Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-08
Review of educational Conditions.

the United States Commissioner of
Education. in his annual review of
educational conditions, soon to be is
sued fer 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
increased in the first decade of this
century by almost IA per cent.
Nevertheless, he points out, the aver
age daily attendance of these chill
dren is still only 1l3 days in the
year, or less than ga months. As
Stunning that this rate of attendance
shall continue through the 10 school
years Is to. 1S) the average amount
of schooling received by each child of
the school population will be only
1916 days, or a little more than five
years of ten school months each.
The average monthly salary for
male teachers has increased about SS
per cent. in the decade under discus
sion. while female teachers are getting
| q per cent. more than in 1900. At
the same time the average wage for
public school teachers all over the
country. including teachers i'll the
wealthy cities and in the high
schools. is less than $500. about So a
day for the actual number of days
taught about $3.50 a day for the ac-
tuaI working days of the year In
this connection. DIR. Claxton says that
II should be remembered that teach
ers are expected to give their entire
time either to the actual work in the
schoolroom. to school work which
must be done out of school hours, or
to preparing themselves. in summer
schools and elsewhere. for better ser
vice. Clearly there must be large
increase in the salaries of teachers
before we may expect the efficient
service which is desirable.
In some states the wage scale for
teachers falls far below the country
wide average, Thus, DR. Claxton
observes: In eleven states the aver
age annual salary for teachers is less
than $500; in eight 1t is less than
5000; in two less than $3.50. For
salaries like this ii is clearly i'm
possible to hire the services of men
and women of good native ability and
sufficient scholarship, training and
experience to enable them to do salts
factory work." Moreover, "a very
large per cent. of the teachers are
men and women less than II years
old In the country at large less
than one-half have had adequate
preparation for their work. In some
states less than 25 per cent. have had
the full preparation given by normal
schools and in most of the states less
than. 10 per. cent. of the teachers in
the country schools have had such
preparation Few continue to teach
long enough to gain wisdom and
skill from experience. In several
states from 20 to 80 per cent. of the
teachers every year are beginners.
In a few states the average length of
service is less then four years of six
months each"
DIR. CIaxton remarks that the num-
Der of public high schools in this
country for the period 1900-1910 in
creased more than 40 per cent, and
that the number of high school pupils
Jumped more than rs per cent. How
ever, there is still much room for i'm
provement. Says DIR. Claxton: The
United States Bureau of Education
has no reliable statistics on the sub
ject, but IL is quite probable that less
than half the children of the country
finish well more than the first six
grades, only about one-fourth of the
children ever enter high school, less
than eight in every 100 do the full
four years of high school work. Few
er than five in 100 receive any edu-
cation above the high school,
As for the colleges and Institutions
of like grade, their productive endow-
ment increased IS per cent, their in
comes, exclusive of additions to en-
dowments, increased 173 per cent,
their faculties grew 81 per cent, and
their student bodies 81 per cent
Here also. DIR. Claxton says, much
remains TO be done. "Of the four or
five millions of young men and wo-
men of college age in the country,
only about two hundred are doing
college work in standard institutions
Less than two per cent. do the full
four years work and take degree.
The best interests of the civic and
Industrial life of the country demand
that a larger per cent. of it's citizens
should have the preparation for lead
ership and direction of affairs which