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0 Commonwealth of Kentucky 0
EDUCATIONAL BULLETIN
F:
BONFERENGE OF KENTUCKY SGHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS
“Personnel Administration”
Sponsored by
Kentucky Association of
School Administrators
and
Advisory Council on
Public Education in Kentucky
December 10, 11, 12, 1959
Published by
DEPARTMENT BF EDUCATION
WENDELL P. BUTLER
Superintendent of Public Instruction
ISSUED MONTHLY
Entered as second-class matter March 21, 1933, at the post office at
Frankfort, Kentucky, under the Act of August 24, 1912.
POSTMASTER: SEND NOTICES OF
CHANGES OF ADDRESS 0N FORM 3579
VOL. XXVIII JANUARY, 1960 NO. I
FOREWORD
The annual joint conference of the Advisory Council on Public
Education in Kentucky and the Kentucky Association of School Ad-
ministrators was highlighted by the first major address delivered by
the Honorable Bert Combs following his inauguration on December
8, 1959. This address will, no doubt, go down in the history of public
education in Kentucky as one of the outstanding addresses before a
gathering of public school administrators.
Although the Governor’s address will have great significance for
the future of public education in Kentucky, the outstanding guest con-
sultants and speakers made contributions of equal significance in
treating the conference theme of “Personnel Administration.”
The cooperative planning for the conference guaranteed success
from the beginning, because maximum utilization was made of some
of Kentucky’s outstanding educational leaders in the program assign-
ments.
This educational bulletin contains the texts of the major addresses,
a summary of all of the discussion group reports and other activities
of the conference.
WENDELL P. BUTLER
Superintendent of Pubilc Instruction
TABLE OF CONTENTS
KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
ADDRESS
“The School Administrator—As He Was, Now Is,
And Will Be” ________________________________________ 5
Dr. Finis E. Engleman
Executive Secretary
American Association of School Administrators
CONFERENCE ON PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATION
MEETING OF THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PUBLIC
EDUCATION IN KENTUCKY _______________________ 13
Ted C. Gilbert, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Presiding
REPORT ON ACTIVITIES OF THE COUNCIL—Ted C. Gilbert
ADDRESS
“Some Personnel Considerations Relating to
Quality Education” ___________________________________ 16
Dr. Willard S. Elsbree
Teachers College
Columbia University
ADDRESS
“The Utilization and Compensation of Teaching Personnel” ___ 23
Dr. B. ]. Chandler
Professor of Education
Northwestern University
ADDRESS
Basic Principles of Teacher Retirement _____________________ 31
Aubrey J. Holmes
Executive Secretary
Illinois State Teachers’ Retirement System
Springfield, Illinois
ADDRESS _________________________________________________ 43
Honorable Bert Combs
Governor, Commonwealth of Kentucky
RS
13
16
.31
.43
ADDRESS
“Advances in Education” __________________________________ 47
Dr. Robert R. Martin
Commissioner, Department of Finance
(Former Superintendent of Public Instruction)
“THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM FOR 1960” _________________ 57
ADDRESSES
Wendell P. Butler _______________________________________ 57
Superintendent of Public Instruction, Elect
]'. Marvin Dodson ________________________________________ 58
Executive Secretary
Kentucky Education Association
Mitchell Davis ___________________________________________ 64
Executive Secretary
Kentucky Council for Education
SUMMARY OF REPORTS FROM DISCUSSION GROUPS _____ 69
Earl Adams
Supervisor of Elementary Education
Department of Education
RESOLUTIONS OF THE KENTUCKY ASSOCIATION OF
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ____________________________ 75
COPY OF PROGRAM ______________________________________ 80
LIST OF PERSONS WHO REGISTERED FOR THE
CONFERENCE ___-_________-___, ________________________ 88
DR. FINIS E. ENGLEMAN
Executive Secretary
American Association of School Administrators
Washington D. C.
m
.‘H.
|._ap-—am\4
m
I—JD—loAnn—I
m
THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR
AS HE WAS, NOW IS, AND WILL BE
By
DR. FINIS E. ENGLEMAN
Executive Secretary, American
Association of School Administrators
I address myself to the above topic for the simple reason that it
was assigned to me by your state president. It is his presumption, not
mine, that I have insights into the past as well as into the exciting
and troublesome future and at the same time know the present.
He further threw consternation in my camp by saying I must prepare
a manuscript. This makes for hard work and besides it assures a dry
presentation. Like a good soldier, however, I shall attempt to do his
bidding.
