The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-01-24
tOff1cial City. State and County Newspaper)
Horse Sense from the Farm

on North Dakota farms, plenty Of horse sense renainI
among the people who make their living from the soil
If this were not true their situation would be bad indeed
A letter to the editor by a man who signs himself
publicly as A Farmer illustrates the point.
The authorship of the letter is known to The Tribune
because this newspaper does not accept anony
nous missives for publication, no matter what their con
We know, furthermore, that he is a real farme
makes his living as a farmer and who is interested
IN the progress Of his community.
And SO, when he writes of schools and the educationa
he presents a view which many educators
and incompetent alike, may overlook.
In recent months we have heard a good deal abou
raising the certification standards for North Dakots
The idea was presented by Miss Rerths
Palmer, state superintendent Of public instruction. I
was made the subject of a survey by DR.. w E. Pick O
the University of Minnesota, and DR.. Picks finding
agreed with Miss Palmers ideas.
In brief, their proposal is to make the minimum re
quirement for a North Dakota teacher, one year of train
sands Of words have been uttered in an effort t
the idea and considerable newspaper space
has been given to arguments supporting the theory.
It remained for A Farmer to poke a pin at, If not into
the educational balloon and to question the soundnes
Of the recommendation from a practical standpoint.
Speaking Of the oft-condemned 12-week teachers, 1
Farmer says:
THE education of these girls is complemented by
a thorough understanding of rural conditions; they
know how to build and bank a fire; they know how
to care for the school we'll, to insure a water supply
in freezing weather, and do the other janitor work
that the teacher is called upon to perform in a
rural school. In short, I believe a girl, equipped with
the above mentioned qualifications, is capable of
rendering every service called for in a One-room
rural school. and believe they are equally success
full, and quite as capable Of rendering an equal serv-
ice, as teachers of a higher ratification. whose edu-
cation was acquired under more comfortable condi-
lions. and whom city life has rendered less familiar
with conditions that confront a rural school teacher.
Many Of the girls, eligible under DR.. Picks pro-
posed higher normal requirement, are girls from the
cities who have been blessed with parents whose
financial ability has permitted them to acquire their
higher education practically free OF the disadvan-
tages that must be overcome by the rural girl in her
struggle for an education.
II contend that the great majority of the twelve
week teachers referred to by the doctor, are girls
who have used every available shred of their fl
nances to obtain the education they now have, and
the teaching positions in the rural schools offer to
them practically the only means OF replenishlng
their depleted finances so that they may continue
with their education.
ITO raise the normal requirement at this time will
relegate the great majority of these rural girls to
the position of a domestic house maid. Under
present conditions, I see no advantage In the pro-
posed change in requirements that will overbalance
the loss to our present teachers of the means OF
f~urthering their education.
"A teacher should be judged not by the ability of
her teacher but by her own ability to teach. In my
eSLlWdL1O1 we are IcCcAVuAS - uAdAAy CCAIo Au Jul
educational dollar as we are likely to receive under
the proposed change in normal requirement. I be-
lieve this change will be accompanied with increased
cost to the rural school and, in view OF the present
rural outlook, I do not believe we are justified in
adding expense to the educational system. With
the proposed change. I believe We will find 1t nee
cSsary to increase the salary of the rural school
teacher, whose duties have been enumerated by Or.
Pick.
"Who is there whS thinks that the present wages
will be alluring to the more highly educated girls
from comfortable homes, blessed with parents whose
financial condition made possible the acquisition of
the required education a pleasure? Will from $500
to 5000 per year out Of which they must pay their
expense be sufficient inducement to these girls to
cause them to walk much Of the time through snow
in weather, sometimes 40 below zero, to q cold school
room where they must build their own fire. to warm
the building for the children. The heating plant may
be anything from a cast iron heating stove to a
modern hot air furnace into which the teacher, dur
ing a nine month term Of school,, must shovel about
twenty tons of Ignite coal and carry out about as
many ashes. She must do the sweeping and scrub
bling and keep the place clean; look after the well to
insure the water supply in freezing weather: see that
the toilet system Is kept in sanitary condition and
supervise the playground.
Again I ask. who thinks the present wage an in
ducement to those of a higher education?"
It will be worth observing if Miss Palmer and DR.. Pick
an make a really convincing answer to A Farmers
Iuery and the facts which he sets forth.
His statement that "a teacher should be judged, moi
~ the ability of her teacher but by her own ability tx
each, CONTAINS as mucn morse sense dS we are likely
o hear in a whole day Of educational theorizing.
The world has many persons possessing high scholas-
It degrees which presumably fit them for the teaching
The trouble with many Of these is that they
little else to recommend them.
A leading North Dakota educator hit the nail squarely
N the head recently when he explained. during the
curse Of q conversation that: 1.-THE reason some OF
ur best men have college degrees Of lesser standing than
ome others Is that they were keen enough to find some
hing to do after they had obtained one degree. The
theirs. being less intelligent, less able or less active
ouIdnt find q place for themselves-and so they went
ack to college and got some more degrees. Some Of
never win amount to anything. even though they
aay hAse many more degrees than q man who has
eally rade his mark In the world"
All Of which proves that education, like other field
ny b subject to horse sense analysis Is wel Is t.
exploitation and mental a~crobatics.
Autos and Prosperity
The Business Conditions Weekly Of the Alexander
[anilton institute predicts that automobile production
the United states this year win be shout equal e
- ~ fa1a vhAn annrutmately A16oNoo carS WeSg