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the high standard it deserves; and because we have in our ranks too many who are 'keeping school' instead of teaching." "Those who make no special preparation for teaching are now overpaid usually, but those who are genuine teachers and whose hearts are in the work, and have the true professional spirit, are everywhere underpaid." "Capable teachers are underpaid; poor teachers are overpaid. The question of most importance is, How shall we get TEACHERS?” "The main trouble is with the degree of skill and ability in the teachers themselves."

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3. The fault is with the public.

"The people do not understand the amout of work necessary to prepare one properly for teaching, and the amount of skill, talent, and devotion that ought to be put into the work." "Because people do not realize that the demands upon the teacher are very numerous, such as the cost of education in the first place, professional library, teachers' institutes, educational journals, summer schools, travel, charity, church interests, a little better clothing than the shop girl, who often is better paid than the teacher." "Failure to appreciate the teacher. Many people think that the teacher is receiving too much now." "Public opinion is not in favor of better wages, owing to a general ignorance on the part of the public concerning

the real work and worth of a teacher." "The public in general think teaching is easy work because there is so little manual labor connected with it. Many people think there is but one way to work, their way, probably with the hands." "The public is responsible for it. It is a mistaken idea of the public generally that the teacher has little or nothing to do, has short hours, works but five short days a week, and but twenty short days a month, and that any one with an ordinary education is qualified to teach." "People do not recognize the profession as being the noble one it is." "The public in general do not understand how much time and hard work is required to fit one for teaching." "Because the public do not discriminate between good teaching and poor teaching." "Because the public are not aware of the importance of good teaching." "The people do not understand the teacher's work." "Because of a want of appreciation of the value of the services of a true teacher on the part of patron and tax-payer.” "Because of a false idea of economy. People should be better educated in political economy, and they would then realize that it is poor economy to stint the schools, spend money lavishly on jails, and other public buildings except school houses, on the prosecution of criminals, etc. Public funds are usually spent recklessly on every

they believe ought to be paid. The rapid depreciation of the value of lands and other realty has so reduced the tax duplicate that the full limit of the law will not raise sufficient funds." "Because of the squabble this country has got into over the money question. The farmer sees that his products do not bring more than half the prices they did a few years ago, and he thinks that the teacher should receive only about half what he did formerly. With him it must be a horizontal reduction. Settle the money question and the salaries of teachers will be adjusted accord

thing but the school teacher.
Even on school buildings, school
repairs, and apparatus, money is
often wasted that would do more
good if put into the salaries of
competent teachers." "Before
teachers can command the salary
the profession deserves, public sen-
timent must be brought to recog-
nize the importance of education.
To do this is the duty not only of
the teacher, but of the pulpit and
of the press." "Because people
have yet to realize the fact that ed-
ucation is the prime factor in a
nation's civilization and prosper-
ity, and that education is a better
safe-guard to liberty than a stand-ingly."
ing army."

4. The fault is with the hard times and a shortage in the finances.

"Because Boards of Education are frequently so situated that they can pay no more." "The chief reason in the rural districts is found in the fact that Boards can not pay

more

the tax duplicate is too small. In the majority of country districts in this section (eastern Ohio) the Boards of Education levy the full limit of the law, and then can not raise more than from $200 to $225. The right to create special districts has practically ruined many rural schools that otherwise depended upon the more wealthy sections or centers of the township for their support." "Because Boards of Education in rural districts in particular are often powerless to pay the salaries

5. The fault is with the low standard of qualifications required.

"Teachers are underpaid, because many are admitted who should not be. Wages are thus lowered by incompetent competition, then stay down because for the money paid good teachers will not remain long in the profession. Thus we see that the salary question has much to do with the question of professional qualification. "Because of the large number of applicants for schools. Too many teachers are licensed." "Most good teachers who are underpaid are underpaid because they must compete with those who are not qualified to teach." "Competent teachers are underpaid because they must work in the ranks with those who take up the work for a short time only and are will

ing to cut prices, and thus cheapen the work." "In most cases teachers are underpaid. The chief reason is found in the crowded condition of the profession and the inability of Boards and public to judge between good teaching and bad teaching." "Because too many crowd the teachers' ranks who would make better success in other business." "A comparatively poor standard is set up as the minimum of preparation and skill. In other professions and in all trades increase in skill brings increase in wages, and so it should be with the teacher." "Because young people get the idea that it is an easy matter to teach school, that any high school graduate ought to be able to get a certificate to teach, that money is thus earned easily, and hence they decide to enter the profession, socalled, for this reason. This lowers the standard in the estimation of the public." "Because too many teach only to earn a little 'pinmoney' hence, the supply is greater than the demand and the supply is often a poor article." "Because teachers have not a sufficiently high ideal of what the teacher should be." "Because the public feel justified in saying, O he is only a poor school teacher." "Because the profession is overcrowded, owing to the ease with which it may be entered." "Because the bars of admission to the profession of teaching are so low

that those are admitted to its lower grades who have no more preparation than the common school course affords and that frequently means no course at all in the rural schools. With such preparation the salaries are already sufficiently large."

