The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1920-01-09
POOR PAY MEANS
POORER TEACHER.

State Normal School News: Skill
and professional workmanship of a
high order can not be expected from
men and women in teaching profes-
sion who receive adequate pay. This
is the "unhesitating" answer that is
made by w. S. Shelton superintendent
of schools in Lincoln county, to a num-
Der of questions asked recently By
President N. D. Showalter in identical
letters to the county superintendent
of eastern Washington.
Il answer unhesitatingly," Mr.
Shelton said, because men and wo-
men possessing brains and energy de-
mand adequate returns for the invest
ment made. If the teaching profess
sion will not insure those returns they
will seek them in other lines of en-
deavor. And who can blame them I?
Why should anyone with splendid
ability spend his time in one line of
work that gives a pittance in return
when the same amount of energy I'D
piled in another direction will secure
comfortable living?"
The responsibility for the present
situation in the educational field
must be borne by all classes of society,
Mr.. Shelton continued, and not by ed
ucators alone. eve, as educators.
should insist that the teachers be paid
salaries commensurate to the service
rendered, and we should just as earn
estly insist that those who enter or
remain in the teaching profession
make the necessary preparation for
the work. The educational field has
no place for an unskilled workman. If
the unskilled mechanic spoils mater
ials in the construction of my house,
it is of some consequence, but no. an
irreparable loss. But let no unskilled
workman warp and distort the mind of
my child. That wrong can never be
righted."
Neither does Superintendent Shell
ton believe that the best results in the
schools can be obtained if men are
forced out of the profession. "Tha
child mind must come in contact with
the minds of both men and women if
that child mind is to secure the best
development" he said. "But men will
never be attracted to the teaching
profession as long as present condi-
lions remain. Men of brains and en-
ergy will insist on income enough to
support a family in comfortable
home. May I ask that you run over
the list Of male teachers of your &C
quaintance and estimate the number
who own home of any kind, not to
mention comfortable furnishings
therein, or the possession of car of
any kind? Few business men or pro-
fessional men, other than teachers, do
not own such things. Why should a
young man enter a line of work that
will not bring him some of the COM
forts of life?
Not the least factor that keeps
men out of the teaching profession
is the criticism that the teacher inev-
itably meets. The American public
seems to lay claim to the right of free
and unlimited criticism of teachers.
We sometimes meet individuals who
hesitate to criticise people in Other
walks of life, but who will unblush-
ingly criticise the teacher.
"The insecurity of position is an
other factor that keeps good men and
women out of the teaching profession.
Other lines of work offer permanence
of position, and a chance to establish
a home and become an integral part
of the community. Not so the teach
ing profession. A few years at most
in any one community is all the teach
er can hope for, and he must then
move on to begin anew, learn new
faces and form new friendships-if
indeed he is capable of forming them
after so many broken ones"
While such conditnons as the fore
going obtain, Mr.. Shelton said in con-
clusion, Schools for teacher training
will not attract the best minds of the
country"