The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-02-05
FAVOR KENOSHA COUNTY GIRLS
Serious Need Of School for Training
Teachers Is Shown by Superintendent
of schools-Local Students Fail to
Get the Proper Training.
(By Mrs. Mary D. Bradford)

(By Mrs. Mary D. Bradford)
With the opening of the new semes-
ter, six new teachers will be added to
the Kenosha school force. The addi-
tion to the Balm school adds eight new
rooms to our school facilities. Those,
with three vacancies caused by resig-
nation make total of eleven changes
which have to be provided for. But
that does not mean eleven additional
teachers.
Two teachers in rented buildings and
one in an undesirable basement room
will be transferred, and two teachers
who have been each sharing school
room with another teacher will be as
signed separate rooms, making it nee
essary to engage but six new teachers.
These have been secured from DIFF
ferent places. Fortunately, two women
prepared to teach, have recently taken
up their residence in Kenosha.
/ have wished :hat there were other
Kenosha girls ready for these positions,
but there are not. So far as I know,
every Konosha girl who has made the
preparation for teaching now required
by the board of education has posi-
ton. If there are others, they have
not made themselves known.
Some cities do not encourage the hir-
ing of home teachers, believing it to
be best for the young people TO receive
the benefit of the stimulus of new en-
vironment, and believing that it is best
for the schools to have teachers from
ipther places.
But when merit is the only consideTa-
tion that influences the board in their
consideration, home candidates, in my
Judgment, are preferable. First, there
is the probability of longer tenure, and
that is desirable when good teachers
are secured. There is always loss of
time in needed supervision, and loss to
children in the process of adjustment,
when new teacher unfamiliar with
the requirements of the system is en-
gagged. The city that holds its good
teachers is following wise policy
really economic policy, even though the
pay roll has had to be increased: to do
it.
I am putting these matters before
Hhe public with the purpose of causing
parents who have bright, promising
daughters, to plan for their training as
teachers. A recent questioning of the
senior girls of the high school revealed
the fact that quite number OF them,-
haven It the least idea" what they
are going to do next year. Some Of
them are excellent raw-material for the
teacher-training schools of the state.
Near at hand are two such institutions
reached with little expense for car
fsre,-Whitewate and Milwaukee
Normal schools.
These are public institutions sup
ported by general taxation, requiring
no tuition, and furnishing books for a
small rental. In two years a high
school graduate, if successful, can com
plete the course, and after year of
approved teaching will receive coun-
tersigned diploma, which is life GER
tificate to teach school in Wisconsin,
and a passport to teaching opportuni-
ties in most other states.
But if q girl does not see her way
to do that, there is another and shorter
route to teaching. This will not take a
girl to a Kenosha school room, but it
viii to country school room. Since
the minimum wage law for teachers
passed by the last legislature is now in
operation, a teacher in the country will
receive at least $4,000 o month A full
normal school graduate without expert
enee gets but $50 month for first year 5
work in KenosEa, so it is evident, that
from the financial standpoint the coun-
try position, on account of the smaller
demands, is worth as much as, or more
than, cne in the city.
To quality for such country school,
a girl in 1914 must attend a six weeks
summer session of normal school.
after that school an examination will
Zoe given by the county superintendent;
and with the certificate secured, a girl
as legally qualified to take a country
school
After July, 1915, however, higher
qualifications viii be needed; new law
having been passed by the last legis-
lature, which goes into effect at the
date mentioned. This law requires of
graduates of four year high school
like ours, one year Of professional train
ing preparatory to the work of teach
ing in the common schools.
1t there were { county training
school established in or near Kenosha
which many have hoped for, but which
short-sighted policy defeated, these
Kenosha girls and boys who might de-
sire it, would be able to get the year
of training required by the law right