El Nuevo mexicano., 1920-03-18
TEACHER SHORTAGE IS
STILL BIG Problem
MANY SCHOOLS CLOSED

4a WtM44 FH.t4 tEt WIHHaN HM.# IEX AIt4 NINa
The teacher shortage situation
while III some parts IL the eau1fsry
slightly better than last October.
when the National Education Assoel.
alton made its inquiry. is still d very
grave problem, according TO rapnFts
received by the bureau OF Education,
Department of the interior.
On February IS the Commissioners
lot Education found, on the basis QE
that there are 1929 schools closed
because OF the lack OF teachers. and
1890 schools taught BY teachers
characterized as Hhelow standard
but taken on temporarily in the emf
|ergency." The largest shortages
are as follows: Kentucky, 2,2ROi Tex
as, 2,055; Virginia, 1000; Georgia,
1,b00; North Carolifa, 700 Iowa, 600.
Subsstandard teachers are renorted
as follows; Texas 1000 Virginia,
$500; Alabama, $500; Georgia,
5000; Tennessee, 3,000s Minnesota,
1880; Illinois, 1900; Kentucky,
|1,100; New York, 1,100; South Caro-
lima. 1000.
In response to the question, what
provision is made for children In ter
lritories where schools are closed 4
eighteen states report that children
arc transferred to other schools,
three states report no provision, one
state report requires some Two
states report that the majority Of
children are losing the grade.
In response to the question, Are
people moving to centers ct popu-
1ationf1, six states report that no
data are at hand; five states report
very little; three states report a
considerable movement, and four
| states report none"
In response to the question TO
what extent are taxpayers interest
ing themselves in pay better salaries
for t~eachers?y, IA states report that
the interest Is general. One state
reports great Interest," and one
state reports very large Interest
while another reports that they are
doing their best"
One significant fact in connection
with the shortage OF teachers 10 that
100 state, county. city, and private
normal schools report 11,503 fewer
students November !. 1919, than they
had the year previous to the war
These schools reporting represent
6O per cent OF the total normal
schools, and on this basis, there
would be a shortage OF 1910, and
at graduation time, 1920, there viii
tbe 1000 fewer graduates from the
normal schools. Teacher training
departments in colleges show ap.
proximately the same falling off in
those preparing to teach, although
other departments show O great IN.
crease In enrolment.
another significant fact Is reveal.
ed say Al. o. Neal OF the bureaus
division Of rural education, in com,
menting upon the situation, Since
1890 there has been a continuous and
increasing withdrawal Of men teach
ers form the profession. The per.
cehtage Of men teachers in 1890 was
81 per cent. IN 1910 1t had fallen 70
| ~ per cent, and In 1915 70 II per
cent. In other words. IN 1890 ona
teacher in three was b man; IN 1910
one teacher IN five; and In 1913 one
teacher In SIX was q man.
THE question Of teachers salaries
lis flN|A IN AflA nANLHH1AHHs NWA - NAHt-
parlson or teachers salaries from
1915 10 1918. The latest complete stat
lstics available. shows that Ia Two
years. from 1915 to 1918. the average
teachers salary advanced FROM $500
per year 70 0s5 per year, an ihcreasa
of s72, or IS per cent Ia the two
years. The total figures for 1913
show that the average salary Tor ele'
mentary teachers IN the United States
was 1906. and The average salary for
high school gnachera. st.61i. The
bnrean 4 now collecting salary SEIZED.
ules from ynfioas states. RfYinx the
actual salaries r6e0trnd By individual
teachers h three eennties ia mach
state. 1hepe show that the salaries
Of rural teachers are tnr bel0W this
average IL many states. and that sal
aries " low a. $50 70 500 par an
NUN are found IA many localities.
rAnotaor cause a. teaehefa with.
drawing IRON The profession u found
"a fhe lack Or provision made tor
anltatle homes n he eofamnnlty,
Nhsns the teachegn mag become =
part ~ ghe social Organization THIS
ia ~pAfliculariF truo "a rural Districts.
Mhern IS many communities tlseY are
providing lsachora hgults ~ pnauaqt
len With ne ashocis