Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-09-26
Educational Situation


The educational situation in the
Tn ted States for the past. five years
or more has been steadily more seri
Gus and more perplexing Education
al men of vision and statesmenlike
qualities have been painfully aware
of the symptoms Of deterioration TO
be observed on every hand They.
have pointed out these conditions.
but rarely did they secure the atten-
tion Of persons III positions to aid in
remedying them. Industrial and
commercial positions of innumerable
sorts were drawing away from the
professions, particularly teaching, the
cream of our young people. Teaching
was mot attractive, relatively speak
ing, because of small salaries and be-
cause of lack Of appreciation on the
part of the public. Teachers began
to feel that the social position of the
teacher was deteriorating.
1t is to be hoped that when our
educational history is written it may
appear that the school year of 1890
marked the turning of the tide. There
are some indications that this will
prove to be the case.
The country schools of Wisconsin
are suffering more than the cities.
Madison, for example, has waiting
list Of applicants for positions, where
rs Iowa county, to mention but one,
is reported by the county superinten-
dent as having a shortage Of forty
teachers, after he has done all in his
power to obviate the shortage and fill
the positions with teachers meeting
all legal requirements. He will be
able to get about twenty-five persons
who have had little training, a very
little, by licensing recent high school
graduates. Where the remaining
teachers are to come from he does
not know. His situation is probably
fairly typical.
Under such circumstances it be-
comes highly important to have a
large amount of efficient supervision.
Supervising teachers and county
superiDtendents who are alert TO the
situation will use their utmost en-
deavors to visit and help these young,
inexperienced teachers and unframed
teachers at the earliest possible mo-
ment. IL must not be inferred that
country schools alone suffer. All
kinds of teaching are affected.
1t is extremely fortunate that the
legislature a few years ago had the
wisdom and foresight to enact in this
state law providing for supervising
teachers to assist the county superin-
tendents. Wisconsin, by the way,
was the first state in the union to en-
act any such legislation. The law en-
acted last winter requiring all schools
to pay a minimum of $50 for teachers
salaries and law providing state aid
for weak districts will aid our stu
tion in the near future very material
ly. Wisconsin has been alert to the
dangers ahead and has forestalled
them to the extent that successive
legislatures could be induced to act.
We have provided facilities for the
training of teachers fully equal to
those provided by any other state in
the union, according TO population.
| The problem of supply of we'll
trained teachers for Wisconsin is a
problem for us all, and each in his
own sphere should render whatever
aid he can in minimizing and ayerting
the terrible results, for they are terri
BILE, of turning over the children OF
the state to immature, unframed,
and incompetent persons serving in
the capacity of teachers. 2. CARY.