Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-17

S kIdIn- WAS CdTElGO ouLlAA lAS AAeS
school, and those visiting the Cen
trail classes were turned over to Prln.
cpal F.. III. Lehman.
4 Convention Divided.
On Thursday morning, h North
eastern division convention will be d.
Vded. The high school instructors
and those interested in that depart
ment OF school work will go to Wood
worth auditorium to meet with the
State High school conference, while
the elementary and rural sections OF
ing in the city high school building,
where a health, program will be
given. Throughout the remainder OF
the program, which will be conclud-
ed Friday afternoon, the convention
will meet in the two separate groups,
as outlined above.
Officers Here. :
With Peter Anderson OF IAakota,
who is president of the organization,
other officers are Supt. r. B. Murphy,
Grafton, first vice president; SUP.
president, and Supt. K. A. Rygh, Eye
land, secretary treasurer. Miss
Katherine Whitelcy of Grand Forks
is second vice president, but is i'll and
unable to attend the sessions.
Executive Board.
Miss Beatrice tombstone, county
Superintendent of schools of Grand
Forks. TOOK Miss Whiteley's place on
the executive board, for the meeting
held in the Hotel Dacotah at IL
O'Clock this morning. At this meet
ing business affairs, and other mat
ters to be taken up during the con-
ference were gone over.
\ President Anderson in his annual
address his morning, on The
Teacher, His Profession, Its Prob.
lens" said in part:
while the teaching profession ID
the oldest of professions. it has per-
haps at no time been held, even at
its best to be in any sense on a par
with the other professions. IT has
been meanly evaluated. No worthy
professional training has been de-
manded. The laws of our state fix
practically no professional require
ment for certification and teaching in
the humber positions. No worthy IL
nancial reward was offered. Even, to-
day the humber positions in the land
do not furnish an annual income SUI
fcicnt for s~ustenance and savings. No
worthy social recognition Ma been
accorded.
TOO much the. public had under
valued the technical skill required,
the balance of temperament needed,
the positiveness of personality requi-
site, the solidity Of character esssn-
tial, the quality of leadership de-
manded to success in the teaching
and administration of schools. e5y
But, in the searching days of the
war. every institution rendering a
public service was scrutinized and
tested and it's output of service
e%valuated. 1t was found the schools
had been rendering the public a serv-
ice of ~far-reaching n i~ncalculable
value. Unobstrusively they had per-
formed their task, and while a shock
ingly large part of the population a
been given but limited training by the
schools, they We're in a fair state of
preparedness for the war.
The final outcome of this re-dis-
cevery of the service of the schools
was Il new and increased interest in
schools and education. This, interest
extended to every grade and type OF
school. 1t vas evidenced by large in.
creases in attendance, by increased
expenditures for salaries and equip
for educated men and women
Simultaneously with the new inter-
est in schools n education develop
cd the teacher shortage of recent
date. This led to IL, study of the needs
of the schools and of the causes of
h teacher shortage. The causes
were found to be two, mainly. First,
a, lack of public recognition of the
worthiness of the teaching occupu-
ton. Second. inadequate compensa.
ton. Recent figures show that in
Connecticut the per cen of men
teachers dropped in the. last fifty
years from IS per cent to 6 per cent.
while in Nebraska the per cent has
dropped from SO per cent to s per
cent. Manifcstly men teachers have
not allowed themselves to- suffer
much on account of. Inadequate pay.
VThn.Y 1,r1.N tr~ I 1~fk ~ -
sought other fields. Yet right here
is the publics interest acutely mani
fest.
"At this moment, however, are
heard the loud murmurings Of a bit
ter attack upon the salaries OF teach
ers and upon the Teachers Minimum
SALARY Law Of our state. This attack
is due in part to a hysteria for public
economies brought about by the pres
emit economic distress. In part it is
que To ignorance of the real provi-
sions of the law and a misconstruc-
ton of its motives. This attack upon
the law in the manner promoted and
Tor the reasons advanced, Is most un-
fortunate for the schools of North
akota For the sake Of our schools
and for the sake of our children, the
basic principle of this law should be
maintained and the minimum salary
law saved to the schools.
What is the basic principle of This
law? That it guarantees to the
schools of North Dakota u trained
professional body Of teachers. How
does it do this? First, by fixing a
minimum educational requirement
for teachers. Said minimum to be at
least high school graduation and by
guaranteeing a minimum beginner
salary to teachers possessing such
minimum training. Secondly. by hold
ing out Inducements to teachers to
pursue further professional training
tnan the minimum, by guaranteeing a
higher minimum beginner salary for
cach successive degree of professional
advancement Other details of the
law arc OF minor consequence. and
can be. removed. 50 we do not lose
sight of the basic principle.
Who will say that this is not a
sound educational principle? who
Will say that the motive of this law
IS not to secure benefits to the schools
and the children of North Dakota ?
The enemies Of the law, eitherffgnor
antly. or m~aliciously, decry against
certain annual increases and thereby
becloud its real principle and hu,
iaddie and stampede the people. But
let the people not become stampeded
and panic stricken. Let them no
stand nerveless and speechless before
. This issue. Let them inform then2-
selves of the basic principles of the
lazy inc then come out boldly in it,
Fellow teachers, while we are thus
championing the cause of educanon
In this manner let us not forFet the
1 solemn Injunction given us. al our
state association meeting last fall by
our hOnOfed state SfnArinterAnnf