The New School Law

Many good results are expected f ron the recent changos in the luw, about to go into effect, in regard to exaniining and lieensing teacher. ïhose best acquainted with the needs and condiüoi of the schools, and especially the dis trict schools, will hail with pleasure system whirh promises bet! er resulta for the outlay of monej for public education. The system ot township examination and supervisión which was expected to reuaedy the faults of the county superintendency has not folfllled the expectations of its advocates. Under it, according to a high authority, the average qualilica tions of district school teachers have been lowered over 25 per cent, ani those schools have deteriorated in pro portion. Kspecially has tliis been Uit case in the newly settled counties In the older parts of the state, and ii this country, thoseselected as townshl] superintendents liave been almost uni formly well qualified in their discharge but the taalt was in the systein, ii that it was not adapteil to the state aa ;t whole. And where competent supei ititendents were to be liad the town sliip unit w;us too small to insure the undlvided attention which educationa subjects detnand. It will probabl; take a number of years of hard woik to regain the lost ground. Every ei' fort should be made to reestablish the district schools upon at least as higl a plañe as they occupied six years ugo and then to furtliur improve thetn Soine of the needed changos which the county board of examinéis may accoin plish are the followiug: 1. Ilaising the standard of teachers qualilications, and, con .ijiuntly, theil 2. Creating a demand for only the best teachers, and their supply. 3. l'roviding better means for com nuinieation between the state superin tendent and the district boards. These results the board can bring about, and indirectly much more cai be done in the line of improveinent I believe the following points wil characterize the schools of Allegan county under a wise use ot the intfu ence which the examining board maj exert: 1. A uniformity of text-books throughout the county. 2. Some system of grading country schools and inaking tliein preparaton to the village high-schools. More permanency in teachers' posi tions. 4. Pride on the part of teachers n their professiou and greater ambition to excel. 5. Better attendance of teachers at in stitutes. This is the line of progress. Educators are pressing these points, the best interests of teachers and the people de mand it, and they rnust not be lost sightof. In regard to the examination ol teachers, such questions should be proposed as will test the applicant's knowledge of the principies of teaching as well is knowledge of the subjects to be taught - what is known of means and inethods, as well as matter. Satisfactory and scholarly answers to from 75 to 80 per cent of questions of that charactor would enlitle the applicant to a license, and be privately marked by the board a "medium" teacher; for 80 to 90 per cent, a "good" teacher; and froin 90 t 100 per cent, an "excellent" teacher, as far as theory is conj cerned. Then, if a careful record of ach teacher's practical wenk in the chool room, complied froin blanke lied out ly the local school boards, yert at hand, the sren-tary OÍ the ia id of examiuers could speak definí tey of any teácher's qmliíications. Weshall watch witb interest ttia