THE ADMINISTRATOR — AS HE WAS — Perhaps if I relate a
personal experience which I believe to have been quite typical of
school administration forty years ago, we can see the school admin-
istrator as he was. In the spring of 1919 I returned to my home in
the country north of Springfield, Missouri, after having spent two
years wearing a Navy pilot’s uniform. Since I enlisted in April of my
senior year in college, I was not yet a college graduate. Within two
hours of the time I reached home, however, the superintendent of
Bolivar, Mo., had me on the phone urging that I accept a position
as teacher of physics and English in his high school. After several
urgent calls from him I reported for duty. During the next two months,
among other extra curricular duties, I worked with the track team.
On the day school closed, Mr. Capps, the superintendent, called me
in and said, “I was elected superintendent at Monett last night, and
I want you to go with me as high school principal.”
“But Mr. Capps”, was my reply, “I don’t know anything about being
a principal.”
“Never mind that,” he said, “if you will go down there and get
control of those big boys who have been at such cross purposes with
the outgoing superintendent and principal, I Will teach you how to
be a principal and manage a school.”
5
“It’s a deal,” said I, and I was off to my first job as an adminis-
trator. Incidentally by running over them on the football field, by
breaking up crap games in the basement with unconcerned casualness,
by organizing a Hi Y, Debating Clubs, and other student interest
groups as well as by coaching the town’s first winning football and
track teams, I did give a type of leadership to the big boys. While this
was taking place, I received daily instruction on high school struc—
ture, organization, curriculum, and administration from that wonder-
ful superintendent. Two years later after I had, during the summers,
completed my Bachelor’s degree, he began grooming me to succeed
him and so at the age of 24 I became superintendent. Mr. Capps
resigned to go to Chicago to work toward his Master’s degree. Few
superintendents in Missouri at that time had graduate work in school
administration although the “Twenties” was a period of great educa-
tional upsurging. Terman, Dewey, Thorndyke, and other great
psychologists were providing evidence as well as instruments in the
field of measurement. For the first time the diversity of learners
became clear. Bobbit, Bonsor, Charters, and others were exciting
educators everywhere relative to a curriculum that would meet the
needs of a greatly more diverse high school enrollment, for the new
objectives as set forth by the then brand new seven cardinal princi-
ples, and for a free society that had fought a war to make the world
safe for democracy. Compulsory education became a reality with all
its problems and implications for administration and —— Strayer, Cub-
berly, Spaulding, Judd, and others established well-organized pro-
grams for school administrators. Superintendents realizing their lack
of training for their new and exciting jobs began to take summer
courses and a few completed their Master’s degrees, but in the
main they were feeling their way, and depending on the professional
authority and technical skill of the professors in the universities, and
they in turn depended too much on administrative patterns suggested
by industry. There were no scholars nor thoroughly professionally
prepared people in the field.
THE ADMINISTRATOR — AS HE IS — The school administrator
today has much more preparation for his job than was true thirty
or forty years ago. His undergraduate schooling is of better quality
and greater depth of scholarship. The 1960 Yearbook will give sta-
tistics to show that the undergraduate who majored in education
had minors in order of rank as follows: behavioral science, history,
mathematics, and English, and with physical education trailing with
a mere 7 percent majoring in this field. Those who minored in
6
iinis~
l, by
lness,
:erest
. and
3 this
:truc-
nder-
mers,
:ceed
Iapps
Few
chool
duca-
great
0 the
.rners
:iting
:t the
new
rinci—
NOI‘ld
th all
Cub-
pro-
' lack
mmer
1 the
sional
:, and
gested
)nally
trator
thirty
uality
e sta-
cation
Lstory,
; with
ed in
education had majors in rank order as follows: history, science, mathe-
matics, and English. The critics who say the school admistrator is
not liberally educated simply doesn’t know the facts. Few chief
administrators are without Master’s degrees and more than 40 percent
have two years or more of graduate work. For example, a recent
survey shows that 95% of all urban superintendents hold at least one
advanced degree. Twenty-one percent of this group hold the doc-
torate. F orty-two percent of superintendents in cities of over thirty
thousand population hold either a doctor of education or doctor of
philosophy degree. The superintendent with an earned doctorate is
not an uncommon phenomena in 1959.
