New-York tribune., 1914-11-16

best rulings OF any OF the nations on
such matters, for there the married
woman works under the most fayora-
bic conditions Of all. Since 1888 there
has been a law in France providing
that duly attested illness entities a
civil servant tteachers are included in
this category to not more than three
months vacation in any one year with
full pay, and three months additional
on not more than half pay. The law
of March 10, 1914, provides for an ad-
ditional leave Of two months with full
pay to all women teachers absent from
school on account Of childbirth. 4
substitute is provided by and, OF
course, at the expense Of the state au-
thorities.
"In London about one-third Of the
women teachers are married, and Amer
ica. which is supposed to be in advance
of England in feminine legislation.
should mark the comparative leniency
OF these two countries. Read these reg
ulations for teachers in London schools:
"'Teachers absent owing 70 confne-
ment are required to absent themselves
from school for four weeks before the
notified date, and TO remain absent for
not less than thirteen weeks after their
confinement; or, in the event OF the
child not living, that period to be de-
termined after consultation with the
medical officer (Education), such period
20 be not less than four weeks. Dur
ing the time Of their absence they are
on full pay for the first eight weeks
and on half pay for the remaining nine
weeks. In all cases where the child
lives an absence Of at least seventeen
weeks is compulsory, and in the event
Of teachers desiring leave Of absence
/ for a period Of more than seventeen
/ weeks, but not exceeding twelve
months. such teachers are granted leave
Of absence and are paid their former
salaries on resuming work. The Coun-
Gil provides substitutes for the teach
crs who are absent from this cause.
Miss Rodman. who fights for democ-
racy in school matters, IS at heart ana
in practice a true democrat IN the very
broadest meaning Of the word. Her
home life and the adoption OF two
daughters bear this out, for she holds
beliefs difficult to carry out in prac-
tice-intellectual democracy and the IN
finite possibilities for good Of the ig-
norant and the feeble.
Miss Rodman Object of "Crushes.'
And she has carried her conceptions
TO their logical conclusion in her work
for her school classes are entirely dem
ocratic in their working out. Her girls
adore her and she is the object OF un-
numbered "crushes" Pupils form little
groups of admiration, and go into
wholesome and unwholesome ecstasies
over the attractiveness OF her softly
escetic face. They admire her odd. 10"
Swinging shoes. her unusual ho"ing
dress. her simplicity exempllned equal
ly in her bearing and IN her direct anc
forceful, yet humorous conversation.
And most Of all the constraint OF
school disappears in her classes, foI
the pupil may suggest studies. Anc
that is where her democracy triumpns
In her classes she has groups and com
mittees. in which the girls themselve:
take charge of the studies, under hel
direction, of course. If one girl ha.
an idea which she may like TO WORK
out perhaps for the improvement Of
the entire class, she feels At perfee
liberty 20 suggest 1t. Then follows q
discussion and the idea is voted upon
excepting Id those instances When N,