Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-11-15
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
AN IMPORTANT FACTOR
Il Comes Close to the Material
Welfare and Happiness Of
People.
MIR. C. I. MELvIN'S ADDRESS.
Before Educational Conference at
Court House TOday-A Teacher
Worth MOre Than Dollars
end Cents.

WNAAN AANAN A1AA 1&MAi@
and Cents.
In his address before the eddca-
tional mass-meeting held in the Court
House this morning, Mr.. George
7. aelvin, member Of tbs County
School Board, who had been invited
to preside, spoke as follows;
I'm this age of general progress in
all lines Of human endesyor, and of
larger efficiency, there is demanded
from the public school system the
greatest possible measure of present
and future uselulnes ess-of what we
call results. The value of the pub
lie scho o)l 10 the community, and its
place in the community life, are be-
ing more and more appreciated and
recognized, and the aims and methods
Of the public school system are sub
jected, and ri Chilly so, to critical and
calculating tests.
The public school is, in many re-
spects, ihe most important factor in
our civilization. 1t comes close to
the lives, to the material and the So
cial welfare and happiness of the peo-
pie And most of its aspects are
readily seen and understood. Every
body in any community can see when
there is sufficient plant-a build
ing of proper size and construction
to conveniently accommodate the
children to be cared for in that
particular community with due re-
gard to their health and comfort
during school hours, and an adequate
equipment, furniture, books, sup
plies.
"Then, the school must be kept
in operation a reasonable length of
time during the year; the course
of study must be carefully devised to
meet the sps cisl needs of the pupils;
cooperation between teachers and
patrons is most desirable, these and
many other things about lur public
school system are generally recog-
nized and agreed upon. When we
have provided the building and the
equipment; when we have appealed
to and fostered a spirit Of cooper
alton, have devised curriculum.
and have faithfully done all the
things as taxpayers and citizens and
school patrons and school officials
possible for US to do with our means
and our interest in the public schools,
there is still one important, one most
important thing to be done. And
that is to give to the school trained
and competent teacher.
at used to be that school teaching
was only temporary, a makeshift,
employment for young men and young
women-but now teaching hss be-
come a serious and permant Mt voca-
tion. The teacher of today is engaged
in an exacting profession, and one
that will become more and more ex-
acting from year to year; one demand
ing almost incessant labor aad a
whole-souled devotion. The require
ments imposed by the educational
authorities of the State-reflecting
the demand OF taxpayers and patrons
for better teaching in the public
schools-upon these entering the
schools as teachers are becoming
more and more rigid, and no position
is likely to be opened to the untrain-
ed teacher il very short period.
Thorough preparation according TO
advancing standards, and experience
in practice and observation are now
generally required of the new teacher
and the time and expense necessary
TO fiC oneself for the profession in this
county and this State today present
serious questions to the young people
from whom our teachers of tomorrow
are to be drawn.
From the new teachers who enter
upon the work aud the teachers of
longer or shorter service already in
the schools, constant study Of pro-
fessional subjects, unremitting drill
in theory and method Of pedagogy,
are imperstively demanded. II is an
absolute condition of success the
success that means cougenial employ
ment-that the teacher must not only
spend the school year in unremitting
labor, but in county Institutes and
summer schools shall be an apt and
proitipg pupil. IN our public schools
there is no longer any place for in
competents and laggards; for 2er-
funciory, ineffic lent teaching. Only
the more capable and devoted teach
ers can survive the weeding-out pro-
cess.
This being the case, do we not
owe it to the teachers, in fairness
and justice, to provide for the whole
State of Maryland better basis of
compensation Here in Anne Arundel
we have recognized the undeniable
fact that our te achers ought to have
be tier salaries that we might attain
q satisfactory level of efficiency and
achievement in our teaching corps,
that we might be enabled, in some
measure, to retain good teachers and
not lose them to other sections
because Of more equitable rewards
for services. Two years ago We made
a start toward a juster basis of COM
pensation in our own county By local
statute. aud at that time We showed
that Anne Arundel appreciated the