Possibly of still greater significance he can be characterized as
being on the march with a courageous determination to lift the pro-
fession of school administration to a status position consistent with
its responsibilities and professional complexities. Since ten years ago
when Henry Hill, Herold Hunt, Worth McClure, and other men of
vision approached the W. K. Kellogg Foundation for funds to study
ways and means of improving the profession, there has been an up—
surge of enthusiastic determination to upgrade the school adminis-
trator, as has been true in the teaching profession generally. The
over—all effects for upgrading sponsored by the National Commission
on Teacher Education and Professional Standards is the professional
phenomena of our times. Never in our history have so many univer-
sities, state departments, and leaders in the field joined hands so
enthusiastically to carry on research, to improve both in-service and
pre-service programs, to raise certification requirements, and to im—
prove more rigid selection standards of both teachers and adminis-
trators. Hardly a county in America has been without the influence of
the CPEA Project and the TEPS Commission. Of course, the upswell
of this almost universal determination to improve school administra-
tion was reflected in the action taken by the members of AASA in
setting a two—year graduate requirement for new members after
1964. Their vote was without precedent and threw new and weighty
responsibilities on the officers and staff of AASA. Many of us soon
realized that we “had a bear by the tail.” It is abundantly imperative
that the total membership is needed in studying the problems, making
plans for still closer cooperation between universities preparing ad-
ministrators, state departments, and the practicing administrators in
the field. How can better financial support be gotten for the in-
service and pre-service curricula? How can better curriculum pat-
terns and services be developed at the universities and colleges? How
7
Can recruitment and selection be carried on and by whom? How can
the process of accreditation be administered so as to protect the
strong university program, improve the curriculum and facilities of
the mediocre and weed out the very weak? How can certification
be brought in tune with new programs? How can boards of education
help further the whole movement of higher standards? These are the
questions that must be answered, and well. These and other issues
and problems must be cooperatively attacked in every state and
region. The AASA Executive Committee submitted a new proposal
last summer to the Kellogg Foundation for further assistance. A grant
was received recently for $347,000 to promote this program. The
Committee for the Advancement of School Administration will use
these funds, under the supervision of the Executive Committee, to
help state associations and others to develop plans, hold conferences,
outline proposals, and get on with the job of finding solutions to
questions such as those just raised. AASA too is appropriating funds
to give further aid, particularly to the National Council for the Ac-
creditation of Teacher Education which has been designated by the
Executive Committee as the appropriate accrediting body. So the
administrator today is on the march — in fact he is doing double time,
and with courageous determination and a renewed pride in his pro-
fession. The school administrator in my opinion is on the threshold
of a major breakthrough. He is about to stop apologizing for his
status. He is gaining in confidence, courage, and pride in his work.
Still retaining his humbleness of spirit he is at the point of expressing
vigorous righteous indignation for those who would continue to try
to humiliate and misrepresent his role and his motives. He knows
that he has turned his cheek once too many times. Fires can and
will be put out by vigorous fire fighting tactics and those who would
commit arson to the public schools will be caught up by the nape
of the neck and exposed for what they are. Have you observed that
the most violent criticism of the public school is often directed at its
success, not its failure?
One more observation about the administrator as he is. He is
over-burdened, ‘his problems are almost insurmountable. Education
like the world is in revolution and travail. Curricula needs revision,
building shortages mount, school populations are exploding, teachers
are scarce, and the necessary money simply isn’t in sight. And the
unfriendly critics haven’t let up much. Still, the superintendent is
today the leader of his profession and of his community. Only in
isolated instances is he retreating. But because he has courageously
8
his
)I'k.
ing
)ws
1nd
uld
ape
:hat
: its
stood firm ‘he is, too frequently, summarily dismissed by an ignorant
board or a board influenced unduly by evil and anti-social forces
in the community. Today one of the great tragedies in education
is the insecure position of the one professional who needs it most, the
school administrator. Too many good ones are “walking the plank,”
but others are holding courageously to the tiller. These brave SOulS
refuse to shudder at being called educationist, and they refuse to
take orders from landlubbers who never sailed the seas but would
pose as authorities on both storm and tide. Even now an admiral who
never commanded a ship on the ‘high seas has suddenly become an
expert and self-appointed National Savior on another ocean which he
has never sailed. But let us leave the present and have a look at
the future.
