The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-12-29
A Systematic Rotation
of Rural School Teachers
BY 1. H. BooTHE


| There are few men in Kentucky who
know The rural school better or appre-
i ciate its problems more thoroughly
than does Professor |. Fl. Boothe. The
matter of this article is born of his
wide experience in teaching students
facts, in teaching teachers to teach, and
in instructing Institutes. We urge a
careful and considerate reading of this
article. Editor of Talisman
l shall attempt TO treat the above sub
ject briefly from the following view
points, viz: W The Importance of the
Educational System, (2) It's Progress.
(3) Its Present Condition, (4) Status of
the Teacher. (5) A Remedy and (6)
How to apply the Remedy.
As to the first proposition. it is adj
mitted by all schoolmen Common gen.
der) that the Educational System is the
palladium of our American liberties;
that in the education of our citizens
rests the destiny of our nation. To
argue this further is useless as it is con
ceded by all thinking people. AS to the
second point. its Progress, there may be
difference of opinion. All will admit
there has been more or less progress,
especially in the City Schools. But as
to the Rural Schools there is an honest
doubt in the minds of some who have
studied the subject carefully whether
there has been any great real progress
for the last generation. This statement
may stagger some but it is an open
question capable of investigation.
maintain that the statement is very
largely true, and shall try to assign |
some reasons by discussing the third |
point: The Present Condition in the |
Rural Schools. We are trying to bUiId |
up u 7irSt-cIGSS Educational System, in |
the main, NTH a second rate teaching |
force. Can this be done? All manner |
of reason says. 'Impossible!" Why do
l say second rate teaching force? |
For the following reasons:
FirSt-A great many splendid young
men and young women in considering |
their life work, realizing that they have
an earning power of, perhaps $500 to
81, 900, and finding that they can't real
ize this in teaching, decide to enter
other fields of labor.
-Second-Another very large number
whose talents are fully as great as the
above class enter the teaching profess
sion and use it, as they say, as step
ping stone" tie something else. When
ever we can devise some means of in
ducing the two aforesaid classes to
adopt teaching as their lifes calling
this problem will begin to be solved.
Third-We are stressing too much
the wrong ideal, viz: Holding up to
the qualified teacher the matter of
salary rather than ability to perform
we'll an abundance of efficient service
As result of this our graduates and
other qualified teachers seek the urban
schools rather than the rural ones
From this three-fold ''sifting process
it seems that it should be evident to the
open minded. unbiased person that we
are trying to construct the great System
Ut Education, in the main, with a Sec
ond-rate working force. Can it be
done? Doubtless the teaching force is
Of the highest type morally, spiritually
and physically but certainly not men,
tally. Can 20-horse power engine do
the work of 40 horse power one? This
perhaps is the main reason why the
average teacher cannot cope with the
average lawyer or doctor in the great
contests fought on the mental battle
fields. This Is also one of the chief
reasons why so many of our boys and
young men drop out of school too early
n life.
Let US consider next the fourth phase
If the subject. or The Status of the
Teacher. What relationship does the ,
Teacher sustain to his profession? II
seems to be properly admitted that he
stands in loco PARENTS in the place of
he parent. Now the word parent" is
admitted by all grammarians to be
common gender. Then if the teacher
tands in the place of the parent he
must be able TO impress upon the lives
" his pupils those essential attributes
from both father and mother.
let us illustrate: Suppose family of !
children is reared under the supervision
# the mother alone. What may we
look for? Perhaps the chill
iren will be cultured, refined. orderly,
,tc. but they will lack those hardier