merit, thorough knowledge of the com
mon school branches has not been ob
tained. As a consequence, while our pu
pils in the common schools secure a
smattering of music, drawing, physiolo
gy, ect., they get nothing like a
sound, thorough knowledge, even of
elements of arithmatic, reading and
english grammar. This deficiency in
the elementary branches cripples the
work of all higher institutions of learn
ing and makes it necessary for them to
maintain departments for doing the very
work the common schools were intend
ed to do. Nothing better need be ex
pected until the teacher is more- thor
oughly educated himself, and the first
duty of every common school be, now
and always, to give a sound elementary
education to all its pupils.
Just how to secure thoroughly com
petent teachers is not an easy problem
to solve. The following, suggestions
would, it seems to the writer, tend to
bring about such a result:
i. Put a premium on broad, com
prehensive scholarship by admitting to
all the privileges of the profession of
teaching those who have graduated in a
four years college course. At present
college graduates may be elected as
professors in Normal schools or as
county superintendents, but.if they wish
to teach the most insignificant common
school in the state they must first sub-
mit to an examination, in nine cases out
of ten, conducted by one who is far in-
THE FREE LANCE.
ferior to them in intellectual attainment
and in qualification, for teaching. All
that is necessary now to have full and
permanent right to teach in any public
school of the .state is to produce a di
ploma from a Normal school. It may
indicate only a few months of applica
tion and study, but .the owner of the
diploma has associated with the profes
sion, has breathed the air of superficial
attainments and he is therefore fully
equipped to enter any school room and
instruct the youth of the state.
2. Establish a chair of pedagogics
in all our colleges and wherever practi
cable secure aid from the state to found
libraries well supplied with such litera
ture as will be most useful to teachers.
3. Organize a summer school or
two in the state where teachers who
cannot possibly attend college and yet
desire to increase their knowledge of
the different sciences and arts may ob
tain the benefit of lectures and that
guidance which can be given by taking
with such instruction a .course in read
ing and study prescribed byithe college
authorities.
4. If Normal schools are not en
tirely abolished—lay down a uniform
standard of admission and make quality
and not number of graduates the aim
of their existence and the mark of their
success.
5. Restrict the Normal diploma
and make it serviceable only for certain
grades and then lay special stress on
preparing for this special work.