THE ADMINISTRATOR —— AS HE WILL BE —— I am enthusiastic
in my conviction that America will persist in holding to her values of
freedom, respect for the individual, equal opportunity for all, and
those basic .tenants fOund in the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and
other great documents which set forth our beliefs as a free, self-
governing people. I believe that the work of the teacher and adminis-
trator in the past half century deserves much of the credit. I further
believe that the battle to maintain them will, in some respects, be
harder in the future than in the .past. I believe, therefore, that the
public schools must be preserved as the foundation and that they
must be strengthened mightily else they will fail. In other words,
the schools the administrator directs are the hope of our country. The
responsibility he assumes therefore is a grave one indeed. His cour-
age and I hope his competence for meeting this challenge, I believe,
will be adequate. He will be carefully recruited and selected. His
academic and professional preparation will be long and compre-
hensive. His complex professional competence will give him more
security and his increased power to achieve professional success will
bring satisfaction and high morale. As a recognized authority and
excellently trained professional leader the conflicting role patterns
now so often prevalent will tend to disappear. 'Since he will have
this added stature both the board of education and his professional
colleagues will accept his leadership and know that his professional
preparation and his ethics demand that his first obligation be to the
educational welfare of all pupils. Thus his decisions will be judged
not by whether he is an agent of the board or a representative of the
staff but as a superior, competent, professional administrator of a
sound and adequate education program. If he can demonstrate that
9
he respects his colleagues and appreciates their complex tasks, if he
stands clearly as one who has studied deeply the cultural heritage and
is a student of contemporary society, if he can demonstrate broad
understanding of human growth and learning, if he knows what
knowledge and what educational experiences are needed by the di-
verse pupil population, he will have risen above being a mere agent
of anybody.
The operation of a modern school system is a complicated, com-
plex, and intricate affair requiring participation in more or less degree
by all professional personnel. In the larger school system the necessity
of having a team of administrators or leaders with the superintendent
as the chief executive or head leader and coordinator is a necessary
organizational structure. The successful superintendent serves as the
quarterback of a staff—teacher team. Sometimes he runs with the ball,
sometimes he blocks for others; at other times he may be a line backer
or a lone safety, and his signals are called in “huddle” where his col—
leagues may question his judgment or he can seek advice before the
new play gets under way.
Furthermore, he is an influencer of actions and decisions of others.
His personality, his professional competence, and his downright de-
votion to education affects in one way or another the behavior and
attitudes of many others. Thus his leadership helps others to con-
tribute maximally to the educational enterprise, since it is others who
actually do the thousands of specialized tasks in the educational enter-
prise. He works with and energizes action on the part of citizens
who pay the bills. He counsels and gives guidance to the board as
it makes policy and approves programs. He gives encouragements
to, opens doors for, and receives advice from his professional col-
leagues. Above all else he finds ways to build morale of the staff.
Since morale rests primarily on satisfaction derived from one’s own
work, his attention is ever centered on the professional successes and
day—'by-day achievements of his colleagues. The more technical the
task, the more democratic the climate, the more complex the pro-
fessional role, the greater the need for occupational satisfaction on
the part of the worker, or colleague.
Since teaching is a profession, each specialized classroom teacher,
each subject specialist, as well as those designated with administra-
tive titles, are in fact, leaders in their area of the educational pro-
gram. As independent professional judgment makers, as competent
determiners of their sphere of operations, they cannot be authorita-
10‘
1nd
)ad
hat
;ent
3m—
gree
sity
lent
;ary
the
)all,
:ker
col-
the
1ers.
de-
and
3011-
who
1ter—
zens
d as
ents
col-
taff.
own
and
the
pro-
1 on
:her,
stra-
pro—
etent
)rita-
tively or dogmatically directed by administrators. Neither can outside
goals and standards not consistent with their skills and purposes be
successfully required by administrators or board. Thus, the adminis-
trator should shun overt executive direction. Rather he should help,
guide, lead, and clear the way. In those cases where the administrative
staff member or the teacher is inadequately trained and cannot as-
sume professional status, the administrator’s role naturally must turn
to that of being understanding supervisor and teacher. The wise
administrator, whether he be principal, assistant principal, deputy
superintendent, business official, or superintendent uses his most
considered professional judgment to keep his professional role from
conflicting with the rightful professional role and prerogatives of his
colleagues in the classroom. On the other hand, he should never
shun his responsibility to make decisions; neither should he assign
unpleasant tasks or decisions to others when they are rightfully his
to make. Committees cannot be delegated his responsibilities in areas
that are hot.
