Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-01-30

not made the most Of. ft
Amarillo should have an adequate
kindergarten system for an children
between the ages Of five ana seven. and
she tan not claim 20 b. doing justice
10 her children until she has establishs<
such a system.
speciai Room for Sub Normal Children.
There are In Amarillo. N IN any
other place. a good many children who
are below normal In mentality and ean
not profit by the regular work Of the
schools We do these children a great
injustice by our failure 10 give them
special attention. The teacher IL not TO
blame for this because she has her
hands full with the IS or 20 other chil.
dren In her room. and. besides, tho
regular program Of the schooIs daes
pot meet the needs II these Children.
They should have special rr>srsia ~
work and well trained teacher whV
has made n study Of their special needs.
There are twenty-five or thirty az
these children In our schools and thsy
have M much right TO a full develop.
ment of even their limited capacities
as have the normal children. and we
ran not claim that our schools are
democratic M long az their program of
work In adapted 10 the normal child
knd make no provision for the subnor-
hal They must take care Of every
child and see that each one has oppor.
tunity to develop whatever latent ~.
sources he may have and become the
very best man. the very beat citizen.
and the very best worker he II capable
% being.
Fewer Pupils Per Teacher
Amarillo. an well an most other pisces.
IL greatly SHINING against her children
In failing 20 provide a sufficient num-
Der of teachers 20 take care Of them.
Our schools are not In a. bad condition
IN this respect NJ some others for the
reason that our school board has made
II rule not 10 permit more than IS
pupils 10 the room. But even IS pupils
To the teacher are too many No teach.
or can do Justice 10 more than 30
pupils and u would be far better for
the teacher 10 have no more than IS.
With rs pupils In a room. the teacher
can give each one individual attention
and under such conditions. we should
hear no more the complaint that par.
entH NJ home have 20 do the teaching
and that teachers merely hear the lee.
sons. u In nm injustice 10 the parent
Ia have 10 worry over the chiid's lesson
every evening. u parents are 10 De
the teaching. they should receive par
for a. However. parents are not In the
teaching business They do not know,
as a rule. how 10 teach and the fact
that we permit such conditions 10 exist
IN hut another evidence that We do not
really believe IN education. We are
satisfied with merely going through
the motion Of running the schools and
u seems that our one aim IL 10 have
the name II having school with the
least possible cost. Amarillo ahouid
certainly provide sufficient number Of
teachers 10 take care Of her children
md not have TO crowd them into the
rooms In such numbers AZ 10 rcndsf
good work impossible.
Better Pay For Teachers
Amarillo should pay her teachers
better not primarily for the teachers
themselves. but for the sake Of the
children. With the exception Of few
good souls who love 20 live In Amarillo
and are willing 10 remain IA the schools
even 1T sacrifice. the teaching force
81 our schools II constantly changing
Each year more than cne.third Of the
teachers have never taught In the
rchools before. Now this IN not be.
cause these teachers do not like our
school system or because their work n
not pleasant here. but Il Is because of
the better pay elsewhere. and II u Tor
this reason that we are but training
school fw Dallas. ~ Worth and othes
places that pay better than we do. The
teachers committee % our schoo
board has displayed above the averags
diligence and wisdom In the selection
~ teachers; for the efficiency Of ouv
teaching staff Is much above that which
could he expected with the salaries We
pay. hut there In no business that can
he run with success with oIis third az
its employees each year new 70 ~
!. work. Amarillo children deserve To
4 =.