Americus times-recorder., 1920-04-28

mere. They were prepared in the
form of report by the secretary Vi
the board, Supt. j.. +. Mathis, dnC
adopted by the board as its own. 1heS
follow:
All that is being said about the
necessity of a better salary for the
teacher indicates broader view OF
the publics obligation to the serv-
ice to be rendered by the schools.
In this period of transition through
which we are passing, beset by all
the various forms of unrest that
are calling for such serious thought,
it behooves US to look back and
then look forward.
ave have said, for instance-we
have not said it so frequently IN
the past few years and yet the
most of our people still say, "Oh,
anybody can teach school, at least
the lower grades" Anybody?
eyes, anybody at any price can
teach primary school. 1t MAY
takes brains and training to teach
higher up, but anybody can teach
little children to read. That's easy
and that's all they need to do
The work of early education is
one work. The introduction to real
school should be through the kin
dergarten surrounded by the form
and atmosphere of home to be car
ried over into primary grades of
the regular schools. There should
not be possibility of going out of
the warm, CHEEKY, happy period of
home life into a cold, frozen at
mosphere in a primary school that
greets the child with stiff rows of
hardwood and iron seats and says
to him, "sit still, fold your hands,
forget that you are anything but a
part of that desk, and do what you
are told
Despite the meager salaries, now
and then most excellent people en-
gage in teaching, who put their
love for children into their work
and thereby come down to the
world of child and find out how
children live and grow and think
and they suit the school work to
the ehild's plane of thinking and
growth. Real EDUCATORS, real
drawers out of the capabilities of
their pupils, fitting them to be self
directing, independent, useful men
and women.
By accident of good fortune we
have some teachers like those in
the Americas schools. Whose love
for little children is not effuslve
or sentimental but genuine and
wise and demonstrated by their
untiring welfare for their pupils.
How great the loss to our schools
when they are gone. They have
been many years in our service.
They have had small salaries, all of
them, out of which they supplied
their own absolute needs and out
of which, too, it was NECESSARY
to contribute to the family support.
Because in few years more they
shall be worn out--worn out in the
cause of humanity-they must re-
tire, Retire to what? On what?
Society needs just such heroic
souls as theirs to carry on the tight
and to help hasten the coming of
the better day. Political expendien-
cy or self interest must not stand
in. the way of the supreme rights
of children.
Not for teachers, merely because
they are teachers are better sal
aries asked but that the profession
may be put on the high plane of
public appreciation which gives ex-
preston in it's willingness to pay
for it to attract and hold teachers
like those referred to above.
To sum it all up there must be
very definite recognition of the
community and nationwide need
to increase teachers salaries to
hold them and to attract to the pro-
fession men and women who can
teach and who view teaching from
the stand point of demo "racy which
must rely on education to train its