The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1919-03-07
COUNTY SCHOOL NOTES
BY SUPT. D. ". PEARCE

The following persons took the
teachers examination Saturday, March
/: Lucille Steele, William E. Lentz,
Mildred Thompson, Mary Eastwood,
Ava Porter. =
Persons teaching on temporary GER
tificates should make application and
pay the fee on or before the regular
examination date. One doubts some
times whether the persons so certif-
Gated really appreciate the situation.
In the emergency, the state depart
ment has given an Interpretation
whereby persons not properly quail
fed may be certifcated from exam
ination to examination. This is GER
tainly all that could be expected by
one not really qualified for teaching
positions, yet this office in order to
keep matters straight has to take the
initiative in seeing that these per-
sons are accommodated. It would
seem that both business principle and
courtesy would demand that the per-
son favored come at least half way on
such a proposition. It entails the loss
of time and the expense of writing
and postage on this Office in way
that does not seem right.
The meeting of the Department of
Slperintendents of the National Edu-
cati0nal Associations met at Chicago
last week. Three words were heard
oftener than any others, namely, De-
mocracy Qualifications, Salaries. We,
the people of this country, have ahead
of us some of the greatest matters
ever undertaken by any people. The
kind of democracy that we are aim
ing at must be made clear to the mass
es, indeed, to all Of our people. We
must learn that democracy does not
mean that any person can do anything.
Life is now SO specialized and divided
up that persons must be trained for
particular callings. Men and women
are by nature better fitted for some
things than for others. We all share
better when the right person is doing
the right thing-we do not want too
many square pegs in round holes.
If democracy is to be successful, it
will be due to our educational system
and nothing else can make it so.
Many people need to learn that the
world moves, the work is being re-
vised all the time. The persons who
hope to get things worked out so they
may remain static are doomed to dis
appointment. Growth and develop
ment physically, mentally, morally,
economically and socially should never
cease. AS general proposition cur
teachers are not properly or sufficient
ly trained. The general public often
feels that just so some one denomin-
ated teacher is in the school, they
thereby have a school. This is very
erroneous. What grieves me is this:
the larger towns and cities have long
since dropped such notion and there
today will be found the best trained
and the more mature teachers, while |
in the rural districts the view above
still largely prevails and
the rural schools show it and the rural
children are neglected educationally in
a way that can hardly be imagined.
Are not the boys and girls of the
country districts entitled to just as
good opportunities as the village and
city children? l say yes. If this is
true, then let us see that they get
them. Why is the rural teacher poor
ly prepared? Because the rural
teacher is not paid living and a saw
ing wage. Their outlook is narrow,
they have never been but little dis
tance from their local neighborhood,
their outlook is necessarily circum-
scribed, they are often mere children
with child's pay. How short-sight-
ed the view that calls our schools as
they are today good. There is not a
school in Medina county that can not
be improved and there are some that
have everything to gain and nothing
to lose. Why are we in this condi-
ton? | am the last person who would
advocate higher wages without higher
qualifications. These two things go
together and they are both in the in
terests of the children. Big business
now wants to pay all it possibly can,
for it pays better to pay more and
get more.
This is the time for all pupils who
for any reason have been out of
school to return to school. This is
the month of the "Back to School"
and teachers and other
school officials as well should do their
real duty in this matter. No child
should be robbed for any reason of
MIS- opportunities afforded by the
schools. This Office will insist on
school attendance according to the
school code. -is
Miss Holmes Of the Wadsworth GEN.