The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-12-02

omore and Junior years. | was prin-
cipal, teaching-force. publicity agent,
entertainment manager. and general
factotum in tWo-year high school. in
a small, sluggish town upon the coast
After my graduation, l taught at one
of the prepatory schools in Maine,
and later for week and half at
preparatory school in Massachusetts;
and now, l am at Colby College Incl
dentally had a ost graduate course in
Uncle Sans great University OF
Arms, and after the Armistiee taught
French to a bunch of soldiers in a
French schoolroom. under the Army
Educational Commission. To misquote
the apostle Paul have come very
near to being all things in all schools
My talk this evening is to be rather
general. Perhaps that Is entirely suit
able since l understand this is the
first meeting Of your association. l
can call ii nothing more definite than
Thoughts on Educational Problems.
To me, one OF the most pressing
problems in educational circles every
where is the lack of a proper profess
sional spirit among teachers. We do
not feel that we are a peculiar people.
(Our critics may feel that we are).
And in too many cases, We are not OF
q distinct profession. Anyone can teach
the public says, and anyone does. 1t
1t an amazing fact that We require
the strictest sort of an examination
before we allow a doctor TO practice
his art upon the bodies of men, but
we turn loose upon the community
any sort OF boy or girl, with any
sort of training. or without any sort
OF training. to experiment upon the
minds and souls OF human beings at
a period when these minds and souls
are most plastic and impressionable.
Is ii any wonder that certain statis-
ticians tell us that the average level
of intelligence in the United States is
that Of a child of fourteen years? The
one question which concerns the man
or committee that does the hiring, in
many cases, is not-Is he fit for the
lob? but Will he come for the mon
ey?
This question of money, to my mind
is not one which should be taken up
as a general problem. 1t is very
easy. and also very foolish, to pro-
claim at the top of our voices-"All
salaries of teachers are too low. 1t
would take a charge of dynamite to
raise them within sight of the High
Cost of Living Up with them, 100
peer cent at the very least!' | don't
doubt that the charge is true. in the
main. but it seems to me that great
deal is lost in making such blanket
demands.
The problem is much bigger than
matter of money 1t is the whole sub
iect of education that needs threshing
out. Wat is Education? What are
its purposes? What results are want
ed? What difference does it make to
our nation whether our schools are
efficient or not? and Is making the
schools efficient worthy the whole
lifelong effort of trained men. is it
profession? these are the questions
which go to the roots of the problem,
and the matter of adequate salaries is
only a small part of ii though like an
aching TOOTH 1t seems to be all there
is in life, at times
feel confident that if the attention
of the public is focused upon these
larger questions. IL the public is made
to think fiercely to supply the answers
to them, the matter of money will set
tie itself But Education seems not
serious concern of our people now
adays. 1t ought to be. it must be, if
the problems of the future are to be
solved.
1t sometimes appears that We are
spending our time in educating the
wrong persons We labor with the
youth, and leave the adults severely
alone. But the adult needs the educa-
ton just as much as the child (Some
adults need it morel Our schools
must recognize that fact and fill that
need. | am not playing with words
for the sake of startling, ! mean just
what | say. Later, | shall speak
some means of filling that need OF
the adults for education. Here let me
simply mention the point for its bear
ing on the problem of having teaching
become and gain recognition as dis
tinct profession. The public must be
educated to so regard it.
Many who are trying to teach have
fallen into the work because it was
a handy place to fall They consider
il a stop-gab between school and
some profession. Probably We shall
ALWAYS have some who are teaching to
get money enough to buy rousseau.
or to pay expenses While on the
search of husband, or while prepar-
ing for the law or medicine 1t is
good field in which to test your fit
ness for almost anything But we
shall have increasing numbers who
have chosen teaching as a profession
inferior to none, and who plan to de-
vote their whole lives and powers to
it. The interest in courses in educa-
ton. in schools Of education in our
great universities and i'll summer
schools of education confirms us in
this belief
There is a new course under the de-
partment OF education in many of the
larger colleges and universities, a
course in Vocational Guidance. The
purpose of the course, which is Civ
en- during the freshman year, is to
present to the entering student a sur
vey OF the professions: to suggest
their rewards, their disadvantages,
their possibilities and to indicate the
qualities necessary for success in
each, to aid the student in making a
tentative choice and in shaping his
work toward the chosen profession.
nj r.. -.