Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-11-29
THE SCHOOL, COMMISSION PLAN,

AtanacIo Montoya, superintendent
OF the iIcrnalIIlo county public
schools. made the following pertinent
Recommendation for incorporation In
the school laws which should be en-
acted By the legislature at It's next
session,
THAT all county schools TO BIO un-
der the arrangement OF board OF
school commissioners, 70 be elected
at large from the county, presumably
composed OF -four commissioners: the
county superintendent 20 be an ex-
officIo member thereof. This board
also clerk to the superintendent.
"Ono school trustee or director to
be elected by each district This d.
rector 70 be the custodian Of school
house aud all school property and to
be paid fair compensation for his
services and TO be directly under the
control of county school commission
ers.
County school commissioners to
lappont all teachers and assign them
To the districts and grades and fix
their salaries.
County superintendent TO have d.
rect supervision of teachers and their
work.
County school commissioners 10
lappoint a rural school supervisor who
also VIII be truant officer. and be un-
der direct control OF the superinten-
dent
County school commissioners to
meet az least once month and 10
be paid at least one-half as much sal
airy as the county commissioners re-
celve."
The reforms proposed by superin-
tcndent Montoya Cor New Mexico are
not In the nature, of experiments.
fhcy have long been In operation In
the states most advanced education
ally
IN The school districts Of this state
there has been. and is. far too much
favorltism In the selection OF the
teachcrs--too much nepotism. In
stead OF selecting teachers because OF
their fitness, the tendency Is TO name
the son or the daughter OF some
school director OF some one who IS
Influential politically.
The result. nine times out Of ten.
Is that the school might about as well
never have been taught The teacher
is Of low grade. or Of no grade, and
the money of the taxpayers has been
wasted. Far worse. the children OF the
district have been irreparably wrong
cd and tho state has suffered In its
future citizenship.
What is true of New Mexico has
hoen true OF every state Of the union
until there has been legislation aboi-
lshing the power OF the district di-
rectors to appoint and pay teachers.
Many suites have laws making a.
diploma from n normal school pf
recognized standard necessary be-
fore a teachers certificate ~ granted,
New Mexico has the normal schools.
The taxpayers pay for their maintcn-
ancc. and their graduates or the
graduates OF the normal schools OF
other states. only should be employ
ed In the public schools.
The law should be so sweeping that
even graduate of college Of liberal
arts would be barred unless she had
awaited herself Of good normal
training. because teaching II just as
much profession as that Of law or
medicine. II differs not how many de-
grees young man may have from
universities. he is not permitted 10
practice law unless no has studied
law and can take practical examl-
nation IN the science Of law. Before
reaching. the applicant for certIfi-
cate should be required TO take an
examination in practical pedagogy.