The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-07
OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

discussed by DR.. P. p. Claxton. the
( United States Commissioner Of Educa
ton, in his annual review of educa-
tional conditions, soon to be issued for
free distribution by the United States
Bureau of Education.
Dr. Claxton notes that the average
number of days attended by each child
,enrolled in the public schools increas.
ed in the first decade of this century
by almost IA per cent. Nevertheless,
he points out, the average daily at
tendance of these children is still only
4 113 days in the year, or less than 81
months Assuming that this rate of at
tendance shall continue through the
thirteen school years 6 to 1S) the
average amount OF schooling received
by each child of the school population
will be only 1,046 days or little more
than five years OF ten school months
EACH
The average monthly salary for
male teachers has increased about SO
per cent in the decade under discus
sion, while female teachers are get
/ ting - per cent more than in 1900. At
/ the same time the average wage for
public school teachers all over the
country, including teachers In the
/ wealthy cities and in the high schools,
( Is less than $500, about So day for
I; the actual working days OF the year,
/ IN this connection, d.. Claxton says
that ii should be remembered that
teachers are expected TO give their en-
tire tine either to the actual work In
the schoolroom, TO school work which
must De done ont OF school hours, OF
10 preparing themselves, IN summer
schools and elsewhere, for better sery-
ice. Clearly there must be large In
crease in the salaries OF teachers be
fore NE may expect the efficient sery-
ice which is desirable.
In some states the wage scale for
teachers falls far below the country
wide average. Thus, in eleven states
the average annual salary for teach
ers is less than 800; in eight 1t is less
than $500; in two, less than $3.50. For
salaries like this it is clearly imposs,-
Bile to hire the services Of men and
: women of good native ability and suf.
feient scholarship, training and ex.
perience. to enable them to do salts
factory work Moreover, very large
per cent of the teachers are men and
women less than twenty-one years old
In the country at large less than one
half have had adequate preparation
for their work In some states less
than IS per cent have had the full
preparation given by normal schools
b and in most of the states less than
/ Ten per cent Of the teachers in the
i country schools have had such prepar.
atien. Few continue to teach long
enough TO gain wisdom and skill from
experience. IN several states from q
TO 80 per cent OF the teachers every
!, year are beginners In a few states
the average length Of service Is less
than four years OF six months each.
Continuing his review, Dr.. ClaIton
shows that the value OF all public
school property increased more than
: seventy-fye per cent in the first ten
years OF this century, but that even
now II amounts 10 less than $40 for
each child Of school age. Similarly, al
though the income of public schools
s has increased more than So per cen,
l. in this periood, still eve now It is
n very low in many commonwealth
If Thus the expenditure for public educa
s ton is less than IS per capita in
: twenty-five states and less than s2.5f
r per capita in ten states.
n Or Claxton also remarks that The
20 number Of public high schools in THU
IT country for the period of I9o0-1s10 IN
N creased more than 70 per cent, anc
N that the number OF high school pupils
n jumped more than 7s per cent How
IA ever, there is still much room for I'm
" proyement. Says DR. Claxton: The
r. United States Bureau OF Education
10 has no reliable statistics on the sub
N iect, but It IS quite probable that lest
"a than half the children of the countr,
Il finish well more than the first 81.
IA grades, only about one-fourth of tn.
N children ever enter high school, les
than eight in every 100 do the ful
four years Of high school work. Few
er than Ave In a 100 receive any edit
m cation above the high school"
M AS for the colleges and institution
Of like grade, their productive endov
70 ment increased So per cent, thei
us incomes, exclusive OF additions to er
ie- dowments, increased l73 per CEN
er their faculties grew 81 per cent, an
81 their student bodies 81 per cent. Her
81 also, DR. Claxton says that much r,
IS mains TO be done "Of the four or fiv
ng millions Of young men and women {
M college age in the country, only abou
81 two hundred thousand are doing co
ed lege work in standard institution
'es Less than two per cent do the fiji
les four years work and take a degre
It The best interests Of the civic and il
out dustrial life of the country deman
10 that a larger pei. cent of its either
an' should have the preparation for lea
mn ership and direction of affairs whic
ew the colleges are supposed to give"
ry In summarizing, DR. Claxton sa,
est that eveTYyhare the irnnortarco, a,