Albuquerque morning journal., 1916-12-01

I stitute. watched the result of this
/ examination with a good deal of in
/ tcrest, as II had been commonly
/ known that the holding Of evamma-
/ tions at the close Of Institutes nf)u-
/ ences the teachers to Cram" for such
! examinations, often to tho neglect of
/ the professional training and inspira-
( tion which they should otherwise re-
/ ceive In an institute There were fif-
4 ty-three teachers who took the cxami-
nation in this county prior to the iu-
/ stitute and only eight teachers of this
/ county took examination at the Oc-
tober examination, only four Of the
/ last named failed in the first exami-
nation, whereas In several of the other
| counties teachers had two or moro op-
/ portunitics for examination. with the
/ understanding that the highest grades
made in any examination taken in the
summer would constitute the final
! grade for certifcauon In fact.
, there was a lower percentage Of fail
/ ures, all things considered. i'm this
county with its one examination aud
/ that held prior TO the institute than
! i'm any other county of the state.
/ which would seem to indicate that II
1 is the part of wisdom to hold the ex-
/ animation prior to the institute and
| then leave the teachers free TO pur-
! sue the studies of their selection dur
/ ing the institute period. BY adopting
/ this plan the number Of examina-
/ tones for the summer could be re-
duced, thus Tightening the work of the
state department Of education, the ex-
penses Of the examination and making
our Institutes more efficient in meet
! ing the actual academic and profess
sional needs of the teachers
The New Mexico Plan.
| have heretofore given much
thought and consideration to the insti-
tute plans followed in other states, in
an endeavor to satisfy myself whether
or not New MeXico's plan was meet
ing fully the conditions Of the state
In some states, the Institutes are hold
for a five-days' period, at some time
during the school term, when teach
ers are allowed to dismiss their
schools without suspension Of pay, and
come together in a professional and
inspirational institute There is an
advantage in this plan since it is less
expensive to the teacher and he is ex
pected to return to his school witt
the news ideas and instruction fresf
in his mind Another advantage
would be the sure attendance by rep
representatives, from the state de
partment of education and our higher
institutions of learning 1t is now i'm
possible to attend many Of the sum
mer institutes for the reason tina
there are sometimes as many as ten
Institutes running at the same time
at widely distant points. Anothe
matter which comes to my mind is tn,
consolidation of the institutes in tw,
or more counties, whore il is possibl,
to do so. This may be done under GU
present law if the county superintend
entS in such counties desire to do SO
and the state superintendent of pub
lie instruction deems it eXpedient n,
such consolidation Of institutes ha
been made during my administration
! 1 " Hel W oNt A|llH pam u lNA bWL 81
the near future, for it is only by try
ing the various plans that we may ar
rive at what is best to be done
! had hoped to have the report
from all county superintendent, botl
statistical and financial, that l Nigh
make some comparisons as to relative
expenses and attendance. However
have reports from only sixteen coun
ties as follows
Bernalillo county expended on tn,
institute the sum Of $570.38; Chayes
$500; Colfax, $6F5.5u; Curry
$3O9,75; Dona Ana, $408.40; Eddy
Eddy, $516.59; Grant, 5000; McKin.
ley $50; Otero $213.95; Sandoval
$11I20; san Miguel, $3.50 Santa Fe
I $S6467; Sierra, $75; Socorro, $lO5
Torrance $345; Valencia, $330.SS.
There should be no objection to the
amount of expenses incurred, provid-
ed actual results are obtained
1t is my hope that the papers and
| discussions of the advantages Of an
eight weeks institute, the relative
| time to be devoted to academic and
| professional subjects, the suggestions
as TO the time Of holding county insti-
tutes and the plan for teachers doing
| the reading circle work in a body dur
ing the institute, now to follow, will
prove Of worth to the future Institutes
to be held in this state TO all those
who have worked with me during the
past five years to make our institutes
more efficient, now extend my full
appreciation and many thanks