Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1918-02-28
TO SCHOOL OFFICERS
AND SCHOOL PATRONS

meeting for the election of sub-di-
reetors. / beg of you, the patrons.
to go to that meeting and talk over
the interests of your schools. Do not
let the meeting GO by default and
have the report come to this office
of there being held elections in one
half the sub-districts OF the county,
the rest of the officers TO be filled
at the July meeting. Do not let the
present world conditions cause you
to lose sight of present school con-
ditions.
There never has been in history
so great a demand for teachers as at
present. l have just received the
second letter from a man who has
been county superintendent for %
years, asking for any stray teachers
we might possibly have in this
county. He tells me that in his opin-
ion conditions are alarming, that he
next year. In this county some years
we have had in the rural schools
teachers from as many as eleven diff
ferent states. We cannot get teach
ers from other states next year as
all states have a shortage.
Patriotic Duty
In view of the great shortage that
is already so apparent. every person
who possibly can do so should quail
ify for teaching during the contin-
uance of the war, unless those per-
sons are engaged in some other gov
eminent service. European coun-
tries in the first year of the war
made the serious mistake of neglect
ing their schools. Now some of
them, if not all. are doing more for
their schools than was ever done
previous to the breaking out of the
war.
Salaries
Because of this shortage of teach
ers and the high cost of living, sal
aries are increasing very rapidly.
School boards the county over are
a willingness to pay any
thing within reason for teachers who
can show that they are willing and
able to direct the lives of young peo-
pie toward efficient citizenship.
Government Recommendations
The government urges that schools
Dt hCVi OECli. SONtl llncHl hllOWS
from history that periods following
the close of long wars are periods of
ignorance and periods of financial
depression. 1t is hoped by the gov
eminent of the United States that
these unfortunate conditions may be
warded off by keeping our young
people informed of economic and So
cial conditions and keeping our
schools open and under the charge
of teachers who are able to direct
the thoughts of the pupils so that
they will understand the possibilities
and Importance of school work as re-
lated to the affairs of free gov
eminent. The teacher of the chill
dren today holds the keys of the fut-
ure of our country and as has been
said. they should be strong men and
women. broad shouldered men and
women, sun crowned men and wo-
men. practical men ansi women, with
the rare gift of uncommon common
sense"
To the school officers and patrons
again | say: March 4th you elect
your new board and it does seem to
me that the new board and the old
board and the patrons ought to get
together in an annual meeting or
meeting and talk over
the affairs of the coming year. You
will soon be in the fields and then
the thought of schools will be very
limited. Things will be left to the
July meeting which at that busy
time is hurried through with the
greatest speed possible. You have
been responding wonderfully to pat
riotic appeals. viii you not give
more thought and time to the pat
riotic needs of the schools of your
children? Take time to discuss to-
gether these questions. for l am
warning you of the danger of many
schools being closed next year. Re-
member, friends, this is the worlds
most strenuous hour.
Yours in the work,
Ella M. Stearns,
County superintendent.