The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1921-09-14
WHY THEY FAILED.

It is said that there not a high school
graduate in Redwood county that passed state
examination for a teachers certificate this
wear. To say the least, it is pretty tam
moor advertisement for Redwood County's
high schools and their efficient teachers
Four wears in high school, turned out gra-
duate and not even qualified to teach any sub
iect up to the eighth grade, so they tell us.
-Vesta Censor.
We don't know what the above fuss is all about
but we confess that we somewhat surprised
that any Redwood County citizen should De SO
unacquainted with the high school courses OF the
County and of the state as to think that sucn
courses constitute sufficient training SO that the
graduate may go out and teach IN the rural
schools These courses were never INTENDED 70
give such training, and it would be pity lndeed
if high school graduates, unassisted by any othef
training should venture forth as teachers.
The high school course is merely foundation
for all fuller and more complete education ana
makes no pretension of being teachers training
course However, Redwood County has two most
excellent teachers training courses one IN connec-
ton with the high school at LamPerton ana the
other at Redwood Falls. These courses give
years training in the methods OF organizing
rural school classes, OF teaching these Classes
and of meeting the daily problems OF nandnng
growing children in the school room pltl1uily
meager training for the big work OF teaching THIS
needs must bet could not be complete in any
sense with only one year to do the work winch the
higher teachers training schools take several
wears for But it is a start and from 1t young
men and women of true purpose and real intelli-
gence may work out satisfactorily very many OF
the problems of rural school teaching. But how
%loo%h irh ora
out this training, shall have even the simplest
knowledge of school room organization, govern
ment and the methods of teaching.
These Normal Training courses have been so
arranged that the Senior year of the high school
NAV be spent in taking this course, thus making
four year course include the training course,
and giving the necessary qualifications for teach
ing the rural schools of the county 1t is option
al with the students whether they shall take this
course as their final years work or complete the
regular course. Several young ladies OF our ac-
ouaintance have stated quite frankly that they
took the last years work at the high school be-
cause there was more "fun and society" there
than in the Normal training classes, or because
they wanted to complete the work with the same
.scrowd" with which they had started tor for
some other reason.
Now these same girls, and their parents, are
disappointed that they are not able to teach the
schools of the county and are asking why their
high school course didn't fit them for this teach
ing This is especially true in one section of the
county where only five girls registered in the
Normal Training Glasses last year and now twen-
ty girls, of the same section who have only the
straight high school diplomas, are asking for
nermits to teach in the schools of the county.
They are asking an impossible thing of the auth
critics, and thing which, if granted would be
the rankest injustice to the children whom they
would teach.
Let us have done for all time with the idea that
rural schools exist only as experiment stations
for growing teachers, or as source Of income
FIR eirls who want to earn little money and kill
little time between high school and college, or