The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-08-01

Trained Teachers 1Or the fuD1c
c.1ools and how to get them was re-
,ened. DR.. George u. Strayer, OF the
rla.her College of the University Of
H,cr York. was with the a Caro-
I'M Teachers Training School at the
time received your letter, and [
aeke5 him to prepare n article. He
= a.eilv one Of the foremost educa-
Tire in the United States and is
racr.uized as high authority on all
Questions connected with public edu-
carton. He has been given q curse
OF instruction in SUPERVISOR and Ad-
uIniStration at this school and those
who attended his classes speak Q,
him as = Wonderful teacher. When
! handed him your letter and asked
him to write the article, he said it
WIS impossible to write up as big
a question in the limited space, but
that he Nigh be able to give an out
line. send you the article and |
am sure it Will be valuable though
meaere and [ ask you to publish it.
will add from my own Observa-
,ions which cover several years, that
the two weak places in our public
schatl system is the want Of trained
tearherS for the country schools and
the want OF trained county superln-
tcndents. Both Of these needs must
be supplied and these two weak points
Strengthened before we have a Wig
orous. strong system Of public
schools. We have done probably the
best we could under the circum-
stances, but the time mas come when
We can do better and it must be done.
improvements in the teaching force
is demanded and the demand is be-
ing heard and needed. With it
must come an improvement in the
supervising force. 1t is an
to send a man who knows nothing
about schools and the best methods
Of teaching to supervise h work OF
"a we'll trained teacher. A we'll
trained superintendent may supervise
the work of an incompetent teacher
with profit, but it is the loss or
money to the tax payer and efficiency
to the school to send an incompe-
tent county superintendent to super
wise the work of a trained teacher.
so | repeat the work of improving
the teaching force and the super
eising force must go hand in hand.
When our country schools are Well
supplied with competent trained
teachers, and the counties with COM
petent trained superintendent, we
will nave a great public school sys-
tenn and not till then. The State Is
Well able to furnish both. Probably
the most economical solution Of the
county superintendent question Is 70
group two or more small counties to-
gether and employ a trained super
intendent for the group. | am sure
some satisfactory solution can be
worked out and it ought to be done.
The city schools have trained teacn-
ers and trained superintendent. Inc
country schools deserve as good and
they must have them; and this OF
course means more money for the
country teacher and more for the
county superintendent. but l assert
no money can be better spent Or bet
ter invested.
THOMAS J.. JARVIS.
The article by DR.. Strayer is as fol-
The Greatest Need in North Carolina
More Well Trained Teachers, anC
How to Secure Them.
BY DIR. GEORGE d. STRAYEIs.
The most important safeguards OF
our democracy are free public edu-
cation and discussion. The greates1
need in education everywhere is fol
more Well trained teachers. 1t matters
not how perfect the buildings, equip
ment or courses Of study, the tina
measure of the adequacy of the WofF
done IN the schools is found in the
teachers activity.
IT is a peculiar function of tn
school both to transmit to children
our spiritual inheritance, Whethe
scientific, literary, aesthetic, lnStltu
tlOnal or religious and at the sam
time to provide that training which
Will children for effectiv
anticipation in our modern society
The only teacher who can posslbl,
transmit to children their social in
heritance is the n who, becaus'
of her own liberal education ha
~brOadened Id enriched her expert
"nce by a thorough going study o
those arts and sciences which EN-
body the achievements of the race
No teacher" is equipped to develop in
teiliGence in children who has no
herself, acquired the open minded
hFestiSatine spirit of the student o
science. one who is unfamiliar wit
the experiences Of the race, whethe
rGEnrl in hiStlrL or in litara IL re