The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1917-01-04
Better SCHOOL
TEACHERS, need
Superintendent Wilson Is for
Higher Salaries,
FIGURES ARE PRESENTED
Pupils Deserve Attention, He
Says,

r. II, Wilson. president of the state
board of education; has compiled fig
ures from the reports in his office
showing, he says, that it pays to offer
large enough salaries to attract first
GLASS teachers.
Money Lost.
For six years we have tried hv every
effort possible to raise the standard OF
thc schools in Oklahoma, and especial
attention has been given to the rural
schools" Mr. Wilson says. We have
eentended that the greatest loss Of
money in our government is in the
schools not being properly equipped
both as 70 supplies and teachers. The
legislature and the board of education
has from time to time raised the stand
ard of teachers until the normal schools,
the university and the A. and NJ. college
have been crowded.
We find that in the rural schools
there are 2,789 first grade teachers
teaching. 4,0l8 second grade teachers.
and 1850 third-grade teachers, or a
total OF $500. teacherS teaching in what
may be termed rural schools,
Graduates Small.
Last year there were $3.50 boys and
girls who finished the grammar school
in the rural districts and received their
eighth grade diplomas, or not quite one
to the teacher. as compared with j725
six years ago. who received the di
plomas.
"Twenty-nine and seven-tenths per
cent of the rural teachers hold first
grade certificates but OF the $3.50 gram
mar school graduates, ooh percent oi
them went to school to the 29.7 per
cent OF teachers holding first-grade
certificates. Forty-two and nine -ten,hs
percent Of the teachers hold second
grade certificates. and 26.8 percent OF
the grammar school graduates went 10
school to the 40 percent OF the teach
ers. Twenty seven and four tenths per
cent of the teachers hold third grade
certificates and 66 percent of the gram
mar school graduates went to school
to the 27.+ percent.
Lack of Experience.
III will be seen from the above that
there are nearly as many third grade
teachers as there are first-grade teach.
ers, yet the first-gradt teachers turned
out just ten times as many pupils a,
the thirdgrade teachers. There ar,
nearly one and half times as man,
sccond-grade teachers as there are first.
grade teachers, yet there were practi
cally two and half times as many pu
pills turned out Of the grammar schoo
by the firSt-grade teachers as by tn,
scconderadc teachers 1t Is not tha
the teachers holding third grade certifi
Gates do not know enough in many in
stances TO teach school, but il is becaus,
Of lack OF experience and training tina
they are no, able to hold the children
in school until they finish. More thar
anything else, | would like to see suci
| legislation as will guarantee this grea
army OF boys and girls such schools a
will enable them to complete the worl
of the common schools.
Pupils Not Blamed.
We have done well, it is true. bu
we have not done half well enough. I
is not the children's fault They arr
doing the best they can under the cir
cumstances. but the circumstances neet
to he remedied.
"The legislature Is now in session
We have received many assurance
from the members that they want t,
give us some good school Legislation
and trust that the school men of tn,
state will get interested in a wa,
broader than their own district o
county or the position which they hol,