The Crittenden press., 1920-02-27
Our Schools
By Rot J. l. Christian

lem OF securing adequately trained and
eompetent teachers with salaries chat
can be paid trcm the insufficient school
revenues
Why have the people been 50 mig
gardly with their teachers. the ones
who have given most in devoted Sery.
Ice and received ,eaSJ in compensation
and appreciation, Il The teachers had
been adequately paid before the stress
Q. war conditions came many ot them
would have enough SAVINGS 70 tide
them over until the readiuStmeat 10
the conditions q the present eNcsS.
siveN high prices ot necessities. But
since teachers have been paid barely
a nsre living wage they have TO say.
inss and many good teachers who ex.
pscted'to devote their lives 70 teach.
Ing are being toced 10 leave the pro-
tssSion and seek other kinds OF work
in Crisr 70 make living.
To snow how acute the teacher prob
lem is ! quote from an editorial " the
New NcrA American:
Secretary Lane did not oye-Stste
when he rerently wrote. The public
school Is the strongest weapon We pcs
sess against the enemies Of liberty
ut is stronger than prisons. s.-ouger
t'an Setltion laws, stronger than de-
NcrtatoOS.tor it prevents abuses Ct free.
dom. Prevention is always better and
usually cheaper than trying 20 cure.
Yet las; year l4t0C0 Schoo, teach.
e-S resigned - 20 into better paid
work. They were starved Cut u the
most useful wC-S that men and women
can DO, The Financial Chronicle says
that 1000 rural communities IN New
Ncrk State have been forced % close
their schools because q q lack Of
teachers. Il places the shortage AZ
500 in this state alone In West Vir
sinia more than 400 schools have
closed for the sane reason. No such
desrth ot teachers as row exists has
been known since our public school
system was founded. Bear in mind
wha- i, means.
Our mode Q; living ,sads 70 cause
- - expect and demand more Of ne
school Bur the school is the teacher.
no, the building. Overload, urtarp3y
tNe teacher and The school fails. Is
shortcoming is a. the expense q the
next generation No Institution can
be expected 20 give good service when
y ore yesr $4,000 q It's expert work
e-s are crowded OF; BY ps1u-y.
These figures ought 20 make every
loval American think deeply THEY
ARE INFINITELY NORS ONNCrS
THAN THE ACTIVITIES Or TIE s.
CALLED REDS" OF WHICH 50
MUCH Is MADE. Neglect the public
school ard II 4 few ys9rs W. s,ar
have a crop of citizens whc Will ~
easily susceptible 70 revolutionary
psomptinss. Without krowledse sue
csssful democracy = impossible. The
teacher Is the true defender os the
Republic
Work so Suprsnsly important must
ee paid az adequate wage. Most teach
CTS now get less pay than the motor.
men Or guards operating the trains
that take them 20 school The -sr-
way men are not ovsrpait: the teach.
ers are all undergrad Il Is. As some
ole said. i cussticl Whether y * not
ss important 70 ;rai- the mind a il :
to mind the train
Teachers are roc greedy o. sxcr,
eitsnt 81 their demands for more
money Their saul; has eesr ,hat they /
have not asked enough so- the scoc /.
o. he schools. Nor 90 teachers thirs /
that hisA salaries viii make good .
teachers cut cf poor ones. They know .
very vel what i required 70 become [
4 successful teacher They -sa. q [
thar u-'ssS ore becomes 4 teacher bs- |
cause 6s loves the WORK better -ha-
ary other because he Tees The work .
suits 1i-n better ard - = better suited [
20 the work tran a1v other and -. ]
csrss hs desires 70 practice hls deli /
cate art ot inpdrtaticr n devoted I
service % mankind be Should newer .
try 70 teach
Teachers know. TOO. tha- teaching = |
missionary enterprise ard that teach |
ers viii never Be paid salaries com |
menSurats wi,h the value q thsi- /
service. BIt Tor the succsss CT their .
work they must demand hzle- SAID /
rtss. Teachers cannot 90 effective /
WORK L they are constantly WORRIED /
aSog- mcusy matters. To preserve .
h.s highest efficiency I teacher f-p-,
time % time Should attend aCru1l I
school college and university. be abe .
% escape nom the work q no Schco' .
rcor. move aec1t IN other sie,ss l,t .
accept the tsrvsrt ilts-vs-s u mar .
k7t a bis own ali provide himself .
VIII A variety ct sucd bCcks ard ,dvg .
secrsa.'cl iat society. az L ths =
tsres' ot highsss efficiency Whl..
ever bsns'its accrue % a tsachs- s-cr
these XII ee >cu-sd ,g- is sl-'chrier,
n tie lives Ct bis pupHs. Bu: AT % .
these require money
There x iiszl,y thlt teachers /
-1rst rlil1t3il n their ccr-r7i-sss /
and nefcrv their 7rgrs. -hs tf,-.-v
mly 5e damaged . tsa.he-s appear On /
t's st-se-s ard before their puprs i- /
shabby s.ctAes NJ Cns VII tsnv ,hi- l
'''t'-s soy cost money Nrt .ha * .
'N n addition -1 tha i1vsst-lsr. N I
original preparation and the cost q .
the oars necessities gs TODD. slsi ant
shelter.
When ths People cif'y ,eah.s -hl. I
the salaries they ara clyi-s -slch--S /
s-s u7svcnCnica' lat salt -s1cAs-s ARE .
nct being treated n a Vay % L. tNg /
best service trCm .ism thsv VII l-,.s I
and demand sli-y- ,rsatusn, tgr the .
teachers gf thsi- children