The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-12-27

am suggesting that you become as
sociate members of the National Ed
ucation Association, unless you prefer
to become an active member. The ac-
tive membership fee is four dollars.
An associate membership fee is two
dollars, and an associate member may
receive all the privileges except vot-
ing at the annual meeting, and all re-
ports on request. / think it practic-
ally certain that after the next an
nual meeting, associate members will
be admitted to active membership
without the payment of the addition
al two dollars, as this appeal is for
you to send three dollars for member
ship in district, state and national ed
sentatives whom | have appointed in
your congressional district to push
the enrolment in these associations"
The County Superintendent will well
come inquiries relative to further de-
tails of the above appeal.
The hope is here launched that all
teachers, school officials and friends
of education have enjoyed a Merry
Christmas and that for them the fair
New Year will be ushered in with re-
newed Happiness and Prosperity.
More than three-fourths of Mis-
souri's schools have been closed on
account of the influenza. Many of
the school boards are holding up the
teachers pay for this time, not know
ing whether they have the right to
pay her for the time lost; or know
ing, they refuse because pay without
services rendered does not appeal to
their idea of good bargaining. The
legal right of the teacher to collect
pay for the time lost is sustained by
an opinion of the Attorney General
School boards should remember that
teachers are not paid for their SER
vices, any way, but only for their
time. If teachers and soldiers were
paid for their services the school tax
would be great deal heavier than it
is and our war debt would be in
creased beyond measure. If knowl-
edge, character, ideals and skill,
which the teachers give to the people,
were commodities that could be
measured and sold by the bushel like
wheat, teachers could well afford to
lose the time. If patriotism, liberty
and democracy could be weighed and
sold by the pound like beef, soldiers
would not need pensions. The SOL
der is paid for his time, not his SER
vices. So is the teacher. Let their
pay go on whether they are in camp,
trench, hospital, school or home.-
Missouri School Journal.
For the school year ending June 30,
1917, the total number of days at
tendance by all St. Francois county
pupils was 1,140,794; average daily
attendance, 7,452.
For the school year ending June 30,
1918, the total number of days at
tendance by all pupils was 1,142,151;
average daily attendance, 7,416.
An apparent discrepancy is explain
ed by the fact that the average length
of school term in days for the latest
year reported was 154 as against 1872
for the latest previous year.
One year ago the number of cases
of hardness reported was 6,152, tru-
ancy 273, corporal punishment 1888.
For the last year the number of cases
of hardness was 6,729, truancy 1856,
corporal punishment 1925. An in
crease is noted in the number of cases
of hardness and truancy but de-
crease in the number of cases of cor
poral punishment. This statement,
however, must not be construed as be-
ing an argument in particular for in
creased corporal punishment.
co. SUPT. OF SCHOOLS.