Over-all views and over-all administrative operation based on
an understanding of relative service values are doubly necessary else
the specialists skew the operation unduly in the direction of particular
specialists’ interests and aptitudes. All this leads to the theory of
school administration to which I adhere; i.e., Authority should be a
very secondary aspect of administration, or of teaching either, for
that matter. Decisions should be arrived at in the light of all possible
evidence and expert opinion. Responsibility for over-all decisions in
school administration, however, must rest with a single head, the
superintendent.
I trust too that he will be able to face the great issues which
confront our society and courageously give direction to their solu-
tions. If he is adequate for these things his role will assume pro-
portions that will demand recognition and respect from both board
and colleagues and guarantee security.
At the present time our own generation faces some great prob-
lems and issues. The superintendent of tomorrow will, I trust, be ade—
quate to face these problems and issues, and his stature, dedication,
and comprehensive training will sustain the leadership America needs
for their sound solution. Let me list a few:
I wish I might have time to discuss about a dozen issues or
problems which I think the school administrator must help the
American people understand and resolve . . . Time permits only two.
11
* and the political and social values which undergird it. Today the
ancient philosophical debate which started in Europe and took, posi-
tive new form at the time our nation was founded is again in full
fury. Not since Hamilton have there been so many American voices
to support him. The very values and confidence America has always
placed on the individual, his potentials, and his worth are under
1; attack. The voices of Jefferson, of Jackson, of Lincoln, and of Wilson
i should be the voices of the school administrator. These are the voices
; not only Americans like to hear, but also the struggling men of all
i nations. If we ever reject the belief in an education that serves and
l stretches the potentials of all children, if we retreat from our belief
in equal opportunities, and if we ever conclude the “common man” is a
second class school citizen, then educational leadership has surrendered
to those who would return to the concept of “the Chosen Few.” Some—
times the form of this debate is practical action on the school program
which destroys values without appearing to do so. Sometimes it is
related to economy, sometimes it is a course of least resistance. Of
course, it is often backed by an outmoded psychology which preaches
toughness, the minimum memory essentials, and the like which violates
all we know about learning and human development yet seems wise
in the face of criticism.
1
If The first I shall mention is related directly to America’s history
I
l
The second issue or problem is that of helping our citizens to
i: understand the nature and character of this changing world, and the
‘y importance of public education as means of mastering it and bringing
‘ national strength. Somehow the American people must be made
. sensitive to the need for more and better education for both domestic
{A and international reasons. On the international scene we, in my
l judgment, are in grave danger, not from atomic attack for I believe
" that all intelligent people believe that to be suicide for either partici—
pant, but on the economic, diplomatic, cultural and philosophical
fronts. The Communist world for years has stated their objectives
and the ways they will attain them. They believe in the power of
education and are throwing huge resources to the support of schools.
America must likewise recognize that our safety, our future, lies in
our hurried development of our human resources through education.
There is a need for urgency and haste. Time for us is running out.
The times are breathtaking if not downright frightening. Let us
not retreat from the goals we know to be right. The American dream
has been proved sound. The future asks that school administrators
help make it a reality.
12
tory
the
)osi-
full
dces
vays
ider
lson
)ices
1? all
and
elief
' is a
ered
)me—
gram
it is
e. Of
Lches
‘lates
wise
is to
1 the
iging
nade
lestic
1 my
alieve
1rtici-
)hical
:tives
'er of
[10015.
ies in
ation.
)ut.
let us
lream
rators
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON PUBLIC EDUCATION
IN KENTUCKY
By
TED C. GILBERT, Chairman
The Advisory Council on Public Education in Kentucky was
established by State Board of Education Regulation N0. 70 adopted
by the State Board on March 27, 1956. This regulation is in accord-
ance with the provisions of KBS 156.190 and 64.600.
Original membership included all local school superintendents
with the Superintendent of Public Instruction serving as Chairman.
James L. Sublett and I, Assistant Superintendents of Public
Instruction, have served as Secretary to the Council.
Functions of the Council were intended to be advisory in nature,
but also considered to be a part of the duties and responsibilities of
all local superintendents.
The committees of the Council are as follows:
I Standing Committees
Executive Committee
Legislative
Committee for Evaluation of the Foundation Program
Civil Defense
Committee on Professional Ethics
Property UtiliZation
School Lunch Committee
megwewwe
i—(
H
pecial Committees
Committee on Bond Issues for Schoolhouse Construction
Committee on Pupil Transportation Formula
Committee for School Bus Purchases
Committee on Pipeline Franchises
ewwe
This is the sixth general meeting including the fourth annual
December meeting and the second April meeting.
