Report on the Higher Educational Institutions of Arkansas. Bulletin, 1922, No. 7
Author: Zook, George F.
Date: 1922-00-00
Type: Historical Materials
Subjects: Superintendents,College Presidents,High Schools,Conferences (Gatherings),Principals,Teacher Education,Teacher Qualifications,State Departments of Education,Standards,Institutional Evaluation,Audits (Verification),Secondary School Teachers

On the basis of an extended conference composed of school superintendents and   principals in June, 1918, the Arkansas State Board of Education issued, June 1, 1920, a preliminary outline of a course of study for high schools. This circular also contained certain standard requirements for approved high schools. Contained in the outline were the following: (1) By September, 1923, all teachers employed in class A high schools shall have four years of training beyond high school in a standard college or normal school; (2)By September, 1926, at least three-fourths of the teachers in a class A high school should be on the approved list of high-school teachers; (3) After September 1, 1923, no person shall be allowed to teach in Arkansas high schools who does not have the equivalent of a bachelor's degree from a standard four-year college; and (4) After September 1, 1923, no person shall be allowed to teach in the public high schools of Arkansas who has not had at least two years of normal training work above the four-year high-school course, or its equivalent. It thus becomes clear that, beginning with September, 1923, the Arkansas State Board of Education will need to know what colleges of the State may be considered as standard colleges, in order to ascertain what persons are eligible to teach in the high schools of the State. This situation was presented to a meeting of the college presidents of the State held May 5, 1920. At this conference it was agreed to establish a series of standards by which to determine the standing of the respective colleges in the State and to employ a competent and neutral investigator to conduct a personal inspection of each institution. Accordingly, in September, 1920, Mr. A. B. Hill, of the Arkansas State Department of Education, presented the matter informally to Dr. P. P. Claxton, then United States Commissioner of Education, and requested the  services of the bureau's specialist in higher education. Dr. Claxton very kindly consented. Subsequently, a formal request to the Commissioner of Education, and his reply confirmed the consent which he had given informally to Mr. Hill. Subsequently letters were directed to each of the college presidents, asking them if  an inspection conducted by Dr. Zook, of the United States Bureau of Education, would be agreeable to them. The college presidents cordially confirmed the action of the State superintendent, and definite arrangements were therefore made for the inspection. Dr. Zook has made three visits to the State. During the first visit in December, 1920, he met and discussed the details of the inspection with the college presidents in Little Rock. Afterwards he made a study of the situation at each college, supplementing his personal impressions with extensive data which the college executives were asked to supply. On the basis of this information Dr. Zook has made the accompanying report. Standards for Higher Institutions in Arkansas Adopted by the College Presidents of the State, May 5, 1920, is contained in the appendix. (Contains 8 tables.) [Best copy available is provided.]