Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-04-06


teach and AZ the same time rise to
the hiehost degree IL scholastic ana
professional attainment II has been
frequently pronounced by educators
Of other states. one OF the best In the
union But. when one attempts. at
this particular time, 70 improve the
quality Of our rural schools BY slln
raising the standard OF the teachers
scholarship, he Is attacking the prob
lem from the wrong direction. We
must first make the position 20 which
the teacher aepires worth the having
When this II done TIE state board ceu
be consistently asked 90 raise tho
teachers qualifications. The choice Of
teachers ~ rural boards, when not
based on favoritism. a mado upon the
teachers general qualifications a
central board, OF which the county
superintendent IL a member, would
make an effort to suit the particular
teacher to the particular school. This
81 always considered one OF the most
valuable considcratlons In school man.
mgement. IN view OF the great variety
Of school conditions which exists In
every county OF the state, Il would
prove especially helpful 10 US just
now.
This bin provides for choosing the
county approximations aud school dlh-
trict officers az a different time from
that OF the other county officers. This
harmonizes with the state consultation.
which declares: "Aii school elections
shall be held az different times from
other elections" This plan "a I'M
doubtcdiy tho best 10 ON these posi-
lions with the most eompetent per-
sons. 4 has the effect OF not only
taking these offices out Of politics, but
centralizes public attention upon
them. Moreover. his close co-opera-
tive relations with the other members
Of the board. makes the county super
lntendent a more effective officer than
under present conditions. TO nlI 80
important a position as this bin makes
Il, the people will no doubt be more
CAREFUL 70 choose competent superin-
tendents.
The constitution further provides:
"A public school shall be maintained
for al least nve months In each year
In every school district within the
state" over a. authorized statement
from the department OF education, we
learn that there are out two counties,
Dona Ana and Mckinley, all OF whose
schools had a term OF fyo months or
more. that met this requirement last
year. -Four hundred ana forty -four
school districts IN the other counties
had less than Ave months, and eighty
one others, which doubtless should he
clsorgnnised. had no school az all.
Counting only those that had school,
the total shortage was SOS months
Estimating the cost OF one months
school at $55.Oo. Il would have re-
qrired Sf7.5T5 70 have raised these
districts 20 the constitutional require
mont This deficit may be met BY
one or an Of three different methods.
First. more money may be raised by
either Increasing the school rate or
amount 81 valuation of school prop
crty, The constitution limits the state
rate but not the local rate. A special
county rate might be provided by law
Second. an rural school communltiea
should have the same length Of school
term. Thus the strong communities
would help 10 support the weak.
Third, consolidate school communities
SO that au may have "a sufficient NUM-
Der Of children and valuation "a hnEo
a good school. We are az tho opinion
that neither Of these methods Should
DO followed exclusively. but each
shuld Dc drawn upon % support and
strengthen tho other. This cannot be
DONE however, under Our present in-
dependent school district system. Thus
il would seem that the county unit
system must be adopted as a matter Of
necessity.
la the discussion, many vexing
school problems have come TO the
surface, and we have tried TO show
that the county as an administrative
unit, VIII solve more than any other
plan. Certainly the schools are es-
tablishod, not only By. but for, the
good Of the state. Ignorance and in
efIlciency are reflections upon the
commonwealth ea whole. no one
would think Of taking any other poai-
tion than that the people az large,
who are ultimately Instrumental a.
mnkinR and administering the laws,
are responsible. more or less for the
educational conditions OF every par
tlruinf locality. Hut the state taxa
lion should not be the only source OF
revenue. Our people should be taught