The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-04-29
EDUCATIONAL.


bers in the state who feel that the
teacher shortage is all fake. They gel
this impression from the fact that there
are actually few vacancies at this time
in the state and also from the fact that
many teachers have made it a practice
to write to numerous boards asking
about vacancies.
Since the same teacher may apply in
a score of places, and quite frequently
does so, it results in a stack of appli-
cations in the school board office. This
is particularly true in cities that are
looked upon as desirable places in
which to teach The fact is, however
that our training schools all over the
country are turning out smaller grad
uating classes than a few years ago
School boards, particularly in the rural
districts and villages, are employing as
teachers many persons who would moi
have been considered for such posi-.
tiOnS three or four years ago.
A member of this department has Q
relative living in a great city in anoth.
er state, not far away This rclativ,
was complaining recently that she was
overburdened with houSework "But
what about Lena?' was the question
The answer was; ooh, Lena is now
teaching school" Lena, by the way
is middle-aged colored scrub woman
with little education and no training
for teaching. This story may SOUND
like fiction, but it is a fact
All over the country we are having
such experiences except that they are
not, in most eases, quite so extreme
School boards can keep salaries dowr
and can get a supply of teachers il
they are ready to take substitutes ant
limitations in place of the real article
If people with college or normal schoo
training cannot be had, high schoo
graduates can be had; if not higl
school graduates, then eighth grad,
graduates. Yes. it is entirely possible
to secure a supply of so-called teach
ers at low rate of compensation il
the public is willing to take what il
will thus get; otherwise not.
The teaching profession at this time
throughout the nation is approaching
bankruptcy. There is one Fundamental
cause for this and that is low salaries
Teaching positions do not look attrac
tive to ambitious young people. Hence
they are preparing themselves to dc
other things for their life work. To
large extent men have been driven ou
of the business of teaching by low sal
aries and short tenure of position. Mer
have felt that they could not earn
living for themselves and their familie
by teaching. Many men with long ex
perience and excellent training ar,
teaching their last year now. 1t is NJ
unusual thing for a school man 80 t,
80 years of age to come to me and sa,
that he is either quitting at the end o
this year or that he is seriously con
templating doing so.
This means a complete change o
occupation with the risk of not benj
able to make the new adjustments sue
ccssfully. But men feel that the sit
uation is growing desperate and tha
for the sake of their families they mus
make change. Able women are do
ing the same thing, after years of prep
aration and a period of successful
teaching.
This is not a situation that has COM
about suddenly as the result of wa
conditions. For ten or fifteen years
at least | have been telling schoo
boards and everybody else who woulC
listen, that such a crisis was comnl
upon US. 1t was coming by slow de
grees and war conditions accentuate,
it very sharply, but it was coming anC
it will not pass over when condition
become normal again. The only thnJ
that will save the day is for the public
to pay teachers enough to secure ant
retain capable people with good train
ing. The increases in salary that hay,
recently been made should have beer
made before the war and additional in
creases should have been made to com
pensatc for the increased cost Of living
The public has been responding t,
the situation in a mannerthat is hope
full. There must be still further in
creases in salaries of teachers as tim,
goes by and the life of the tcache
must be made much plcasanter thar
it is at present in many places befor,
it will appear sufficiently attractive a
business or profession to make i
possible for wise parents TO encourag,
their children to look forward to
career of teaching. G., p. CARY.