The Arizona copper camp., 1919-10-25
SUPT. 0AKFS IN
ABLE ANSWER TO
TEACHERS CRITIC

Supt. L. J. Oakes of the Ray schools
has gone to the defense Of the public
school teachers, and in the following
able article answers the state super
intendent of California. Supt Cakes
letter, which appeared in the Phoenix
Republican this week, follows:
A Defense of Teachers
October II, 1919.
Editor Republican,
Phoenix, Arizona.
In a recent issue of your paper you
printed part of 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.. Will
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
proportion" of them are so hopelessly
deficient 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 porterhouse, he
accuses the butcher of inefficiency,l
lack of sympathy, narrow views, poor
knowledge of business, and everything
else that he can think of when he sees
what has been weighed and handed to
him.
Ninety-five 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
$100 per month for nine months (very
doubtfuD. their sisters, as clerks, pos
tai employees, telephone operators, etc.,
have been earning money all twelve
months of the year at better salary
per month than the teacher can hope
to get for some time. And they spent
little time above the common school
in getting the necessary preparation
for their work. We are quite sure that
Mr.. Wood will admit that the schools
are getting more and better service
than can reasonably be expected for
the money paid.
Mr. Wood credits 1--WE say dis
credits) the county superintendents
with having made the statements orr
ginally. Can Mr.. Wood assure us that
these men are educationally able and
professionally capable of passing judg-
ment on the great body of teachers
in the common schools of California
and incidentally neighboring states?
Is he confident that "a large proper
tion" of those county school heads
could do themselves credit and at the
same time secure a teachers certifi-
cate in a Los Angeles county exami-
nation in it's five-days grind? Is it
not true that very small proportion
of the county school heads of the state
Of California can even boast of nor
NAL school diploma?
On the contrary, we feel that "a
large proportion" Of the teachers who
can successfully direct the activities,
and that word comprehends a great