The Pulaskian., 1919-10-10
EARL BROWN TO
 HIS OLD FRIENDS
FORMER PuLASKlAN COUNTY TEACHER SAYS THE CoMPEN- SATloN OF TEACHERS IS
 INSUFFICIENT.
Washington, D. c.
 42 G St. S. w.
Editor Pulaskian:


 We write you few lines this beau tiful afternoon. We would enjoy tax ing nice walk with you among the many beautiful scenes Of Arkansas end especially of Pulaski county.
 We spent four years of happiness among the people of Pulaski county. Many of the happiest days of our life were spent while living among you geod people. Though we are fer away we shall never forget the many ksndnesses and favors you have shown us in the past. While teaching in your districts and visiting in your bones you gave us the kindest wet come and a hearty support and coop eration which we can never forget And while Arkansas ranks low in ed ueation now, with the interest which las been manifest for the past few years Arkansas is soon to rank among the leading states of the Union in educational advantages
 We were not tired of teaching and in reality we had rather be teaching today in the rural schools of Arkansas than to be doing what we are doing. But from a financial view point teach CTS can hardly afford to prepare themselves as they should and follow teaching as life's work They teach from four to nine months and are then forced to hunt some other em- ployment to keep soul and body to- gether. Such circumstances are very embarrassing and unhappy for the teachers.
 Many states pay their teachers by the year We have been unofficially informed that in the District of Co- lumbia the teachers are paid by the year with three months vacation and 10 days sick leave with full pay Such conditions are inviting to young men and young ladies to prepare themselves for teaching and to make it life's work.
 As it is, in Arkansas and many ether states as we'll, boys and girls It main in school just long enough to pass the required examination, make tLeir grade, hurry off to some rural school, teach until they find some thing that pays better salary or marry and then another teacher must be obtained to fill the vacancy and thus the rural schools are flooded with inexperienced teachers, a great CT part of whom are looking for o'clock and pay day, regarding with but little sincerity the great respon- sibility which rests upon them.
 We Tear too many parents have failed to realize that the teacher is father, mother, brother, sister, friend, leader and instructor In fact, we have heard people say: 70 well, al cheaper teacher can teach our school; Tot many of the children are very far advanced" Now there are many things we might say which might prove such notions unsafe, unground esl and even dangerous to the welfare of their children and community at large; but we think it sufficient to say borse is valued by what he is able ana willing to do.
 Now we hope no one will think us soolding or offering evil criticish. II is because we have keen inter- est in the boys and girls of our coun- try that we appeal to you.
 There are in Pulaski county, in round numbers, AS rural school dis tricts. Those AS districts have about 5e0 men serving as school directors with nearly 2,50O children going to school in the rural schools. We be- lieve we would be safe in saying that pot more than eight of these school districts keep the same teachers on ar average of more than two school terms. Those eight districts except are special districts or are located in and around small towns, where bet ter systems have been organized and where the salary will average about S75 to $125 per month.
 With the opening of the winter terms near we hope the parents and children, also the teachers, will do their best to make this the best year in all their lives, and try to help