The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-12-29
RURAL SCHOOLS

We have received copy of an ad-
dress by Prof. 1. A. Boothe of this city
on the Rural School problem, and the
same is printed herein. Prof Boothe
has had much experience in this branch
of teaching and has given the matter
careful thought as is evident from his
ably prepared paper.
The idea of exchanging teachers
from one county to another is not a
bad one. One idea prevalent in the
minds of School Teachers has always
been that they are supreme in determ-
lining whether or not they will render
service to the State. In this they are
sadly mistaken as the State has right
to demand the service of it's citizens un-
der any circumstances for all lawful
purposes. 1t can go to the extent of
taking life for doing certain forbidden
things and can punish for failure to
perform certain required duties.
1t can require citizens to perform
jury service and can demand of them
extremely dangerous military duty.
If it can command its citizens to per-
form military service, it can demand of
them peaceful pursuits And what
more laudable work is there than teach
ing? What more noble than this work?
1t is the foundation stone of this Re
public. On it all else depends.-"We
must educate, we must educate or we
die by our posterity."
The profigate waste of money by the
State in allowing short skirted girls and
beardless youths to enter the schoC-
room as teachers when they have not
yet learned chow to fly from the nest"
makes the heart sick.
The fact is that the teaching force of
the State has degenerated and has fall
len below what it was twenty-five years
ago although they now receive more than
four times the per capita then paid.
But the amount of money spent is not
Gue 4uSSIlOu. IL 10 OhC haIOiiAi PuA
chased by it, that is the milk of the
question.
The practical workings of the school
system of Kentucky is disgrace to
the State. Ample funds are provided
but by the unbusiness like methods
employed to obtain teachers, much of
it is wasted in the employment of
teachers who have not the proper quail
fications and who lack the finishing
touches learned only by contact with
the world.
Properly equipped teachers are
pr u aside to make room for these
inexperienced youths.
Districts where properly equipped
teachers do not apply, should have the
power to draft into service good
teacher and the State should pay him
or her proper salary.
The Boothe theory is a good one and
when supplemented with the ideas ad-
vanced herein, will, in our humble opin-
ion, solve the question of obtaining a
properly equipped teaching force in
Kentucky. One of the ablest teachers
of the East, DR.. Winship, of Boston,
says of Prof. Boothe's plan as follows:
"This is as nearly an ideal plan as has
been. presented" Many other educa-
tors endorse it and the press of the
State generally speak of it with favora
BILE comment.
The incoming Legislature should give
this plan its earnest consideration.
With this great power over its citi-
zens, Prof. Boothe is not overstepping
the mark when he says that teachers
can be exchanged. While the State
has never coerced its teachers, except
in small way, still it has the right to
do so and later on we doubt not will
begin to exercise that right.
DAIMT lick