Some of the outstanding contributions of the Council certainly
would include:
1. The cooperative spirit of interdependency created among
the Superintendent of Public Instruction, his staff, and local school
administrators in Kentucky.
13
2. The planting of the original seeds which are presently hear-
ing fruit in the form of most of the points in our Legislative Program
for 1960.
3. The adoption of a Code of Professional Ethics for the local
school superintendency in Kentucky.
4. The “grass root” understanding and broad participation in
the formulation of many regulations of the State Board of Education
and statutes of the Commonwealth.
5. The new proposed pupil transportation formula.
6. The Executive Committee served as a reviewing and ad-
visory body in the re-codification and State Board of Education
regulations under the direction of Gordie Young, who served as a
consultant to Dr. Martin.
7. The Executive Committee also worked closely in the de-
velopment of revised specifications for school building construction.
8. The Advisory Council has co-sponsored four outstanding
educational conferences here in Louisville during December of 1956,
1957, 1958, and now in 1959. We have treated such conference
themes as: (1) School Law; (2) School Plant Maintenance, Opera-
tions, and Insurance; (3) Curriculum in the Space Age; (4) and, now,
Personnel Administration.
9. The economies effected by the cooperative school bus pur-
chases alone have resulted in savings of more than $200,000 to the
taxpayers of the Commonwealth in only two years of operations.
10. The committees on School Lunch, Civil Defense, and
Property Utilization have furnished excellent advisory assistance
to these respective Divisions of the Department of Education.
1. All in all, the Advisory Committees have truly broadened
the scope of public school administration in Kentucky, and I know,
personally, Dr. Robert R. Martin has appreciated and also utilized
the excellent results you have achieved.
We have had a total of 37 committee meetings with a total
attendance of approximately 785 administrators not including .,
attendance at the annual conferences.
14:
ear—
ram
ocal
1 in
,tion
ad-
Ltion
as a
de—
tion.
ding
L956,
ence
gera-
now,
pur-
) the
:ions.
and
fiance
xened
'now,
ilized
total
.1ding 1
DR. WILLARD S. ELSBREE
Teachers College
Columbia University
New York, New York
15
SOME PERSONNEL CONSIDERATIONS
RELATING TO QUALITY EDUCATION
by
DR. WILLARD s. ELSBREE
Teachers College
i Columbia University
Today to a greater degree than any time during this century,
there appears to be an emphasis on quality education. This is re-
flected in editorials in the press, in the speeches made by both
‘. friends and foes of the public schools and in the concerns evidenced
E by those who control school budgets. For the first time in history
; certain communities reputed to be in the forefront of American
‘ school systems have had their budgets turned down and now stand
in danger of losing the favorable position, prestigewise, which they
have heretofore enjoyed.
Some of the criticism directed against the schools is, of course,
unwarranted and stems from both ignorance and prejudice. But
justified or not, it has aroused us to a consciousness of the importance
of keeping our house in order and it has focused our attention
3 upon the quality of our teaching staffs. For it requires little argu-
’ ment with any group of school administrators to persuade them of
the relationship of good teachers to quality education. I spent
two days in October Visiting schools in a large rural county in Mary-
land. I was accompanied by the Superintendent of schools and
we were observing instruction in rooms where we had visited just
one year previously. Now it will not surprise any of you that we
were continually reminded of the fact that wherever you found
i a quality job being done, you found a competent and alert teacher
: in full command of her class. Whatever else we do, whether it
" be the installation of modern teaching devices or the reduction
of class size to the limit proposed by the most visionary educators
to be found anywhere, we will never achieve quality until we have
talented teachers in the classroom.
If the foregoing thesis is sound, our only hope of approaching
the millennium is to establish the conditions which promise best
to identify, attract, retain and motivate gifted teachers. The task
16
as
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is almost insuperable, but these are some steps which if taken would
constitute a beginning and greatly improve the local school system’s
program. I shall discuss a few of these.
First of all we must face the fact that a stream never rises
higher than its source, and the quality of the young men and women
who are encouraged to enter teaching determines the character
of the school’s product. It is obvious that current efforts to recruit
are inadequate; moreover it is not enough merely to balance nu-
merical demand with supply. If we are