Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-04-25
SCHOOLS MUST
Be IMPROVED,
SAYS CLAYTON
United States Commissioner of
Education alks to Board of
Regents.
COUNTRY SCHOOLS TO
BE GIVEN ATTENTION
Educational Requirements Of the
Country School Teachers
Must Be Raised.

United Sttaes Commissioner of Edu-
cation DR.. P. P. Claxton Of Washing
ton, d. c., was in the city yesterday
and appeared before the state board
of regents, who opened their regular
monthly meeting at the capitol.
DR.. ClaXton informed the board that
the report Of the commission making
the educational survey of the state
would be ready not later than May 20
At the present time DR.. e. B. Craig
head and Dr.. Bawden, who gathered
most of the data in the state, are ON
piling their information in Washing
ton, preparatory to making the report
They will be joined within the next
few weeks by Prof. l.. D. Coffman OF
the University of Minnesota, who will
also make report On conditions in
the state, and by DR.. Ciaxton.
Practically all the data has already
been gone over by Dr. ClaXton, and
he is in the city at the present time
to outline general recommending . S
to the board Additional information
will be required on the state school
for the deaf at Wahpeton, and on the
Glendale normal, before the final re-
port can be submitted to the board OF
regents. DR.. ClaXton will visit both
institutions this week and secure the
desired information.
Must Raise Standards.
DR.. Claxton has given his close per-
sonal attention to the educational sur
vey being made in this state, and in
discussing ecAndi ions last Afgh ght, tstaSi
ed that the time has come to raise
the educational standards of the state.
The standard Of the schools and the
teachers must be improved, he stated,
especially in the country districts.
"The educational requirements OF
country teachers are not enough to
meet the demands made upon them, >
said DR.. Claxton. "They work under
a serious handicap at best, not having
the equipmen: and the advantage of
expert supervision that city teacher
has" Few of the country teachers
have the equivalent of high school
education, yet they are required to
teach all subjects, in most cases from
the first to the eighth grade. The cry
is made that country school teachers
are not paid high enough salaries.
THAT may be true" he stated, "but
for the class of teachers in the aver
age country school, they are paid
more than the city teachers.
Vocational Training.
''VOcatiOna1 training in this day and
age" said DR.. ClaXton, "is absolutely
necessary. The average normal school
not only in this state, but throughout
the country generally, are preparing
their teachers for the city schools and
not for the country schools. The for
mer really needs more education to.
day than any other man, and voca.
tional training must be given in the
country schools. Furthermore, he
stated, this training must be thor
Ough."
Board Meeting.
The state board of regents will be
in session for practically the remain
der of the week. The heads of all
state educational institutions will ap.
pear before the board during the
week, and considerable routine bust.
ness will be transacted.
DR.. ClaxtOn will complete his tenta.
tive outline Of recommendations tC
the board this morning, and will
leave today for Wahpeton.