The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1913-09-21
Teachers Examinations.

III the recent Stale tAdlll1iia' ''Ai7
il was reported that there We're
teachers all over LOUISIANA VINO
failed to come up 10 the standaFu ~
nv the State examining committee,
observes the Plcayunc. LII some par
ishes only one passed. while II 9TH
.rs not a single applicant was sue
cessfuI. and as the dispatches state,
the result has been that some 81
The marshes are not able to secure
sufficient qualified teachers tor the
work, and vigorous complaint mas
heen made. In view of the fact that
the two gentlemen who examined
the papers were instructed to be as
liberal as possible consistent with
proper standards in grading the pa
pers, it proves one OF three thlnss:
First that the papers were closely
graded: second, that the eXamlna-
tion was very difficult: OF. thirdly,
that in several parishes only one
man or woman was Sulllclell1ls
qualified to pass, while II olleEa
none could be found to stand the
test. Never before in the history OF
Io,1isiana has such a pitiful show
ing been made by the teachers Oh
the State and if, as the examiners
say, the questions asked We're fea-
sOnabla and fair, there has been
fearful decline during the past year
in the preparedness OF young men
and women who desire to take up
4he noble work Of instructing our
youth. 1t is difficult to explain why
there should be such wide differ
ence in the number Of teachers who
successfully passed the eXamlna-
lions in former years and the num-
Der who were successful this year.
In this statement by the Picayune
is presented a condition which IS
reflective Of discredit Of the system
or of the teachers.
The system that requires the I'M
possible or the unreasonable from
the applicant for the position OF
teacher, can not be approved, and
ihe applicant that can not quality
by legitimate and reasonable eX-
animation should not be expected to
teach.
This statement may be construed
as radical and arbitrary, but the
welfare Of the pupils should not be
jeopardized by sentiment.
If the system, with its "lsms'' and
"ologies" and ''frills'' is not respon-
siye to common sense requirements
there should then be installed a re-
yersal of present conditions to some
intelligent practical methods Of IN
structiOn.
The people are required to pay
taxes for the maintenance OF thel1
public schools.
If the system is top heavy i
should be modernized by relieving
some Of the heavy weights.
According to a recent report OF
The Worlds Work On education
Louisiana, which occupied a low
scale, is gradually assuming the
scale of progress.
Louisiana has struggled up II
eight years from the bottom.
Louisiana spends 81 per annun
Ger child Of school age. Mississippi
spends 81. North Carolina spends Us
Louisiana is thirty-eighth Of the
forty-eight States Of the Union. Mis-
sissippi is forty-fifth, and NORTH
Carolina is at the bottom of thu
whole list.
Louisiana leads all the Southern
States in this.
In the light Of the past and thu
present, the Picayune's query is per-
1inent: 1T is difficult to explain why
there should be such wide differ
ence in the number of teachers wht
successfully passed the examination
il former years and the humble
Nno were successful this year,"
There must be a reason:
Why is it?