Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1920 — COUNTY EDUCATIONAL NOTES. [ARTICLE]

COUNTY EDUCATIONAL NOTES.

The Jasper County Board of Education voted unanimously to fix the minimum wage for class “A” teachers at $3.50 per day. The State Department asks that the minimum wage be $3.92 per day. Benton county voted to pay its beginners the $3.92. It must be understood that the law fixes the minimum at SZ.B3; Counties are beginning to

bid against each other for the inexperienced. Experienced teachers are seeking other fields and can hardly be gotten at the price trustees are able to pay. Undoubtedly it would take no dreamer to judge rather accurately who is paying the price in this underpaid profession. School trustees are bidding against themselves for mere children to teach the on-coming generation its finest lessons in citizenship. With all due respect for the ability of the beginning teacher yet it seems fair to ask a plain question: Are they qaulified to do the biggest job before the American people today? About twenty-five seniors from the various high schools in Jasper county took the teachers’ examination January 31. It is true that none were able to pass the examination but our grading standards must be

lowered if we are to turn this biggest of all jobs to them. Possibly it would not take a dreamer to judge rather accurately who is paying the price when the requirements are lowered. This problem has been agitating the federal authorities to such an extent that legislation from Washington will soon be framed so that teachers can he placed on the government pay roll for a portion of their salaries so that our boys and girls can be educated by a permanent teaching personnel rather than by those who just experiment on our young until they make good and then go on to a betterpaid work. State Superintendent Hines is using every power under his control to awaken the slumbering public to the school situation in Indiana. Last week was Teachers* Week in Indiana. Jasper county was not officially notified to put on the campaign for public enlightenment as the county superintendent was unable on account of sickness to give the matter attention. But at this hour the fair minded person who reads these notes can form a fair and unbiased opinion upon the facts as herein presented.

The fire company was called to the home of Firman Thompson on N. Weston street about four o’clock Friday afternoon. A spark falling on the roof burned a hole about two feet square before the arrival of the fire company. It was the sixth successive fire to originate in such a manner in the city, and it is the belief of Chief Montgomery that the frequent runs of the company is due to the poor quality of coal now 'being mined, there being so much dust in it which stops up the chimneys. Reports indicate that such conditions exist quite generally over the state.