Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1914-02-24
DO YOU BELIEVE IN SCHOOLS
Compare Tho Of ''Marylsnd dy
Maryland 10 Those oi 0thsr
States

Most anybody, when asked "Do
you believe in schools?" will give the
same snwser. But it is astonishing
how many states are contented to let
the teachers be the most underpsid
set Of employees Do we believe in
schools when we consider the follow
ing:
Washington ranks first of all the
states in the all-around efficiency of
its schools, according to an analysis
which the Russell Sage Foundation
recently made of the report of the
United States Commissioner CT Edu-
cation, whose figures, in turn, are
lar Eely an analysis Of the census Of
.910. Massachusetts, New York. Cal
ifurnia, Connecticut and Ohio are the
next five in rank in descending order
Tea tests of efficiency were applied
to reach these results
Astonishing gaps between the best
schools and the poorest school appear
when these tests are applied. For
example only z per cent. of the
children Of Vermont are out Of school,
but "a per cent. are out in Louisiana
Massachuetts has invested S15 per
child in school buildings and equip
ment, whereas Mississippi has in
vested only 50; Washington spends
s82 q year TO educate every child and
South Carolina spends So; each child
averages 131 days Of the year in
schools in Msssachue It's and 46 days
in New Mexico the schools Of Rhode
Island are open, on an average, SO
days in the year and IN New Mexico
100 days; Oklahoma spends 75 cents
TOR school purposes for very 500 Of
its wealth, and New Mexico spends
% cents lin New Hampshire, Of every,
1000 pupils in the elementary schools,
lis enter high schools and q enter
college.
The most striking Of Oh these
comparisons, however, is between
the average yearly salaries paid e.
teachers in the several states-iu
California and ia North Carolina,
1916 against $500, and more astonish-
ing still, in prosperous Iowa, $500.
The average for the whole country
sass a year, and this figure shows
Itself In it's true light better when
compared with the yearly wages Of
other occupations:
Carpenters, $500; coal miners,
5000; factory workers, $3.50; com
mon laborers, $50; teachers, SANS.
These figures give hint Of the size
OF the stupendcus task that must be
done before the quality OF education
in the United States is worthy o. the
children who receive II.
The twelve states lowest IN all
around efficiency ere these, namely in
descending order: Tennessee, Texas,
Louisiana, New Mexico. Virginia,
Kentucky, Arkansas. Georgia, Missis.
ippi. North Carolina, South Caro-.
lima and Alabama. This list indi.
Gates where the intensity of the
educational problem is greatest, in
the rural South Fortunately, en-.
couraging progress has been made
In these states, for in the last foriy
years illiteracy among the whites
has been reduced from 2 per cent
70 3 per cent. and among the ne.
groes from SO per cent. to 30 pei
cent. Fortunately, also, in these
states the forces Of economic regeu
Grafton are well under way, and II
every one Of them are leaders whC
are inspired with consuming smbi
tion to direct the new resources OF
an awakening people into practical
and efficient educotion for the com.
ntrn man