Norwich bulletin., 1920-03-18
MAINTAINING TEACHER SUPPLY
 Is NOW SERIOUS PROBLEM

iO NOW 0EnIOO0 FHOHEE M
 In an interview Tuesday afternoon on the question of increased salaries for school teachers, School Superin- tendent Edward J. Graham pointed out the serious problem that has now arisen in supplying schools all over the country with teachers, because of the realignment in the general salary situation. In a comparative state ment of school teachers salaries paid in twelve other cities and towns of the state. it was shown that the Nor wich minimum and maximum were lower than all these twelve.
 Superintendent Graham said: The problem of maintaining an adequate supply of trained teachers for our public schools is a serious one due largely to the lack of training and the small pay received by teachers. Two years ago committee of the National Education Association was apointed to study this important edu- cation emergency. The following is taken from their recent published re- port: Of the 600,O00 public school teachers in the United States, 200, 900 have. had less than four years train ing beyond the eighth grade; 300, 009, one-half of all our teachers, have had no special professional prepara- tien; 160,000 are not beyond 21 years of age: 65,00o are teaching on permits not being able to meet the minimum requirements of county superintend- ents; 14S,000 dropped out of the pro- fessien in 1919. Of the twenty mill lion children of the United States ten million are being taught by teachers who have had no adequate prepara- ton for their work and whose gen. eral education is clearly inadeauate. We face an emergency, educational and social, which Is not only going to put the democracy we fought to win, save and perpetuate, on trial, but which in many ways is going to test the power to endure of even ciyiliza- tion5 itself. It will not be solved by sta tesnlen, politicians, finaneiers, la Dor leaders nor agitators. The real
 solution will be made by a people trained to think in the light of new l ideals of service and social values 1 The responsibility, then, of the many !, problems of reconstruction rests with the teachers of the next decade These conditions will be removed when an informed public demands the ] highest degree of educa tional efficien- ] cy and provides for every teacher a living and saving wage. Three eco i homie aspects of this emergency are i first, insufficient salaries paid tc 1 teachers, secolfd the cost of living
 has more than doubled in the last I three years, third, teachers as we'll as other salaried workers have not hat the;r salaries increased in anythins i like the same degree that other work
 CTS have. Consequently teachers ar, i being forced to a lower standard O. l living and many are leaving the pro 1 fession.
 i In New. York city they have alway,
 had a long waiting list of 800 to 100l i candidates for positions. On Marcl 1st, 1920, there was no waiting lis and not even enough teachers to fl 1 the present vacancies. In New Yorl
 state it is reported that over 100 | schools have been closed on accoun of lack of teachers. In our own stat tof Connecticut a great many school are without trained teacher. Tn 1 attendance in our four normal school
 of the state is approximately fifty pc
 cent. of class as compared witt three years ago. In our own city w
 have had in former years from eigh to fourteen graduate students in tn l Willimantie Normal School. Las year there were two graduates; thi
 year the same number will finish tn
 course.' If this condition continues t
 exist, where are we to get Iraine teachers for our schools? Why doe
 this condition exist? Why did 143,
 900. teachers leave the profession las
 year? Why are fewer young men an women entering the profession
 These are serious questions whic
 must be faced by the citizens of ou 5 community. It is a condition whic vitally affects the future, the educa : ton of our children, and civilization The remedy for. this condition as out \ lined by the special committee of tt : National Education Association is . 1 follows:
 1. Higher salaries for traine : teachers.
 2. Higher professional standards. : 3. A more general recognition | e the public of the importance of u y teaching profession.
 4. Make the teaching professic s attractive to the most talented your t men and women.
 ei When the boys and girls of ol : grammar grades are able to go e work and earn larger pay than ol t teachers are getting, can you blan . the young women for deserting u
 1 profession; for being unwilling
 spend six years in training and tht
 not receive a living and savir t wage?
 . From questiennaire sent out ;. representative cities and towns ( h the state, the following data in r
 gard to the minimum and rnaximu
 salaries has been compiled: