The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1922-12-07
Religious Training
Is Sadly Neglected

engaged IN teaching. We are thank
full that Pearl River County, and,
we believe the State of Mississippi,
has suffered no such decline, but we
are speaking of conditions broadly.
Speaking of the lack of equip
ment or proper training of our
teaching forces, we are informed
that if all the teachers employed
were gathered in a great camp and
paraded before a reviewing stand,
100000 would pass in front of the
stand before there appeared one
who had received more than a high
school course, one-fourth of the
whole number would pass before
there would come one who had had
more than two years in high school,
and there would be tens of thou
sands whose preparation stopped
with the grammar school. We can
not vouch for these figures, but if
the situation is one-half as bad as
portrayed it is appalling. 1t is also
estimated that more than a million
boys and girls in the United States
receive all their school training I'M
der teachers of the last mentioned
class. And these poorly prepared
and equipped teachers are engaged,
for the greater part, in country
schools; and, hence, to a great ex-
tent, required to work without over
sight or direction. Here in Mississ-
ippi, the institution of consolidated
schools has largely counteracted
this evil condition, for which we
are' very thankful to the legislative
branch of our state government;
as also to the executive administra-
ton in its splendid work of giving
effect to the legislative scheme.
1t is further shown that both men
and women who take up the work
Of teaching temporarily and those
who enter upon it as a profession
are generally of a lower mentality
than those similarly engaged a few
short years ago. In an intelligence
test made on two groups in a Penn
sylvania institution, one headed for
normal school, the other for college,
the first made an average of ~, the
other grade of 90, and it is said
this is typical, rather than excep-
tional. Formerly many of our fin
est young people who did not in
tend to become professional teachers
took up the work temporarily while
preparing themselves for careers in
other lines of endeavor. Nearly all
of our older and even middle-aged
lawyers, ministers, physicians ETC.,
have in early manhood been teach
ers. Such young men and women,
of course, lack much of being
prepared for the work temporarily
essayed to perform, but they usually
possessed intelligence and force of
character above the average. At
this time, however, young people of
this class are able to secure more
renumerative employment in other
directions, thus too often leaving
the work of teaching to those less
capable.
The following facts taken from
reports made by the United States
commission of education partly ac-
count for the present deplorable
conditions:
The average teachers salary in
the United States is $630.00 This
is less than the average for any
branch of railway work, including
section men" and messenger at
tendants."
Further explanation of the
situation is to be found
in the fact that teaching is not
now regarded as profession, and
that the teacher instead of being
honered and being looked up to
as in former times; instead of a
recognition of the Importance of
his work from the general public
is now more or less regarded with
mingled feeling Of pity and con-
tempt.
The unavoidable conclusion is
that unless conditions change for
the better our country is headed for
the rocks. At a time like this, a
period of social and industrial I'M
rest and revolution throughout the
world, time which demands above
all else intelligence and high ideals
among the people, Democracy
that places material prosperity
above manhood cannot expect to
escape diaster, and radical change
in ideals and conduct is impera-
lively demanded.
A very important part Of the task
of removing this danger to our civil
liZatiOn rest with the church For