The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-15
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFO r M A TON
Blu RE AU
FREDERIC J.. HAsKIN. Director.
Warrington, D. C.
UNEDUCATED AMERICA.
Warrington, D. C.

|
| Washington. D. c., Nov. 12.-Sol-
diers with teaching experience as
signed to rural schools under govern
ment pay is suggested by an official
| of the bureau of education as a meas
ure which may be necessary to pre-
vent an almost complete collapse OF
education in; a large part of rural
America.
| 1t should make every American citi-
zen thoughtful to realize that his
country, which now seeks to stand be-
fore the world as the leading cham
pion and example of democracy, with
all that democracy implies in the way
! of universal education and enlighten-
ment, is not offering a decent educa-
/ ton to much more than half OF the
lchildren born within its limits.
Because a teacher in rural America
is often paid less than good I'M
skilled laborer. and because the
American people as represented IN
| their national government are not suf-
| ficiently interested to do anything
about it, hundreds of rural schools are
| closed this fall for lack of teachers
A nationwide recruiting campaign TOT
school teachers is about to be launch-
ed, and if this appeal fails, it is pos
sible that the government may nave
to use it's power under the draft law
| to keep the country schools open.
In spite of the appeals for assistance
that have already been made, the Stu
alton is steadily growing more serious.
Reports from 1,15O counties in forty
seven states show that the schools are
fifty thousand teachers short. They
also show that the teaching profession
has been drained of its most efficient
individuals by the greater opportuni-
ties offered by the war, and that most
t<f 81 h tc-N re Ia RI . n
of beginners. In some counties the
superintendent report that IS per
cent of their teachers this year are
without previous teaching experience.
This shortage, of course, reaches its
most acute stage in the rural districts.
] 1t is estimated that at least five hum
bred thousand rural school children
are without teachers at the present
time. In many sections OF the coun-
try the district school houses have not
been opened at all, and the children
are working on the farms. Labor is
so scarce that a large family has be-
come an economic asset. 1t can either
be kept at home to perform the farm
work in the absence of hired hands
or it can be hired out to neighbOring
farms at the rate Of $3.50 per day
per child. AS long as there are APP
Piles to be picked, fall vegetables to
be harvested and stored, and extra de-
mands upon the farm dairy, the farm
er is not greatly fagitated by the
teacher scarcity. .-- - e.
indeed, the rural districts never
permit themselves to become greatly
agitated over the mere matter of edu-
cation. In many communities the
school house is a more dilapidated
structure than any barn to be found
among the surrounding farms. Chill
dren of all ages and in various stages
|, of progress are seated in one room,
which is usually heated by a small
wood stove, aided by tightly sealed
| doors and windows. The schoolmarm
is usually of the predestined spinster
. type, and has been chosen by the local
board of education, consisting Of three
or four farmers, chiefly because she
has the one necessary qualification
the ability to live on an incredibly
small salary. According to students
of this matter of rural education, 1t
: is impossible to convince the average
. rural board of trustees that a cheap
teacher is not just as capable as an
expensive one. A teacher is a teacher.
and with that they dismiss the prob
: lem.
l Before the war, an investigation
showed that less than one-third of the
rural teachers in this country had any
l professional training. The superin-
tendent of schools for the state OF
Texas asserts that at least 60 per cent
state have only a seventh grade edu-
. cation and no professional training. In
3 the state of West Virginia, according
to its state superintendent of schools
so per cent of the rural teachers have
only an eighth grade education and
> no professional training. When q
well-trained teacher is secured by a
rural community, she usually remains
only for a year in order to get the
4 experience. and then leaves for more
D remunerative fields of work.
While all this has been set forth
:, before, educational authorities feel
= that it has not attracted the attention
q that it should. People have failed
to realize the national significance OF
4 this condition. For years the Ameri-
can republic, thru the lips of it's great
men, has declared that education was
it's salvation. "If the teachers did not
do their work we'll this republic would
= : we have been told by Colonel Roose.
welt. And other politicians. both Re-
publican and Democratic, have shown
= a. equally terrifying possibilities thru
|. the lack Of education. But these
: wcrring5 have failed to penetrate the
rural consciousness.
In the cities an eighth-grade educa-
e ton, while unfortunately obtained BY
. less than one-half of our urban schoo
: population. is still considered the alb.
9 | SoiutS minimum on winch a person
can hope to succeed in the world, but
: IN the country thousands of Ameri.
cans are growing up with much les.
: preparation than this in a state Of un.
- Tcitigated self-satisfa ction. The aver
a age rural school term, for example, i:
: nearly fifty days shorter than thu
average urban school term. In man!
/ instances it becomes even shorter b,
Il the illness of the teacher or the chill
Grer: by the lack of fuel or funds
or thru any other small emergenc.
it which may arise. In one district las
IS winter the school closed for an entir,
month because labor was scarce, and
none of the farmers had the time t,
It haul a load OF wood to the school
e house. Finally, 1t was the wife of on,
of the farmers, accompanied by he
two sons, aged fourteen and fifteen
II who chopped the necessary fuel AM