Douglas Island news., 1919-11-07
GREAT SCARCITY
 OF SCHOOL TEACHERS
Teaching Profession Being Not Well Paid. Is Losing Ground
 Right Along

More chan 100000 teaching posl- tous in Che public schools of thc United states arc either vacant or mci by teachers below standard. and Che attendance ot normal schools and tcachcr-uan.us schools has decreased 2O per cent m hc last thrcc yeus These startling ncs arc shown by Che complete report of am investigation made by Che National Education Association.
 Letters were sent out by Che As- socauon m September to every county and district superintendent m Che United States asking for ccr tain definite information Signed statements were sent u by moro chan i.7oO mpUntondcuts from every state. representing 23N.5i3 teaching positions. These report am actual shortage of lt6S5 toach- er or slightly moro chan 6 per cent Of Che toachms positions rcp resented and 2tO0G teachers oc. low standard who have been ac. ceptcd to ml vacancies. or slightly less chan 10 per ceut lt Is csti- mated chat tbcrc are G5O0Oo teach mr positions I'm Che public schools or he United States me l thcsc figures hold good for Che entire country there arc gg.0O0 vacancies and c5o0o teachers below aud- ard
 These same HrcrIutcud9H rc port Chat 5279S teachers dropped ou, during hc past year. loss Of over 22 per ocnt Ou ths basis Che -ota. number for Che entire country would be ligOOO Tho reports show chat Che sborfar. ol teachers and tho number ,t furhcr below standard are greatest m Che rural districts whor. a'uncs arc lowest aui taachnr conditions icas' ot- uacuyc
 The states m which salaries and standards arc highest have che most adequate supply ol teachers Cal- fornm shows a combined shortage and below standard ol aH per cont. Massachusetts shows fi per cent, and Illinois per cont n at least six ot Che Southern States more hm ouc-tb.rI of thc.r schools are reported either without teachers or bem- taught by teachers below thc'r
 standards
 Nearly au tho supcrutondouts declare mat teachers salaries have mo, increased i'm proportion to thc Increased cost of living nor as sa'- aries have Iu o.hcr yorauous and hat teacher. arc continuing oloavc .he profession for other work
 Reports received by Che National Education Association from normal school presidents show chat Che at- tendance i'm mc.. tcaohor.tmune institutions has uucn ol alarm mrIy Tho total attendance in 1S normal schools and toaahc-m.nue schools located n s5 different states for Che year 1916 was aaO5l. In 1919 hc attendance in these mmo schools has fallen to 2tIal Tho total number of graduates m these schools in 1916 was l0.295. and n Iaia. S.27f The total number In Che graduating class of 1920 In hae 7s schools s II1a These frmcs show a do.reaso of over ao per cent u four years m tho One ahcd product ol thesc schools
 The presidents Of these .usum- uous sate that in order to Induce promising young men and women to enter rhc .eaohIne prole tom and thereby furnish tbc country am adequate supply ol competent wel- trained teachers thcro must bo.
 Higher salaries for trained teachers
 2 HIehcr professional standards. excluding thc ueompc,on, and m- prepared
 a A more general recognition by Che public ol thc importance of tbc teaching profession
 f More liberal appropriations !. to s,a.c normal schools and teachcr- training schools in order to pay bot- ter salaries I'm tbcsc institutions nd furnish better equipment
 Q Extending Che courses and raising Che standards in Che toach- . or training schools
 National Educational Association.
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