The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-10-10
Concerning the Sacredness
of Contracts, by Com
missioner Hillegas
E. L. GREEN RICHFORD,
CHOSEN PRESIDENT
Registration Exceeded 1900,
Largest in History of
Vt. Association

The closing day Of the Vermont State
Teachers association convention in Mont
pelier was passed to-day with large
number of teachers attending, more than
usually remaining for the final day OF
the convention The registration has ex-
eeeded 1900 and is the largest in the
history of the association.
Officers were elected to-day as follows:
President, Edwin L. Green, Richford;
vice president, Ralph C. Mayo, Stowe;
secretary, Miss Florence Wellman, Brat
tleboro; treasurer, f. A. Hamilton, New
port; executive committee, NJ, D. Chit
tenden, Burlington, Ella Franklin, Rut-
land, Donald w McClelland, Bennington;
board of directors, Mary Bailey, Crafts
bury, G. A. Davis, St. Johnsbury, Ethel
Eddy, Brattleboro, for 1921; Earl Bradley,
Essex Center, L. ID. Smith, Wells River,
Eleanor Clark, Randolph, for 1922.
The following committees were APP
pointed: Registration. 4. S. Abbott, Rut
land, Caroline Griswold Montpelier, j. A.
Davis, St. Johnsbury; legislative commit
tee, ID. r. Locke, Rutland, H. f. Hurst,
Swanton, Rose Lucia, Montpelier; audit
ing, Supt. Leavens, Castleton, Supt.
Howe, Fair Haven, Supt. Kidder, Proctor.
After the election Of officers, DR..
George d. Strayer of Columbia univer-
sity gave an excellent address upon edu-
cation He would not have a one-teacher
schoolhouse, nor would he have less than
five acres of land. He asked how the
l. 70 ~
under conditions which gave him no
place for sports and nothing but study.
Secretary W H. Jeffrey of the state
board of charities and correction and
States Commissioner of Education NJ. b.
Hillegas were among the other speakers
of the forenoon.
School Teacher Problem.
Taking up the matter OF school teach
ers, Commissioner Hillegas said;
"The problem of securing candidates
for teacher training is not confined to
any section OF to given localities. 1t
concerns every township in the state and
unless there can be in training enough
persons to meet the demands for new
teachers, the profession is certain to suf-
fer.
"This discussion Of the supply of teach
ers naturally leads to the question of
certification. During the past two years
the state board of education has at va
rious times been urged to alter the meth
cd of certifcation. In countless in
stances we have been asked to make ex-
ceptions / have to say that not once
during the three years and more that the
present plan Of eertihcation has been in
effect has there been an exception.
After seeing the sacrifices made by
our teachers to attend summer schools
and to improve themselves professionally,
no one could justify a change in the
regulations that would permit other in
diyiduals receiving certificates with less
effort. We're the requirements for GER
tihcation to be lowered we should at
once make of no avail all of the efforts
that have been put forth by the teachers
Of Vermont during the past three years.
At the same time we would bring our
qualified teachers into direct competi-
tion with those of inferior training and
experience with the resulting less salary
and with very serious injury to the well
fare of the schools,
"This also is not matter that con-
Germs the public as much as il does the
teachers of our state and ] urge upon
you the Importance of carefully safe
guarding your profession by backing
every effort that is made TO improve the
professional qualifications OF those who
begin their work as teachers.
"a third problem that is closely con-
nected with what has been said is that
of teachers salaries. 1t requires no ar
gument to convince people that teachers
are very much underpaid. Ngt few of
our Vermont teachers are receiving sal
aries so inadequate that they are com
PEELED to supplement their salary by
their savings in order TO meet the cost
of living
Frequently the unskilled day laborer
receives higher wages than the teacher,
while skilled labor is paid more than
double what the skilled teacher receives.
Our people frankly admit the inadequaey
of teachers salaries
"School boards are in most instances
doing all that they can to improve con-
ditions. There can be but one outcome.
Either the salaries of teachers must be
increased, not by 80 cents or dollar a
week, but by amounts sufficient to en-
able them to live comfortably and to en-
Joy some of the privileges that are so
essential to their own development as
teachers or our schools will enter upon
period of decadence and the resulting
loss to the state will be irreparable.
"Whle this is fundamentally a prob
lem for the voters and taxpayers, we as
teachers should make sure that with the
increase of salary there comes an in
crease in their efficiency.
School Teacher Contracts.
"A fourth problem confronting our
rural schools relates to teachers con-
tracts. As profession we have some
times suffered for the wrong doings of
individuals. 1t Is important that every
teacher who is engaged to teach should
have properly executed contract. The
conditions of the standard teachers con-
tract in this state have been made to
conform to legal requirements and to as
sure Justice to both teachers and school
authorities. The state board of educa-
tion has listened to representatives of
the teachers in reference to unsatisfac-
tory clauses in previous contracts; they
have likewise needed advice based upon
the experience of school directors.
"If any teacher in this state has signed
contract and it in turn has been signed
by the school directors, both she and the
school officials should regard this as a