The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-17
State superintendent Before
First Session c. of A.
Big Schools Elaborated at Lit.
tie Ones Expense.
DOUBTS ALIENS FIGURES
Governor Urges Physical Edu-
cation in All Schools.
Kent Legislative Committee
Urges Convention.

About 500 executives in the teach
ing profession in Kansas. meeting to-
day at a morning session in Memorial
hall, heard the new state superinten-
dent of public instruction, Lizzie E.
Wooster. the first woman ever given
that position in Kansas, declare her
self squarely in favor of better deal
for the Kansas woman teacher. She
intends. she said, to work for a great
er recognition of the services of the
women teachers. better pay for. them,
and better equipment with which
they may do their work.
When we hear of the great strides
education has made" Miss Wooster
said, I'VE hear the names OF men who
are college presidents and high school
principals. but seldom do we hear of
the effective efforts of the woaen In
the ranks of the profession. the coss
IN the machine. All teachers. and
women especially. should have better
salaries. In the office of county SUI
perintendent the pay is lower and the
work harder than that of any other
county office.
The Big Schools Get All.
The schools of advanced educs-
ton" she went on, ARE elaborated az
the expense of the elementary schools.
and l am intending to be the voice
in this state of the little children of the
elementary schools. The high school
students are big enough to take care
OF themselves. The grade schools
should receive a greater portion of the
outlay for education in this state. The
greatest number. by far, of school
| children are in the grades and should
have higher percentage of the money
spent on education
Miss Wooster called in question the
ifxy snf ha 4
/ number of illiterates in Kansas as
$4,000, the figures quoted In Governor
Henry j. Aliens message to the legfs-
iature. 81 believe" she said. .'tha.
those figures include the trsnsients in
+ the state and the newly arrived for
, eign population"
/ Allen Wants Physical Training
! The first address of the morning
was made by Governor Allen, who was
asked to speak on his experiences In
; france. Recall ling the sight of di-
vision of the New England men who
: had been sent abroad inadeauatslv
i trained, he said: II am for physical
! education in the schools of Kansas and
OF all America. j will be called a mil
Farist for that statement, I suppose.
! nut our young people need physical
training with the disciplinary benefits
! of tte military methods. If they are
ever called for defense of the land,
they will be ready, and IL not they
Allen also declared himself in favor
of higher salaries for teachers, and
willing to stand behind a program that
I looked toward the correction of any
, 1aults in the public school system, and
| progress toward a better plan.
The governor recounted his expert
, ences as spectator at the peace cell
! ebration in Paris. after the signing of
the armistice. There was no noise
about the peace celebration In
h. sol a he.
dead was too keen. And 1 noticed.
too. that the people OF France and
| England are thinking less about a
league of nations than they are OF
now Germany can be kept in condf-
tion to pay"
Urges Constitutional Convention.
Raymond Kent. superintendent OF
the Lawrence schools and chairman OF
the legislative committee Of the Kan
sas State Teachers association. made
a report from his committee. He
stated that the committee had en-
dorsed the calling OF a state constitu-
tional convention and was in favor Of
the appointment of unsalaried educa-
tonaf commission to conduct an in
vestigation of the needs of the pub
lie schools OF Kansas and make a
complete report Of its finding to the
governor before the 1921 legislature.
Other recommendations. Kent class
ified as follows= THE first is a pro-
| FiS4pH IOT Nlne insurance Tor
teachers in public schools up to and
including the high schools The pro-
posed law is founded on an actuarial
basis; IL divides the cost equally be-
tween the state and the teacher: pro-
vides for optional retirement after
thirty yearS service, or required re-
! tirement after forty years of work.
1t provides for an annuity of $500 for
each retired teacher II has provi-
sions for disability after ten years OF
service, and makes possible Iesge of
sfsence for self-improyement profes-
ts.onally.
. Recommends Bail6tng Code.
, The second majo< Item is a pro-
: vision for health purposes. One of
, i the bills provides fer a commission "a
school buildings to compile and en-
force a building code The members
: Of this committee are to be the Sec
rotary OF the teacher association,
secretary Of the state board OF health
and the state architect Another bill
provides that the boards of city ard
rural schools may make special Ieyies
to support school nurses and physi-
, clans; that clinics be held and that
1.-THE students
4 The third major item plans for or
g. ganization Of all schools In the counts
: under a county board Of education
= except schools in cities OF the first and
r second class and Barnes high schools
n This board would have The power "a
= levy school tax and hire rural sossoal
Il supervisors. who would be paid hall
Il their salaries from state appropris-
Q tions
dt The music for the morning meetfns