The Springfield herald., 1911-07-14
NOTICE TO TEACHERS
AND SUPERINTENDENTS
FROM DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
DENVER, COLO.
Continued from last week..

SecClOn OSS1 ana DSS4 OF the Res
vised Statutes of Colo. relating
to the examination of teachers.
The first numbered section, as
amended, provides that an ap-
plIcant must be at least eighteen
years of age and have completed
a four years high school course
oriits equivalent; and, in addition
to the subjects for examination
now specified, agriculture, hor-
ticulture, and American litera-
ture are required for a first
grade, and agriculture and hor-
ticulture for second grade GER
tificate. The latter section pro-
vides that no first grade certifi-
cate shall be granted unless the
applicant has had at least eight
zen weeks of professional train
ing and three terms of not less
than six months each Of success
full teaching eXperiencs; and no
second grade certificate, without
at least twelve weeks of like
training ana two terms of not
less than six months each of like
experience; and no third grade
certificate, without at least six
weeks of such training or one
year of such experience; and,
presumably, for the purpose of
making such training schools
accessible to all, House Bill No
35 was enacted to amend the
present normal institute law by
dividing the State into six nor
NAL school districts, and provid-
ing for a term of not less than
six weeks summer school in
each district for each year.
Every since this bill was ap-
proved by the Governor it has
been the almost constant thought
of this office to devise some meth
cd whereby the hafdships above
referred to could be in a way
overcome, or at least minimized;
and at one time it was thought
that the enforcement of the
most onerous of these provisions
might be postponed another year
on account of the seeming i'm
possibility of being able to hold
the six weeks normal training
school in each district during the
present year, and thus allow the
examination of teachers in Aug.
Dec. and Mach next ensuing to
be hold under the provisions of
the present law.
In meeting the requirements
Of the law it is, apparent that
gross injustice will be done by
this law going into effect on Aug.
,4th. and if any legal way were
open to me to do SO; | would
willingly defer it's operation for
the time suggested. However
as the head Of this department,
/ must obey the law as fully as
the most humble citizen, nor
have any more authority, than
such aone TO say when q law
shall net become effective; and
passing to the consideration Of
House Bill No. 81, l am confron-
tied with the mandatory provis-
zion that after Aug. 4th next all
applicants for teachers ccrtifi-
Gates must have completed 4
years high school course or its
equivalent; and, even if | as
sumsd to delay the operation of
this law for another year, fer
which l have no authority, l am
at loss to see how it would be
of any material benefit to those
not possessing such qualifiea-
tions, as they would bo in no bet
ter position to take the examina-
tien next year if they continued
to teach in the public schools;
and in addition any such at
tempt on my part would be an
added unkindness to all the
teachers taking the examination,
in that it would jeopardize the
legality of any contract entered
into between 4 district board
and any teacher holding a GER
'tificate obtained in such manner,
as any person .who wished to
m Lo kro,,I,lo - n d;ofrsnt ao,,l6