New Britain herald., 1916-09-09

most important problem Of school ad ministratiOn this subject of the sta bility of the teaching force is brought forward at this time for the consider atiOn of the school committee. The schools must be off1cered by efficient teachers and the services of these teachers must be retained in order to secure efficiency in the schools. It is a disastrous policy to permit condi- tions to arise or to continue that en- courage instability in the teaching staff and that result in short terms of ser vice for the inefficient. The following statement covering a period of seven years from 1909 to 1916 is submitted for your consideration.
 In the fall of 1909, there were nine teen teachers in the High school staff; in the six years since that time, in order to keep the staff filled and to provide for additional teachers need- ed because the growth of the school, seventy-three teachers have bees ap- pointd. Of these twenty-One were be- cause of the growth of the school and flfty-two were to replace teachers who had withdrawn from the staff. Of the teaching force of the High school numbering forty in June 1916, sixteen or forty per cent had been in the school but one year, seven or seven teen and one-half per cent. four years, two or five per cent. for five years, one or two and one-half per cent. for six years and one or two and One-half per cent. for seven years. There were sixteen teachers in the Grammar school staff in the fall of 1909. Since that time siXty-fivc teachers have been appointed in the Grammar school to provide for replacements and addi- tions to the faculty. Of these twenty seven were additions and thirty eight were replacements.
 Of the forty-two teachers in the school in June, 1916, thirteen or thirty per cent. had been in the school only one year, fourteen or thirtythree per cent for two years, six or fourteen and one-half per cent. for three years, two or four and three quarters per cent. for four years, two or four and three-quarters per cent. for five years and five or eleven and three-fourths per cent. for seven years.
 It is safe to say that the average length of service for the individual teacher in the High school is apprOxi- mately 1-1O years and that for the teacher in the Grammar school it is
 
 These facts serve to show how un- stable is the teaching staff in both the Grammar and High schools and par ticularly in the High school The ef fciency of these schools must of nec- essity be seriously impaired by this continual change in the teaching force. No college or private school in which conditions were so unstable could long succeed in doing a high or even satisfactory grade of school work To expect the impossible is not fair to the High Or Grammar school.
 study of the approximate stability of the teaching force in the elemen- ary grades covering a like period of time from 1909 to 1916 has recently been made by Miss Fallon, supervis- or of instruction in elementary grades. The following statement is a presen- tation of the important facts set forth in Miss Fallons report:
 "The highest possible degree of sta bilitv in the teaching force is neces- sary in order to secure to the schools
 1) Adequate familiarity with the i school system and the course of study. l
 CD Necessary degree of maturity. i
 (3) PGrpoLIaClOn or eSta l standards and ideals. i
 Without all of these no amount of i effort on the part of the supervisory ! officers will permanently avail.
 In 1909 there were ninety-one ele- mentary teachers.
 Tn 1916 (June) there were no ele- mentary teachers
 With the above additions made the highest possible degree of stability that could have been maintained in the elementary grades would have been 91-100 of the force in June, 1916, or S2 7-10 per cent. As matter of fact, however, the positive stability of the teaching force was but fourteen and one-half per cent.
 The following percentages of insta- bi1ity are significant:
 Number. 1. (a) Instability caused by
 failures ........ 3l
 (b) Instability caused by