ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PREPARATION.

Diagram 9 discloses that 4 per cent of the teachers have less than eight years of schooling, i. e., they have completed less than the traditional elementary school. In some States, unfortunately, there is no academic standard of requirements aside from ability to pass an examination before a local county superintendent or other supervising official. As a result many half-taught young people, with little or no professional attainments, having but slight comprehension of the needs of country life, hold places in the schools and keep down the standards of efficiency. The North Central States have the best record in this respect, only 1.2 per cent of the teachers reporting less than eight years in the elementary schools. The

DIAGRAM 8.-Teacher experience by geographical divisions.

South Central States, on the other hand, make the poorest showing, with 11.2 per cent.

In order to grasp fully the startling inefficiency of many of the teachers in an academic way, one needs only to take a glance at a few of the letters received, two of which are reproduced below without alteration as to composition, spelling, thought, etc. The first was received from a young man in Florida who has been struggling upward and trying to make headway against almost insuperable difficulties. He writes a pathetic letter, that at the same time shows an amazing degree of unpreparedness for the task of his life-calling:

I spent 12 months in Rocky spring School when A child 10 years old 6 months in the Fla. Inst. when I was 19 years old This is All I have ben except taking a corse through the mail

P. S. Please excuse this As my hand is a little hurt, I havent any farther to help me. and I had to take care of a mother and grandmother all my life, Though I entend to be a man some day, If you can help me to success I will be very thankful and will do what ever is in my part are is required of me to do.

This brief statement comes from a Georgia teacher, who has spent many years in the service:

I am single, 64 years old and have taught 20 years. Most of my trayning under a Governest. Some of my schools 6 months some 8 months. I allways give Good Results to my Patrons. I Teach all of the Grades to 7th.

ACADEMIC PREPARATION ABOVE THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

It is needless to say that every teacher, even in the poorest communities, should be able to write an intelligent letter, having due

regard for thought, spelling, capitalization, etc. Yet surprisingly large numbers of the teachers made little better showing than the two

quoted above.

In general, no teacher should be permitted to teach in the schools who has not completed a high-school course or its equivalent. Without such preparation the teacher can not have the necessary reserve store of information to draw

DIAGRAM 10.-Percentage of rural teachers having had less than from as occasion may

eight grades of elementary school preparation.

demand; he is in con

stant danger of getting into ruts; and his educational vision becomes hopelessly narrowed and indistinct.

The investigation shows that 1,343, or 45 per cent, of the teachers have completed a four-year high-school course. Of the rest, 943 have spent some time in high-school attendance, 99 have completed full courses at normal schools, and 671 have had partial courses in these schools. Finally, 183 have completed full university or college courses, leading to bachelors' degrees, and 289 have taken partial

courses.

These figures are encouraging. Moreover, recent school legislation on teacher certification, would indicate that academic minimum requirements are being uniformly raised. Very soon, probably, most of the States will have set their standard at a four-year high

school minimum. Many States have already attained this desideratum, and others are striving toward it step by step.

PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION OF RURAL TEACHERS.

Diagram 12 shows the startling fact that 950 of the teachers, or about 32.3 per cent, have had no professional preparation whatever for their work. This poor showing is in spite of the fact that the term "professional preparation" has been interpreted in the present

DIAGRAM 11.-Academic preparation of rural teachers above the elementary school.

study in a most liberal way. Under this head have been included not only regular courses in normal schools, schools of education in colleges and universities, professional courses in agricultural colleges, and high-school training courses, but also summer courses and other short courses in reputable institutions. Short-time teachers' institutes and superficial review courses only have been excluded from the count.

The Western States stand first, with only 22.9 per cent not professionally prepared. The North Central States come next, with 24.5

per cent. The South Atlantic and South Central States show. respectively, 39.6 per cent and 42.9 per cent.

WHERE THE PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION WAS ATTAINED.

Out of the total 2,941 teachers, 96 have complete normal school courses to their credit, and 82 others have taken partial courses

DIAGRAM 12.-Professional preparation of rural teachers, by geographical divisions.

in normal schools. This shows conclusively that the normal schools have in the past supplied surprisingly few professionally prepared rural teachers from their regular courses. Large numbers of

67.7 Per Cent
Have Some

Professional Preparation.

3233 Per Gut
Have na

Professional Preparation

DIAGRAM 13.-One-third of all rural teachers have no professional

preparation.

rural teachers have been attending these schools for special summer courses, however, and, as will appear below, many of the normal schools are just beginning to organize special departments for rural teachers.

Professional courses in schools of education in colleges and universities have been completed by 73 teachers. Only 8 have pursued full pedagogical courses in agricultural colleges, and 27 have taken partial courses.

A larger number are graduates from high-school teacher-training courses and and county training courses-202 report graduation from the former, a majority of these being from New York, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Kansas, and 457 have