The Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 191?-19??, 1919-09-03

EDUCATIONAL
CAMPAIGN

"The Statewide Educational Cam
paign has been a great success. The
county and state speakers, the county
superintendents and the press can
congratulate themselves on the re-
Suits" said Mrs. Cora Wilson
Stewart, Chairman of the Kentucky
Illiteracy Commission, concerning the
educational drive which closed yes
terday. "The results will Oe far
reaching. They will be seen in the
schools not only during the next few
months but in the years to come.
Zone of the great values in this
campaign and one that distinguishes
it from other campaigns is that defin-
tie things were emphasized. The
speakers have made an earnest ap-
peal to the remainder of Kentucky's
illiterates to have a chance to learn
before 1920. They urged that every
child be kept in school and insisted
on officials enforcing the compulsory
attendance law to the letter They
have urged the people to supplement
the salaries of teachers, not at some
future time, but during this present
year, They have insisted that it
could be done either by local taxa
tion or by public subscription.
"Many converts have been made
to the move to eradicate illiteracy;
some who have never given it Sc
rious thought before have assured
the speakers that they will now take
up the fight and will not stop until
illiteracy is stamped out of their dis
tricts.
"One of the most popular notes
struck by the speakers was the advo-
cacy of an attendance officer for ru-
raj schools. The people in Kentuc-
ky's counties have been told with
emphasis, this week that the Ken
lucky attendance law is a failure and
will be until there is an officer to en-
force it, that the cities do not at
tempt to force attendance without an
attendance officer and that the rural
schools cannot expect to.
"The sentiment for better salaries
for teachers is overwhelming in Ken
tucky today and the members of the
next legislature may as well be pre-
pared to meet this demand. 1t has
been preached by over 1000 speak,
ers the length and breadth of Ken
lucky that this state is thirty-seventh
from the top among the states in the
salaries she pay her teachers. The
people have been told the fact that
the average annual salary of teach
ers in Kentucky is $376.75 while
California pays her teachers on the
average of $99S.45,the year.
MANY good people have mot real
lied that teachers were expected to
live, dress, go to Normal school, buy
books and meet all demands, some
of them even supporting families out
of $S76.75 the year, This fact has
astOnished and aroused all Kentucky
This is the average salary and there
are many teachers who are getting
less than this sum. - -
4 Il believe that in this campaign
the speakers have struck the funda-
mentals. Kentucky must be free
from illiteracy and must be kept free.
We are dependent upon moonlight
schools for the one and 9compuIsory
attendance for the other. 1t is u
well recognized fact that we cannot
accomplish these two things or any
thing else educational without teach
ers- Everybody now sees this and !.
anxious to increase teachers salariAo
This campaign will stimulate local
efforts In this direction and paye the
pay for a better system of local tax-
alton"