of
Education In every State on this sub.
ject, and Is compiling statement
showing the status OF Virginia In eaci
q State.
In 1908 and 1903 the Board graded
the papers OF. and issued reports to
1884 applicants. Out OF this numbel
certificates OF some sort We're i>suet
TO 4.744. Seven hundred and fiftcel
Of these were hrst grade.
This feature OF our work alone Il
almost sufficient to occupy the who'll
time OF four men. but as I have tndi
Ssted above. the Board has numerou
other duties. This work is usual!
done in other States by a board o
regents, the members OF which receiv
from $4,000 to $500, salary, In (
nearby State with about the same nun
her OF teachers as Virginia the grading
OF tho examination papers alone cost
$4,000. 81
During the past five years much con
structive work in education has beef
done In Virginia. and her progress ha
been greater than that OF any othe