The Washington times., 1921-07-03

; This one case OF increased interest
In teaching is but one indication that
the young women OF the country are
again turning 10 the school houses
In numbers that viii undoubtedly
provide the nation with registration
in the profession which may shortly
exceed even the pre-war total.
Teaching. in short. has again be-
come popular Better salaries, re-
ceding wages of other vocations. and
particularly the reduction In the
forces OF Government employees. have
turned the tide and once more the
profession is looked upon with favor
by young women
FL0CKED TO q. s. JOBS.
Attracted by the wartime salaries
paid Government workers here. more
than $500 school teachers deserted
their posts and hocked 20 Washing
ton to become stenographers, typists,
and specialized clerks. Gradual re-
ductions OF the Government pay rolls
have sent them back to their respec-
tive sections, ready and willing to
take their places as teachers once
more. but at salaries far more en-
coura ging.
Thousands OF teachers who went to
other large cities TO engage in the
work of Government agencies, like
wise attracted by what seemed high
salaries in comparison with their
meager pay as teachers have similar
ly returned to the business of in
structing the nations young.
In Washington during the war the
dearth Of teachers became 50 pronounced
that mothers of children In the
schools in many cases stepped up to
the firing line to help out. One Com
gressman's wife, II will be remem-
bered, was among those who an
swered the call. rather than expose
District youngsters to inexperienced
teachers who had barely stepped out
Of high school.
TURN OF THE TIDE.
The current issue of School Life,
issued by the Bureau OF Education.
and edited by James c. Boykin. states
that with the turn OF the tide there
has been a marked change in the
spirit with which teachers are tscki-
ing their jobs.
"A majority of this years senior
class of Mount Holyoke College" re-
ports School Life, will enter the
teaching profession, and they will do
IL with a professional spirit. They
have chosen their work. There was
a time when a majority of all gradu-
ating classes of women took up teach
ing. but they did not choose 1T It
was the only work in which their edu-
cation would be OF use, and, whether
they loved teaching or hated 1T. they
fought.
''Other vocations were opened to
women and college graduates who did
not care for teaching found that they
could use their education In other
lines. This elimination of those who
did not care>for teaching did not hurt
the profession, but the reduction in
the number of steaching recruits
caused by how salaries and rise In the
coal oflivinG did hurt II a great deal
forsit msant keeping out young peo-
teach, Year by year the number, Of
college graduates who took up teach
Ing was lesseRed.
LOO PLAN To TEACH.
Now the tide is turning, and al
though 1t is not expected nor desired
that teaching will take those grad
yates who care more for other work
IL Is hoped that those who wish to
teach will never again be kept out by
starvation wages. Now that salaries
are going up, young people can enter
the teaching profession with the feel
ing that they can support themselves
in It. Results are showing already.
In the Cleveland School OF Education
there is a gain of seventy-seven pu-
pills over the registration of 1890. Only
fifteen girls were graduated last Janu-
airy, but ninety will be graduated in
June.
Twenty thousand girls in forty-twc
colleges were questioned by their
deans, and 1,ioO said they were plan
ming to teach. or ninety-four normal
schools, sixty are gaining ground in
teacher recruiting. twenty-nine are
holding their own with last year, and
only hve are losing.
OF 3,o12 high-schooI seniors in Ohio.
7l3 expect to teach. 2,15e will not
teach. while 40 are undecided. The
reason given for not teaching was, in
most cases, the small salaries paid
teachers"
The Nation can gain much assurance
from this increase in the supply OF
Instructors, assurance that the best
OF those available will be the FIRST 70
be employed, and the assurance that
those unfit for their positions will be
weeded out