Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-07-11

cisco the other day stated as a fact
what many laymen had rather more
than suspected-that In the profession
of teaching in this country only a
feeble beginning had been made and
that there was a lack Of efficiency.
His remarks, of course, applied only
To the profession of teaching in the
public schools.
We frequently refer with pride to
the fact that there is less illiteracy in
this country than in any other. That
We know by statistics. But there
is another matter concerning which
there is no statistical information.
the average thoroughness and eff
ficiency of the various countries. We
fear that we would not make a good
showing there.
The ability to read and write,
though we may have no other ac-
complishments, takes US out of the
ranks Of the illiterates and that we
compare favorably with other nations
in this respect is due in part TO the
greater diffusion here Of opportunity
to gain the rudiments of an educa-
ton and in part TO our social sys-
TEN in which there are no artificial
classes.
There is no peasantry. the children
Of which are debarred by poverty
from the schools and there is no
superior public school system which
is especially open to wealth. The
nearest approach we have to the
lower class" is the "do-less'' ele-
ment which does not avail itself OF
the opportunities offered for secur-
ing an education and a competence.
in which what illiteracy We have is
chiefly found.
So. the great body of Americans
may be compared with the prosper
Gus middle classes of European coun-
tries, whose education obtained out
side the great universities, is super
ior to ours. of course, obtained out
side Of the university.
This state of things could only
arise from the fact that the means
in European countries Of securing a
popular education are superior to
those of this country. Our system
therefore, must be defective and the
convention Of the National Teachers
Association now i'm progress at San
Francisco has charged itself with the
task Of trying to discover the de-
fects.
The great recognized defect is the
lack Of thoIoughness. a lack which
appears to be on the increase
our courses of study are enlarged
from time to time but this ambitious
extension is made at the sacrifice of
thoroughness.
our teachers as a rule lack rigid
training such as the popular edu-
Gator in other countries. notably Ger
many. must undergo. The latter is
grounded in his profession. He is
a man of broad education and he has
entered upon a solution of the prob
lem before him fully equipped.
The American teacher. as a rule. is
distinguished by his want Of a broad
education and frequently by his
want of any other education than is
necessary to secure him a certificate.
which in most states is a smattering
Of the things he is expected to teach.
Without equipment he grOpes in the
dark Hence the ''fads" which are
adopted from time to time, seriously
discussed in teachers institutes, made
a part Of the educational scheme and
then shortly displaced by other fads
destined to be as shortlived
1t is proper for us to manifest a
patriotic pride in our school system
but it is improper for us to regard it
as perfect and blind ourselves to de-
fects which the years accumulate
rather than reduce. 1t is perhaps
better for us to realize that only a
feeble beginning" has been made.