Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-05-09
Must Meet New Requirements

must ultimately meet the new require
mcnts. "
Must Meet New Requirements
IF teacher IS not qualified, how
do you propose TO fit her to meet the
requirements of the futurcf' I asked.
"I'hcy must take COURSES of instruc.
tion that will enable them to meet the
requirements Of the new system" was
the reply.
"Our normal schools, thirteen Of
them. will be open every summer.
There nrc also from twelve to fifteen
colleges and university summer schools.
Any one not qualified can attend one
of these schools and get ready to stand
the test. They must keep at IL until
they do get the equivalent.
with our normal schools turning
out graduates we will have new re-
cruits cvc"y year. They are training
elementary teachers. Tho first eight
years Of teaching arc known as the ee-
mentary course. The four following
years the high school course.
Praise for Legislature
'"Thc Legislature that has just ad-
JOuI ufu, 'OllliuUtu ~. IIfkull, IN
the first in our history to put the nor
NAL schools sQuarely on their feet.
They are now owned and operated by
the state. where formerly they were
private corporations.
"No tuition will be hereafter charged
any young person who desires to study
for the profession of teaching. Room
and board will be charged for ut actual
cost. In this respect Pennsylvania is
just catching up with other states.
Tie second great idea in tho rc-
organized school system, said the doe o
tor. lis the matter of adequate com .
ppnsation to teachers. The increased
salaries under recent law are in the In :
tcrest Of the public. Adequate salaries
will hold those in the profession and
will induce others to enter It. A high
grade Of talent will be available.
thereafter the boy in a remote coun
try district will get what he Is entitled
to-the same opportunity for nm edu e
cation by competent teachers ms the boy
in the city.
THE system of state aid by which
the Commonwealth will bear larger
proportion of the expense and reduce
the local school tax proportionatcly in
poorer communities will have this
result
But will it not be an irduccmcnt
for rural communities to reduce their
taxation to point where the state will
ultimately bear the entire expense?" I
asked Or. Fincgan.
State to Go FIFTY. Fifty"
"No. 1t is n case Of the state going
fifty fifty with the rural districts.
Districts must employ. when the syS-
tenn is in full operation, teachers with
certain qualifications. In no case, how =
ever. does the state bear more than
one half the expense.
"By fixing longer term children In
the country districts are given greater
opportunities for education. Hereto
fore the term has been seven months.
Next year it will be seven and q half.
and after that It will be eight months.
II regard the new State Council of
EduCation as vastly important to the
system" DIR. Fincgan went on. "The
State Board of Education and the Col =
legr and University Council are abol
ishcd. Hereafter there will be one body
of nine members exercising supervision
and direction of the schools from kin =
ell Of Education.
ne pun Is 10 pIuce nine OF tnC
biggest men in Pennsylvania on this
council.
The department Of education is q
great business enterprise. Ii is init
mntcly connected with every home. The
finest business Judgment should b,
brought TO bear upon II. We wan,
men Of vision. w" want their slant O.
Judgment upon our progress and work.
Competent Supervisors Necessary
"Compctcnt supervisors of our public
schools are necessity. The business
Of educating our children does not BEGIN
TO receive the same general superyi-
sion that an ordinary business docs.
Supervision Of the work of unskilled
labor in our mines Is superior 10 that
Of our teachers. That is why the rec
ord has been so poor.
at IS not contemplated TO dispacc