The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-12-04


SELL. legitimate all in
elusive ends, and
the teacher had but to impart knowl.
edge of a certain limited field of sub.
Ject matter which was then deemed
| preparatory to professional life. Fol
the boy who was to enter business or
some other calling mental discipline
was the supposed result of his work,
| belief in formal discipline guiding
teachers to the faith that jealous and
earnest work in one line would train
| almost equally well in all others.
Teaching was simple matter, pro-
vided that one had the required knowl-
edge Of the subject. The teachers col
lege for the teacher in the secondary
school was not deemed necessary.
School Administration.
Conditions, however, have changed.
Instead of dealing with a select few,
preparing for small number of def
mite lines of work, the high school has
become the peoples college, accepting
N2-N aNSpohoibiilty iol tlC uudl
ton of a great number of boys and
girls, preparing for many types Of call
ings, and in addition, as In early days,
preparing small number less than
5 per cent? for college, few of whom In
turn intend to enter professional life.
No longer is there a simple end in
view. The high school is required to
train for the great business of life.
Training Teachers.
Coupled with this diversity of aim is
the growing suspicion long held by
business men that study in one line,
however protracted or earnest, will not
train equally well in all walks of life,
and scientific investigation bears out
the position that peculiar methods and
special subject matter are demanded
by peculiar aims. A fine adjustment
of method, therefore, has to be made
made by teacher familiar with psy-
chology, with legitimate ends of sub
ject matter, with ways and means of
adjustment This necessitates training
school. who is to adapt his work to the
new conditions which his school has to
meet.
For few teachers, comparatively
speaking, such training may be re-
ceived at well equipped normal and
teachers colleges. For the great mass
however, such training, if it is to come
at all, must come from intelligent and
trained supervisors and principals
working with the teachers in the ac-
tive field. The principal of the old
high school took the teacher as he
found him and trusted to experience
for Improvement. The principal of to-
day finds his teacher, notes his weak
nesses and trains him in service if he
cannot persuade him to take profes
Sional work.
Waste of Unframed Educators.
Efficiently to manage modern high
school, meeting the needs of its COM
munity and preparing its boys and
girls for life needs trained principal,
More money is being spent upon sec.
Dndary schools in present times than
1t any time of our history. The prin.
aipal has tremendous opportunities in
The management of his great plant.
He also has tremendous responsible
ties. The trained expert, familiar
with the best that has been done,
With the results of the many expert |
nents performed in schools throughout |
he land, Is the man that the school |
board requires, in whose hands to In.
rust the secondary education of the |
community. We need trained LAWYERS |
or our courts, business experts for our
actor1es, efficient doctors for our hos.
'itals, college men and women pro.
essionally trained in high school ad.
for our high schools, Our
were inefficient before there
vas a science of business manage
nent. Our doctors filed the grave
ards before the science of modern
ledicine arose. Waste and ineffi.
iency have resulted from unframed
ducators In prominent places. Even
be high school boys and girls have re-
elled, 70 per cent of whom leave
rhool before graduation.
Prerequisites to the success of the
modern high school, therefore, are,
rst, trained and efficient teachers: sec
nd, supervisors capable of providing
lrther training for teachers in the
ctive field. and, third. expert nrinci
ais and superintendent. When these
eeds are filed will the high school
oys and girls of the future receive tn.
opportunities due them in a country
lodged to equal opportunity, to edu.
alton for dom ocraav :