Arizona republican., 1919-10-19
Where The People
May Have a Hearing
A Defense of Teachers.
October II, 1919.


Phoenix, Arizona.
In recent issue of your paper you
printed part of a report given out by
Will C. Wood, State Superintendent
of Schools of the state of California,
in which he is quoted as saying that
"a large proportion of the elementary
teachers are deficient in knowledge of
community problems that they lack
sympathy with child life; that they
have no breadth of view; that their
teaching methods are poor; that they
have no grasp of educational aims and
values and even their scholarship is
questioned
Now the teachers of the Ray schools
have noted with interest mixed with
amusement and sadness, this comment
by the State Superintendent of
Schools of the great state of Cali
fornia. And since the majority of the
teachers of Ray Arizona, are Califor-
mia trained, they are obviously in the
same class as those of whom Mr.. VIII
c. Wood makes such serious and
sweeping criticism
We are quite aware that among
teachers, as in every other profession
or business, there are those who are
inefficient those who have missed their
calling, but to say that "a large pro-
portion" of them are so hopelessly de-
ficient is more than our professional
pride can stand.
May we ask Mr.. Wood if when he
visits the meat shop and lays down
a dime expecting a porterhouse, lie
accuses the butcher of inefficiency,
lack of sympathy, narrow views, poor
knowledge of business, and everything
else that he can thing of when he sees
what has been weighed and handed to
him.
Ninetyfive per cent of our teachers
are at least normal school graduates
and so have had four years high school
and their two years of normal school
training above the common school
While they have been spending those
six years and good money preparing
to teach their first year at possibly
500 per month for nine months Every
doubtfuD, their sisters, as clerks, pos
tai employees, telephone operators, etc.
have been earning money all twelve
months of the year at a better salary
per month than the teacher can hope
to get for some time. And they spen
little time above the common schoo
in getting the necessary preparation
for their work. We are quite sure tina
Mr.. Wood will admit that the school:
are getting more and better service
than can reasonably be expected fol
the money paid.
Mr.. Wood credits eve say discredits
the county superintendent with hav
ing made the statements originally
Can Mr.. Wood assure US that thes
men are educationally able and pro
fessionally capable of passing judge
ment on the great body of teacher
in the common schools of Californi;
and incidentally neighboring states
Is he confident that "a large proper
ton" of those country school head
could do themselves credit and at tn
same time secure teachers certificat
in a Los Angeles county examination
in it's five days grind? 1t is not tru
that a very small proportion of tn
county school heads of the state @
California can even boast of a norma
school diploma?
| On the contrary, we feel that "a larg
| proportion" of the teachers who ca
successfully direct the activities, an
| that word comprehends a great dea
| Of from thirty to sixty of the ordinar
| American boys and girls and do it i
| a way that will justify the schoC
| authorities in re- employing her for tn
| succeeding year, usually at a raise c
| salary (did l say salary?) must be &C
| quainted with community problem:
| must be in sympathy with the chill
| life there, must have been forced
acquire a breadth of view must hay
some reasonable idea of moder
methods of teaching, and she mus
surely have some educational aims
her education is faulty, Mr.. Woo
should talk to the schools that ful
nished it and her diploma.
To our notion, the best test of tt
efficiency of worker is the produc
| We contend that the teacher of toda
is not less prepared for her work tina
the teacher of the past few year
The world has seen the product an
admits with no argument that Unc
Sammie's boys, and few of them coul
boast of more than an elementaT
school training, had a knowledge
their problem, a world sympathy,
breadth of view, methods. Oh! the
aims were unquestioned, neither W;
their scholarship and training. Whel
did they get it?
The poor public school teacher h;
troubles enough and criticism enoug
without getting it from a source whe
she has a right to expect encourag,
ment and help.
l pray that our teachers will not
forced to step down from a profe
sional standard to that of commc
labor and join a union, but they ma
have to accept the seeming inevitabl
Yours very truly