The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-28

Forum for a teacher reared on q farm
to express herself on. the proposed
educational bill to raise teachers
qualifications? This bill should, by
all means, be passed. Why should
North Dakota standards be lower than
those of %neighboring states? Why
should teaching be the work most cas-
lily prepared for after completing a
high school course, thereby supply
ing more people than it is easy to
count with something to do until
they al decide what their life work
is to be? Why should rural schools,
year after year. supply the means Of
earning money for an education
without getting the benefit Of that
education?
The chief concern GEMS to be that
If qualifications are raised salaries
must be raised and the expense win
be greater than the rural community
can bear. This need not be 90. Rural
salaries compare favorably with those
of towns, though they are lower in
dollars and cents. A rural school
teacher can save as much az one in
town. Board and room in rural sec
lions ranges from $l8 to SIS q month.
In towns it ranges from $25 to 435
a month. Clothing expenses are not
as great. Then there are the count
less miscellaneous expenses, picnics,
club dues, treats and so forth, which
will mount up where several people
work together. One needs only to
look to Minnesota to see that expense
need not be increased. There SO weeks
of normal training are required. but
the salaries, II anything, are lower
than in North Dakota, and there is
no lack Of teachers as a result, either.
There is a hue and cry about the
over-supply of teachers. The sad
thing about that Is that 1t isn't the
least qualified who are jobless. pull"
plays a greater part than should be
willingly admitted. A teacher gets q
position because those who do the
hiring know her personally or know
someone who knows her. The choice
is based chiefly on character instead
of an ability to teach whereas both
should be considered. Once In q
while one finds school board men,
bers who are even q little suspicious
of a we'll trained. experienced teacher
who "condescends" to apply for a
rural school. There must be some
thing wrong or she wouldn't be apply
ing for a dirky country school. II
she's any good, she ought to be able
to get something better" And 50
they take little eighteen-year.old, in
experienced Mary Brown, who Is ply
sically and morally all right but not
trained for the work.
Certainly no M will dispute that
training is necessary. Mere knowl-
edge of "readin', writin' and 'rith-
metic" is not enough. A knowledge
Of psychology, child-study and meth
DDS Is necessary. The teacher must
be able to evaluate her results, to
know how to put things across, to
know many methods OF presenting
subject-mattcr so that II one fails,
she can try some other. Enough Of
this cannot be imbibed in IL weeks
Of normal training. II IL weeks Is
not enough training fol, q city teach
err, who can secure the aid Of other
teachers, principals, and superinten-
dent, surely 1t Is not enough for the
rural teacher who must rely almost
entirely upon herself. OF course.
many teachers in rural schools do
splendid work, considering their
handicaps, but do you not all agree
that that work would be even better
if training were increased?
A farmer writes. "the mere fact
that the IL week teacher holds 66To
of the rural positions tends to prove
that these positions are either not
desired by those Of q higher education
or that the IL week teachers famil-
iarity with rural conditions makes
her more valuable as q rural teacher"
Does he mean to imply that only H.
week teachers are familiar with rural
conditions, that only farm girls take
the IL week course? Just how would
an additional "a weeks Of training
impair anyone's familiarity with rural
conditions? Surely nc one would for
get all about 1t in 50 short a time,
This qualification would not be con-
sidered the most important one Tor
any teacher, although 1t Is q great
asset both to herself and the school
The quotation also alludes to the
smaller percentage OF more educated
teachers In rural schools Is an in
dication that such positions are not
desired. As was mentioned, pull
sometimes aids the less educated ones
To crowd out those who are really
better prepared. Then 1t must be
admitted that in any line Af work
the greater the requirements to quail.
ify the greater Is the prestige con-
nected With the work. Teachers are
| only. being human when they seel
those positions which give more pres.
tige. Raising qualifications Of rural
teachers would tend to decrease the
difference between town and coun-
try schools as far as that factor 4
concerned.
Mr.. Farmer also seems to be deeply
concerned about depriving 66% Of oul
present. rural teaching population o.
their jobs by the passage of the pro-
posed law. Never fear! Those whit
really want to teach and who have
their hearts In the work, will fine
means to enable them to quality ever
under stricter requirements. Many ,
farm boy and girl has secured an edu'
cation and then paid for 1t. Borrow
ing money Is no sin when the purpos'
Is legitimate. Any honest dependable
nerSnn (aS teachers should he) car