The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-05-30
PILED UP HIGH.
Are the Duties of the Kansas
Country School Teachers.
Board of Education Would
Keep Them Busy.

thought OF a. whole line Of new du-
ties to saddle on the backs OF the
country school teachers in the way OF
organizing debating leagues. parent
teacher clubs and local centers for the
study of social problems of every sort.
and he has addressed letters to the
heads Of all the state institutions dt-
recting that the faculty members who
visit the county Institutes of the state
this summer tell the rural teachers to
get busy along these lines.
During the first year of its activity
the state board of educational i'd
ministration, Of which Mr.. Hackney is
the resourceful chairman, have intro
duced SO many novelties into the az
fairs of the state educational fnstttu-
lions that a large percentage of the
faculty members are either hunting
for jobs in more peaceful environ
ments or have already gone. The
state board is struggling to make
Kansas education more practical and
in the long run it may exercise a bene-
fetal influence on the state. which
ranks SO far down the educational
states OF the Union that there is mani
testify q need for some sort Of improve
ment.
But tho board Of educational ad-
ministration is apparently engaging
in foreign missionary work when it
comes to regulating the activities Of
the rural school teachers. Mr.. Hack
ney's Letter points out a lot of good
to be done that would make up q
rather heavy assignment for a forty
dollar a month country school teacher.
Its language implies & blissful ignor-
ance of the fncendiary condition that
has been developed among the school
teachers Of the first class cities by the
increase of duties along lines he now
recommends for country schools, the
result of which Is that in. Topeka, for
example. the grade teachers spend so
much time on art, athletics and par
ent uplift work that pupils get a
minimum of instruction in the old
time essentials Of reading. writing and
arithmetic.
Kansas school teachers have just
organized themselves into a state asso-
citation for the purpose Of improv-
ing conditions under which they
work, raising salaries and increasing
the perQuisites Of their professional
activities to a point where the teach
ing business will be sufficiently re-
for entrance to it.
While It is not likely that anybody
will disapprove of the ideas embodied
| in the Hackney letter, 1t is still very
probable that it will not awake any
bursts Of applause from the teachers
| In the county institutes who will final
" get the message he is now entrust-
ing to the college faculty members
County institutes will open everywhere
| in Kansas about June 1. Faculty
members from the state institutions
will be in attendance at nearly all the
| institutes where applicants for rural
| teachers certificates receive instruc-
ton. The Hackney letter delivers the
message from the state board Of edu-
! cational administration as follows:
The board of administration, aftet
consultation with the authorities in
the various institutions. believes that
( the time IL now ripe for an active
| state wide campaign in the county
normal institutes, now just beginning
| Tor organized community service, with
| the school and the teacher as the cen
ter, and as most of the teachers Of the
! state attend the county institute and
practically every institute will be visit.
| ed by a member of the faculty of some
Of the schools under this board, 1t II
requested that you take this matter
up with the professors from your
school who lecture before these insti
!tutes. and ask them. in their ad-
dresses, to urge upon the teachers IL
the institutions their responsibility
to the district beyond the walls Of
their school room and outside tho
hours from to 4, and to advise them
to call q meeting Of the people of theil
oDtI1CC ana 10 perfect an OIBAnlzauO1
for the mutual help and improvement
Of its residents.
They should urge an active CO.
operation between teacher and paren
in organizing debating. mother or par
ents clubs and clubs for the study O.
various subjects Of interest to thei1
districts. and should point out tina
nothing will help q community D
much AZ the meeting and the surve.
and study Of its problems. And the!
should explain to the teacher tn
function Of the travelling and packag
r1ouO institutions and the opportunit,
and advantage of an active coopera
tiou with the extension departments o
the several state schools. all OF which
are to render active assistance to thes
communities
Teacher the splendid opportunities 70