The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1921-08-24

~ ~ -AnoWn. Hence, the MISSISSIPPI
Teachers. Association is sending out
circular which gives the facts Of
Mississippi's educational standing
fifty-hrst among the states, next to
last compiled from official figures
last--compiled from official figures
which gives trustworthy basis Of
comparison. Without excusing these
figures or going. back to the '60's for
remote causes, this circular points
out dispassionately the present caus-
es. as follows:-
Lack of public information con-
corning good schools.
Politics, politicians. demagogues,
offceholders, seekers.
Poor school laws.
Lack of financial and moral sup
port of schools.
Low educational and professional
standards.
Lack Of special provision for abb
normal pupils.
Many weak. poorly paid teachers
and heads Of schools.
County superintendents who have
to run for office.
dual town school control by al
dermen and trustees.
Consuming taxes mostly other
wise, leaving small part for schools.
EVILS TO BE AVOIDED.
The circular continues
"A large part of our state popuIa-
tion is uninformed Of educational
standards. and Of what constitute
good schools. and, misled by the ora
ted word and the Vaccinations of
politicians or unfit school leaders,
will be kept so. Also, forty years of
comparatively poor schools have af-
feeted the average education Of our
state citizenship.
Taxes are heavy. But schools. a.
laifs ne oniy return taxpayers can
recognise, get only small part Of
the tax. Thousands of cfficeholders
and politicians consume, waste or
spend unwisely most of it. Politicians
are at heart always hostile to good
schools; statesmen are always favor
able to them.
If anybody has really tried to pass
any decent school laws in the past
thirty year, they have usually been
defeated by ignorance, politics, sell
fishness, or Indifference within the
Legislature or bearing influence upon
it,.
There are almost no really con-
structiVe laws here for developing
schools, financing them properly,
protecting them as to officials and
teachers and standards, or securing
them from harassment or exploital
tion by the ignorant and vicious.
Pay has not been enough to at
tract the ablest and most efficient
teachers and officials, nor have laws
protected them from unprofessional
competition by the unit.
At present, the town school board
is created by the town council, and
may be annoyed by the whims, po-
liticaI ramifications and financial
control Of that body.
At present the county superintend-.
eHt is creation Of politics, no edu-
cational qualifications worth the
mention being prerequisite Of his e.
lection. He must run for office and
his chances Of election are better on
any OF dozen other factors than on
efficiency and educational ability.
Comparatively few Of our grade
pupils get proper training. Few OF
our Aigh school students are prepar-
ed to enter the big colleges OF other
states. Despite boasts Of demagoges
and misinformed school folk, these
are bald facts. Our pride does not
alter facts now; functioning properly
1t can alter them for the future.
There has been some progress in
Mississippi since 1890 and particular
| ly during the last three years; hence
our city. town. agricultural and con
solidated schools in the more progress
sive communities are far superior to
our schools of twenty or thirty years
ago. In fact our states school effs-
cheney has increased In the last eigh-
teen years 43 per cent over what 1t
was in 1900. But the other states
have made greater progress than Mis-
sissippi and have passed US mean
while; it Is claimed that South Caro-
| lima is ahead of rs now.
Our last legislature made fair
start; there were forward looking
men in its membership and It did
more good FOR schools than any legis-
tFfa