Connecticut western news., 1920-08-05
Lower Efficiency and Unopened Schools Expected Result of
 Lack of 600 Teachers.
LOW SALARY CHIEF CAUSE.
State Teachers Seeking Improvement In Educational Conditions, Promote "Save Our Schools" Campaign and Urge Cooperation in Behalf of
 Our Future citizens-the
 Children.

y discouraging and future prospects indi- cate that Connecticut must remedy this situation or submit to constantly de- creasing educational standards and the closing of schools in some districts.
 One teacher out of every four in the state last year was untrained,-had attended neither college, nor normal school. In 1916, the total enrolment in our normal schools was 900 stu dents; last year it was 465,-a de- crease of about 5O per cent. These schools graduated only 1S2 prospec- tive teachers this June. Rural schools will suffer from this decrease more than city schools as the normal school principals state that the rural districts are failing to supply their quota of students and are thus receiving fewer trained teachers.
 Serious Teacher Shortage.
 Connecticut faces shortage of about 600 teachers this fall. The de- mand will be for about 1000 new teachers; the supply will consist of 1S2 graduates from normal schools and about POO from the colleges. Fix perieneed teachers are leaving the work. In 1917, ,=only 800 new teachers were employed in the. state; in 1919, the number had increased to 1,0S5.
 President Hadley of Yale recently stated that "low salaries are the cause of five-sixths of the teacher shortage" Last year TOT Connecticut towns were paying their teachers an average sal ary of $500 or less, while only fl towns were paying $1,0O0 or better. Thirty five towns paid $6OO or less and one town paid only $4O0. Of course this Is made possible by the loyalty of local men and women who live at home, thus keeping their living expenses at mini mum, but such salaries do not allow professional training and cannot meet the ever increasing competition caused by the teacher shortage. The State Board of Education re- gently received complete returns from s2 towns regarding next years saia- ries for rural teachers. The average salary to be paid in those towns Is $959. The average minimum salary is $S54. The lowest minimum salary re- ported is $583; the highest $1 POO. In ten of the S2 towns the average salary for rural teachers will be below $500, and in 22 more 1t is between $500 and $9OO. Such are the causes of the edu- cational crisis.
 Teachers Plan Campaign.
 The people are beginning to recog- nize these conditions. In some places the town officials have given increases such as would have incurred serious criticism in past years. The teachers, through the Connecticut State Teach CTS Association, have taken steps to provide remedies. AS recently stated by Superintendent Stanley H. Holmes of New Britain, president of the asso- ciation, the teachers have taken up the problem not because they are teachers. but because they are good citizens and understand the problems.
 The campaign is in charge of a gen. eca1 committee composed of Stanley H. Holmes, chairman and campaign director; Fred S. Camp of Stamford GEever c. Bowman of Thompson I vile; Miss Carolyn Merchant of New HaEeR Mrs. Bertha G. Daley of Seanaford Miss E. Mae Keefe of Wa terbury; Clement c. Hyde of Hart. 1 fODd, John R. Perkins of Danbury Levi T. Garrison of Willimantfc 1 Thomas H. Patterson of Bristol: Miss l Mary StapletOn of Bridgeport; Gil. bert w. Miller of New Haven; Miss l Harriet D. COndOn of South Manches ter; Edward B. Sellew of Middletown l TheFe|are also committees on finance Legislation and publicity. The mem
 bers of these committees represent cities and towns in all parts of the state, and all groups of educators iron sdpefintendents to classroom teachers
 la order to make more permanency
 in the teaching force and to attrac 1 suitable persons to the teaching pro feSsiOn, the teachers association be
 uegesTthat higher salaries and better
 tenure for teachers, more state aid fol
 education" and certain changes in the
 Connecticut Teacher RetIrement law
 aSe necessary, and these have beer i made the objects of the campaign 1 The efforts center exclusively on tht 1 improvement Ol tNtlltIi lOllS III our UN
 state, and the campaign headquarter
 hageSbeen established in Hartford.
 The movement has already received
 hearty ,endofsem"nt from Organiza
 tions, such as the Connecticut Con
 gress of Mothers and from such in
 dividuals as President Hadley of Yale
 Wilbur F. Gordy of Hartford Mrs John Laidlaw Buel of Litchfield, Jo
 seph w. AIsop of Avon, and Mrs. Ed
 win G. Butler of Rockville
 President H0'M@. has emphasizet
 the fact that the campaign is for tn
 benefit of the children who suffe
 when untrained teachers are put Il
 charge of the classes. It is a cam l paign for the people and the associa
 tion. expects, and is receiving, the co
 onora ti0O and assistance of rhp DooDle