"Because the educational test is not high enough, and too much bad material is licensed." "When the test is sufficiently high and the people more particular teachers will not be underpaid." "Because too many are teachers whom Nature meant to be hod-carriers and dish-washers."

Summary. The five classes of reasons given above may be briefly summarized as follows: In point of numbers of answers assigned to each of the five reasons, I have estimated that forty-five per cent of the answers lay the blame at the door of the teacher, twenty-five per cent to the low standard of qualifications required of teachers, twenty per cent to public opinion, seven per cent to Boards of Education, and the remaining three per cent to hard times and lack of funds. But let us inquire into the meaning of this. Who determines the standard of qualifications for admission to the profession? Are not teachers usually the examiners of teachers? Can not teachers secure legislation governing the standard of admission? Have they not done so? Do you often hear of the majority of teachers in the

city or country appealing to Boards of Examiners to raise the standard of qualifications? Let the county, city, and state examiners of this country testify as to the demands of teachers in this direction and as to the appeals and petitions of teachers to reduce the standard at least the intellectual standard. Then again: who molds public opinion? Does the teacher expect some one else to create a public sentiment that shall demand better things of the teachers and for the teachers?

Does

the man who has wares to sell expect some one else to advertise his goods for him? Does he sit down and wait for trade, or does he go

after it? The percentages given above must be borne in mind in discussing these answers, since the number of answers I have quoted is not in proportion to the percentages. I simply wished to give the representative answers under each class. It seems to me that ninety per cent of the answers, as represented by the first three numbers above,

lays the responsibility largely upon the shoulders of the teacher.

A large number of answers submitted were simply efforts to prove that teachers are underpaid, rather than reasons for that state of affairs or causes producing low

wages.

THE "SMART" HIGH SCHOOL PUPIL.

BY B. A. FACT, Ph. D.

Parent. My boy is like me. I never had to study my lesson at home; just picked it up at school.

Teacher. Yes, and he will meet with your kind of success.

P. Why, Skim is "smart"; - he learns without studying.

T. Yes. But "smart" people never meet with success. The smartest pup-pup— pupil (excuse me for stuttering) in your class and mine made the greatest failure.

P. But my child gets good grades.

T. Grades have little to do with future success. I could not wish your boy a greater misfortune than that he be able to get "good grades" without studying. Find out whether or not he studies: it is not so much difference about his grades.

P. Well, Skim never falls below 70 in any branch.

T. If he is "smart" he should never fall below 95. You do not know what a good grade is. Anything below 95 is a failure for your child if he is "smart"; yet you are satisfied with 70.

P. I have not seen his report card, but he tells me he is all right and above 70.

T. No. Most parents think all grades on a report card are good. But few see the card even when they look at it. You are calling his card good and the fact is, it is a failure.

P. My child gets as good grades as Nancy Slow who studies every evening.

T. But there will be a difference in the results. Nancy's studious habits will win her success; while the idle, time-killing habit of your boy will make him a brilliant nonentity. Take him out of school and put him at work if he does not study in the evening.

P. But Skim says he can get his lessons at school.

T. And you believe him. That is where the trouble lies. He wants a 70-percent Diploma. After he gets this deceptive thing, watch him sit around town some years "waiting for something to turn up." P. What should I do to help him after he is graduated?

T. Die. Throw him upon his own responsibility. This is heroic. treatment (for you) but it is the only way to redeem him. Before he starves, he will begin at the bottom at $2 a week and learn how to work. He has been toying along on 70percent in the High School when he should have been earning 95, until he is "above work." He has

wasted all the time he has given to the High School. What little he knows has been absorbed and it will evaporate as soon as he leaves school.

P. I find that my boy's education is not practical.

T. No, your boy's education is nothing. He hasn't any. He can do nothing outside of class and never will until you get him to work. Do not ask him whether or not he can get his lesson at school. Make him study two hours every evening. If he runs out of work, ask his teacher to give him more. Do not ask him what he should study at home, ask his teacher.

P. The school is not what it used to be for my child can not even spell and cipher.

T. You are mistaken. Fourfifths of the pupils are diligent students and far superior in scholarship to those of your day. The average child is as well educated now at fourteen as you were at eighteen. You are judging all by yours. Skim does not study any and just knows enough to filch 70 percent from other pupils and get a 70-percent Diploma. He spends his evenings on the streets, or playing pins at the candy-shops, or losing his character; and his days in trying to pick up 70 percent at school. He is very much amused by the vulgar constructions he puts upon his teacher's questions, at the method by which he secures his 70

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