Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-01-17

Wy - ~ 61SoAAOHs N|NAOOA ASAhoASAS'~
Agent, U. 8. Bureau of Education.
Department of the Interior.)
With the eloquent and logical plea
Of ]. Sterling Morton for professionally
trained teachers still ringing In our
ears it Is good time to consider the
views of prominent man who saw
this question in very different light
This man served his state and county
in many posts of honor. He was a
man of means. His character was
above reproach. 1t Is hard to under
stand how a man of such ability, in
tegrity, and experience could hold
such erroneous views as he did on the
preparation of teachers for their
work. After all the positions Of honor
which he had held, he was elected
member of the state senate. There was
on the legislature to establish one ad-
ditional state normal school on which
occasion, this nestor of the senate de-
clared: God Almighty makes teach
ers; you can no more make teachers at
normal school than you can make
| teachers at a normal school than you
can make whistles out of pigs tail at
a butcher shop; we have too much ed
ucation of the head already; educate
the heels" 49,
This is so utterly absurd as to merit
pity rather than censure of him who
was the author of this declaration.
God Almighty no more makes teachers
/ than He makes lawyers Of doctors.
Training and experience make law
yer. Training and experience makes
doctor. Training and experience make
a teacher.
The Mistaken Idea.
And so thought the people of the
state In which this good, though mis-
taken, man lived. The normal school
idea has made such a growth in that
state since this good mans declaration
against it until now there are four
great state normal schools there with
splendid faculties and literally sup
ported by the state.
Probably the most advanced opinion
yet advocated by any man of prom
| inence today in favor Of professionally
trained teachers and state normal
schools Is that of the United States
/ Commiss Toner of Education, DR.. P. P.
Claxton. Briefly stated it Is this:
I A six months term of school with q
professionally trained teacher at sal
airy Of 500 per month Is longer term
and better and cheaper school than
a twelve months term with q teacher
OF poor scholarship and no profession
al training at a salary of $50 per
month. We need enough state normal
schools to provide a professionally
trained teacher for every rural school
in America The people of the entire
state are taxed to support the state
normal school or schools and are,
therefore. entitled to their just share
of the teachers who fit themselves for
their work in these schools. And yet
Gerry small number Of normal school
graduates ever teach In the rural
schools because the city and town
schools secure these professionally
trained teachers. The demand for pro-
fessionally trained teachers in city and
town schools is greater than the pres
ent number of our state normal schools
can supply under their present equip
ment. We, therefore, need a greatly
| Increased number of normal schools
or else a great increase In buildings,
| faculty, and funds for our present
state normal schools if our rural peo-
ple are to receive fair treatment for
the taxes they pay for the support OF
the state normal schools. The work
OF the state normal schools and pro-
IL ssionally trained teachers is so Inn
portant, so valuable, 50 necessary that
we should establish sufficient num-
Der of state normal schools to provide
every rural school with. a professional
ly trained teacher, even If we have to
take the necessary money to do this
from the state common school fund, In
the end this would be better policy
of public economy than our present
short-sighted policy which is expens-
i've and which sorely neglected our
rural schools in the matter OF properly
trained teachers. This is evident from
the fact that there are over 10000
juvenile teachers teaching in the rural
schools of our country at this time