The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-04-01
Mrs. Moores Finds Much of
Credit in This Years
School Work
STANDARDS RAISED
IN SCHOLARSHIP
Pupils Not Headed for The
BoW-WoWs, but Boys
Smoke Too Much

closed last weeks observations on
local schools with an illustration OF
the effectiveness of what might be
called one man rule in the high school
It was only by chance that the cir
cumstance related came while 1 was
questioning Mr.. Hodge, but l seized
it for use as striking example of
the difference in the effectiveness OF
the one-boss system over the old sys-
tenn Of authority divided between the
principal and the superintendent.
Under the old system Of dual au-
thority even the teachers were not
sure as to which supervisor to ap-
proach on certain matters of school
policy. With the teachers at sea it
was only natural that students should
take advantage of the situation and
play one supervisor against the 9TH
er, much as they do one parent
against the other. could give actual
Illustrations of classes, teachers, and
supervisors being at loggerheads for
weeks because of conflicted decisions
under the old system. but such ex-
amples would be but post-mortems
as the office of principal has been
abolished, and, at least to date, the
public is observing the operation of
noiseless, well-oiled machine TAX
ing the place of one which often in
the past squeaked and ratified. Sur
prising it is that Kennewick has wait
ed so long to effect this economy.
Doubly surprising it is that Kenne-
wick waited until this year to effect
an economy which even high school
students knew could do nothing but
promote efficiency.
Before proceeding further it might
be well to state the plain fact that
high standard of scholarship is hard
70 maintain in a small town, for it
Is obvious that certain pupils and
their parents cannot be reconciled to
low grades or failures. In a city
where tenure of office is in vogue, a
teacher can hue and let the chips fall
Wnere they may; in towns, however,
teacher feels personal antagonisms
arise when an ordinary Tom, Dick,
Or Harry gets lower than a respect
aDle grade, and there is no use pre-
tending that. Kennewick is an excep-
uon In this respect. There is no use
pretending either, that teachers do
not recognize this human element in
as it pertains to their own welfare.
let, in my observations I find it inn
possible to draw a conclusion as to
whether Or not there is more COM
promise than necessary in this re-
spect in the Kennewick system. Had
found it to an unnecessary degree,
: Would mention it, as I feel it the
greatest weakness of the small town
school.
but, discovered an incident which
gave me hope that Mr.. Hodge was de-
,e.mlned to build up high standard.
found that petition by some stud
ents In certain course had been
presented to Mr.. Hodge with the
prayer that their teacher be required
% hghten their work. I found also
mat TINS petition got no further than
~ hodges waste basket and the
..acner was never even informed of
Me episode. This incident impressed
,as greatly. 1t showed loyalty to
ealiess and hard-working teacher.
ana loyalty to an ideal.
LOG much Importance cannot be at
sacned to this petition for as in
red last week, the superintendent
~ - tne school, so 1 will say this week
enat the scholarship standard of the
az ssuperintendent is bound to become
suI scholarship standard of the school.
IL promised last week that l would
NJ Tase something to say about salaries.
@ more l have investigated the
~ ele convinced I am that school sal
III es mere are already at an irreduc-
;sot e MINIMUM. p In discussing this sub
sso, II should be stated that there is
ana !, ehing as teacher market,
the Price of a good teacher is
mnuy' iy well fixed by competing COM
hleies. ho.es. To satisfy the tax payers.
con.ser, a! will state without fear Of
ina ,alctlon, ,an that Kennewick is pay
cos, .o"er salaries than the average
Il uhity na;nty OF this size in the state.
ont m,gnt q. be opportune also to point
yesr, ,liae our teachers are young and
m;a,y! growing more valuable. /
looi also hint that young teachers
salar;e.o larger cities where larger
more =, greater opportunities, and
am ieedom prevail. In general /
fa..I 'lnced that prices maid in the