Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-11-22

grown In effectiveness and efficiency
and our rural schools when they arc
as well provided for in the matter
of supervision will make as marked
progress. Therefore. | must urge that
our next legislature shall make II
possible for the county superinten-
dent of schools upon whom supervi-
sion now depends almost entirely to
supervise more closely the schools Of
his county. The county superinten-
dent must have an adequate salary
and he given office help and travel
ing expenses. This will enable him to
conduct tho affairs of his office and
at the same time spend large part
of his time in inspecting schools and
lending helpful assistance to schooi
directors and teachers. The county
superintendent should do more than
take a eiook-in' once each year.
We want Il supervision which comes
from closer touch with our rural
schools than the present county
"look-in" supervision. Unless our leg
islature does. this. for our county SUI
perintendents. our present system for
the supervision Of the country school
Will continue to be unsatisfactory and
inadequate.
In this connection. | also advocate
state inspector of schools, including
the high schools of the state.
Better Training.
Fourth, II Is undoubtedly true that
the scholarship of the teachers in
this state is higher today than ever
before. II is true that higher stand
ard Of scholarship cannot be secured
at once, hut it is essential that our
state board of education and our leg
islature' should keep always in mind
the urgent necessity of providing
ways and means for gradually rails
ling the efficiency Of our teachers
This means n better support of
cur county teachers Institutes. an i'm
portant part of any progressive
school system; more liberal appropri-
atoms and better support of our high
or institutions of learning; better sal
aries for teachers. and. In my opinion,
broadening the opportunities for
teacher-training in the state. There
seems to be no good reason why many
of our high schools cannot give a GER
tain amount of training for teachers.
Free Text Books.
Fifth, at each session of the legis-
lature. have recommended the
passage OF n free text book law |
shall again so recommend to our
forthcoming legislature. There are
many educational advantages which
accrue from the free text book svs-
TEN. Among them, 1t lessons the cost
of books to the pupils; ii improves
the classes of books used IL increases
needed appliances: 1t makes 1t possi-
BILE for all pupils to work advantage
otisly from the first day of school; II
places the INDECENT pupil on the same
plane as the pupil of the well-to-do
parents. 1t furnishes the teacher a
splendid opportunity to teach lessons
of civic righteousness. and finally, II
fits in and completely harmonizes
with the spirit OF the public school
system itself.
School books In this state cost too
much. In section after section whlch
| have visited. | have found parents
too poor to furnish the necessary
books to their children. After most
careful investigation and considera-
ton. | am most fully convinced that
no better or wiser step for the I'M
provement of our public school sys-
ZEN can ne t1htD IMAM III ''N.~if''''
Of the free text book system.
school Libraries.
sixth That every school should
have a library, is now general con-
coded Visits to all sections of the
state have more strongly convinced
me than ever that there is most I'M
nortanf need for school libraries.
SO that the school may carry on
me of n its greatest functions
to form the reading haDlt'
The Usual text hooks from which the
daily lessons are given are not sur
ficjent in their scope to supply chii-
dren with proper amount oil read
ing matter or to provide them with
material upon which to spend thelr
time. which may not otherwise be oc-
cupied u.s
one of the greatest improvements
which can come to our present sclooi
system is the provision py our neN'
for state schooi npfa
rian who can establish system o.
travelling libraries and assist III es-
IA blishing and maintaining permit
nent school Libraries in the various
school districts of the state. a lunu
,,,,,st no created sufficient 10 PROVIDE
0nD1t III liit Std "
reading material, carefully seieo'ou
Nv the state librarian.
other Improvements.
r. time were available. should
,;,,a N discuss the matter OF consoi-
idation Of schools, the needs o. ne ne
toto department OF educatioh' the
,,aoassitv for taking an increased IN
tcrest in the physical welfare OF me
iishmeut and maintenance no Of more ths
public high schools throus, eo',alizinr
scd,e, buildings, the raising Of more
s senSs and pa''h income for our schools and
various other needed lmpr9 anbno,
and changes in our present eIt,,a sen hss
ssS.s'', s,,.rcested fo bring out a fun
discussion Sesa s@Ss, Of the subject assigned to
me as leader. / take this occasion sn1, fd 70
thank the members of the couhc ,,,, ."a
the close attention you 49, ad
-. ,.n,1r mast support anu