Evening journal., 1911-03-01
TEACHERS
CERTIFICATES
Prof. Spaid Tells State School
Board Educators Should
be Well Paid
SUGGESTS CHANGES
IN THE PRESENT LAW

A. X. Spal0, eupelAheN"
county schools. submitted the follow
ing naper on Teachers Certificates
and Salaries" at the recent meeting
of the State Board of Education:
"Teacbing is serious work anu
every good teacher should be Wen
Maid Scholarship is the first essential
to successful teaching. An examina-
tion reveals a teachers educational
qualifications as nothing else can
With the well-trained teacher eXaml-
nations may be few and far between
but with the less progressive teachers
an examination forces reading ana
reviews of subjects which would
otherwise be wholly neglected. In
order that the good teacher may pc
rewarded we should not pay level
salaries. but according to extent OF
ability shown and quality of service
rendered. Neither should salary ad-
vance. beyond a certain point be Das-
ed on years Of service.
However. an examination OF tne
salaries paid in our graded schools
shows conclusively that we cling 20
the level salaries. The grade OF GER
tihcate counts for little and school
room success for no more.
Value OF Certificates.
"In Delaware there are four classes
of certificates: Second grade. good
for two years; first grade, good for
five years; professional, good for ten
years. and a college or normal school
certificate granted for one year only
without examination. The latter may
be renewed by order of the State
Board of Education. This law was
passed in 1903 and was intended
primarily to help the county superin-
tendents in filling vacancies that
might occur after the regular exami-
nations were over for the year.
adopted the following rule which the
State Board accepted and which | be-
lieve should not be changed. That
each graduate should take one exami-
nation before the renewal of his GER
tiflcate by the State Board of Educa-
ton. Every person accepting posi-
tion in the schools of the county, 1
felt, should be willing TO take one
examination before asking me to
recommend him to the favorable con-
sideration of the State Board Of Edu-
cation. ! was led to do this by an
imposter who. although presenting
normal school [ ploma from a west
ern institution was dismissed by the
local school commissioners before the
term ended on account of the teach
er's lack Of scholarship. In several
cases both normal school graduates
and college graduates failed to get
even the lowest grade certificate.
However, the great majority made ex-
cellent grades and at least a dozen
persons now teaching in this county
are exempt from further examina-
tions. They virtually hold life GER
tificates. Yet 7 find some saving that
this examination is a humiliation TO
the college or normal school grad
uate; that the subjects are too ele-
mcntary I am willing TO take this
criticism at its face value. and at the
next examination all principals and
high school teachers. who are college
OF normal school graduates may take
the following examination: PsychOl-
ogv. history Of education, school man
agewent. civics and literature Those
passing with grade Of IS per cent
os above will be recommended to the
State Board of Education for another
certificate, which may be renewed
annually. After al has been said
afainst an eXaWination driving col
lCge a"d normal school graduates out
OF Delaware one pertinent fact re-
Wains--more teachers. who have TAX
en- the examination IN New Castle
county and are now EXEMPT from fur
the- examination. are teaching out af
the State than in the county. and
bette salaries alone induce every
one away. No well-salaried nosition
ip Delaware viii ever 20 begging no
difference what tho examination re-
qui-en'euts may be.
Put We have much larger class
Of teachers 10 deal with. What en-
~agewent may he offered TO the
many teachers who have nof been
able to attend a college or normal
school? Alanv Of these are success
ful teacher holding fivst grade GER
tiHcates. They have attended summer
schools aud SATURDAY. classes and
have tal9n read'ng courses and SUM-
ported local institutes and lecture
courses Their discinline is good
and the teaching satisfactory. With
cut doubt The SUPERINTENDENT ought 70
have the rigm to renew or extend the
certificates Of all first class teachers
who have had an experience OF three
wears.
Favors Indiana Law.
Personally should like to see the
Indiana law adoDted by Delaware II
puts q money value on every teach
er's effort to improve her Scholarship
and teaching ability Briefly il nro-
vides that in case of BEGINNING teach
ers the daily wages shall not be less
than Ia cents multinlied bv tbe
scholarship grade on each teachers
license. After the first term ~
teaching the multiDlicand is 21s2
cents; after three years, 23-4 cents
The muluDlier is increased for at
tendance upon the annual institute
and for professional ability or school
room success. EiRhty-fve per cent is
the minimum grade upon which a H.
cense can he issued. At anv rate a
teacher holding a second grade cer-
uhcate should receive not less than
$40 per month; a teacher holding =
hrst grade certificate. not less than
$40; while teachers holding profes-
sional certificates should receive NOT
less than $50 per month In each
class there should he a successfuI ev-
perience of three years. College and
normal graduates with successfuI ex-
perience should be CLASSIFIED with
those holding professional certifi-
cafes.