Albuquerque morning journal., 1913-11-25
Mcfarland Makes
FerUent Plea for
State Teachers

CONTINUED From Page Thrcel
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always be in sight and within the
reach Of those whose tendencies are
progressive aud whose open-mlnded-
ness induces them to modify their
plans so as TO square with the new
light received.
The difference between the persons
who read and think and those who
do not is the difference ever existing
between life and death. We have
many school journals which contain
material from cover TO cover which
/ the most expert teacher can use to
the best advantage. School journals
and books serve as guides to teachers
as teachers serve as directors to boys
and girls. School journals bring JOY
and gladness into the hearts OF good
J teachers because they give the teach
ers what they want and need A
system of education which does not
have in il provisions for the upHft
and reiuvenation Of It's teachers is
] faulty.
The Teachers State Reading Circle
/ Is another means By which teachers
can greatly improve their professional
I services. In most Instances, the books
which have been selected hy the State
Reading Circle Board for our profess
sional growth and enlightenment have
been among the very best The teaeh-
ers who have done the work in the
spirit OF Improvement and loyalty TO
the professional machinery OF the
state and school In which they have
been working, have grown in the pro-
fession to an extent fully correspond
ing to money, time and effort expend-
ed.
Indeed, teachers need the strength
balance, and reflection gained by read
I ing and studying serious books Teach
ers need the inspiration, example. and
Thoughts of those who have done and
are trying to DO things we'll Teachers
have need Of different points Of view
and of the sweep this viii give them
In taking surveys of the field of edu-
cation. The State Reading Circle
work does all of these things and
causes the dissatisfied to get other
works for additional breadth Of view
IL teacher will do this work and do
1t well, it will show in the character
Of her teaching and the type of teach
ing is largely conditioned upon us
able and helpful equipment It is the
Cuty Of those who are charged with
supervision to urge and TO lead in the
study Of these and other professional
books for the advancement of teach
ers Many will thus get a new in
sight into the great field Of the pro-
fession and will do many fold times
better work than If such reading is
not done. Il is the custom in some
schools to have a definite time each
week for the study and discussion of
these books and OF problems which
arise. This is one form Of teachers
meeting which was suggested earlier
in this paper and believe most inn
portant one
The community has its part in in
creasing the efficiency Of It's teachers
The methods which It may employ
are, chiefly two. First, the commun-
ity may stand positively and aggres-
sively for the highest ideals of edu-
cation, and it may demand that those
ideals be worked out in a highly eff
fectiye way. 1t will insist upon the
competency of the teaching force, and. |
to this end will entrust to the educa-
tiOnal expert at the head all neededl
powers of appointment and removal |
Teachers must grow; else they win not
be tolerated. Second, the community /
should put a higher premium upon
the life and service Of the true teach /
er-the generous reward of profound /
appreciation Teaching needs more
of the aboundng enthusiasm ana the /
JOY Of living. But Joy ana enthusiasm .
are not en6ehdefed by the fear Of 4
dismissal the apprehension Of power /
~ nor the consciousness Of social 1
inferiority The marvel is that so
much sweetness and light are found .
in our schools at sixty dollars
month and that so many of our
teachers keep sunny-tempered all
their lives.
or course, the measure Of teach
er's service can not be made in dol
lars and cents. Teaching Is indeed
the poorest OF vocations. but the
noblest Of arts and II is the noble
ness Of our calling that dignihes the
the drudgery, and the sac
riice, and draws to It many of the
finest natures that live below the
skies. But it is also true that, If the
wage We're more satisfactory, the ten
ure more certain, the social position
Of greater prestige, the new oppor-
tunities which would be experienced
by every teacher would speedily be
into superior service
The policy Of a community toward its
teachers ought to he one Of such lib
erality as to encourage them to im-
prove themselves in broad way
There is no class Of workers who can