\ B 1776 S5 920 opy 1 rHE PRESENT STATUS OF RURAL TEACHERS IN THE SOUTH BY LAWRENCE ALEXANDER SHARP, Ph. D. GEORGE PEABODY COLLEGE FORTEACHERS CONTRIBUTIONS TO EDUCATION NUMBER TWO - 29 30 11 32 33 Fig. 2 CHAPTER I the present status of rural teachers in the south in regard to tenure Introduction Any discussion of the status of rural teachers in the South as a whole is more or less incomplete and fragmen- tary. The data necessary for a thorough analysis and an exact presentation of actual conditions are not available; they do not exist. Only four or five states have made sur- veys of their rural teachers, and those that have made sur- veys have not obtained all the data that bear on the status of rural teachers. Some states have collected facts re- garding certain things and other states facts on entirely different items. This fragmentary mass of data will make it more or less impossible to make comparisons that are sound. There have been a number of county surveys made which present more fully the true conditions of rural teachers than do the state surveys. But none of the county surveys has covered all the items to be presented in this chapter. Taking all the data obtainable from any and every source, State Superintendents' Reports, County Su- perintendents' Reports, State School Surveys, County School Surveys, County Rural Surveys, Bulletins published by the United States Bureau of Education, and from ques- tionnaires sent to 3,226 rural teachers in the sixteen South- ern States, there are probably enough data obtainable to be indicative of the actual status of rural teachers in the South in regard to tenure. The data that will be presented in this chapter have been collected from the sources just mentioned. Some of these data were collected as early as 1910 ; others were not avail- able before 1919. All data found that had any bearing on the subjects to be discussed were taken, provided they were collected in 1910 or later. All data collected within this pe- riod of eight years have been treated as though they were collected the same year. No discussion of an individual county will be made, but where the data were taken from a county survey they will be treated as indicative of conditions prevailing in the state. Of course if a county were known to be far below the av- erage county in the state, it would not be fair to the state to be represented by such a county. But such is not likely to be the case. It is not the backward county that is being surveyed; it is the county that is progressing and forging Rural Teachers in the South 15 ahead. A state is more likely to be overrated than under- rated by data taken from a county survey. However, it is not the intention of this discussion to justify the data presented, but rather to draw a few conclusions that seem evident. On a number of topics there were data given in the State Superintendents' Reports, but these data as a general rule include city, village, and rural teachers without differen- tiation ; therefore the data could not be used. Very few state superintendents make separate reports for the various classes of teachers, or even present data so that a distinc- tion can be made. This is one reason why data are so dif- ficult to obtain. Another reason is that no two state super- intendents include data on the same items, or if they do, it is in different forms and one must be translated into terms of the other before a comparative study can be made. For instance, one will present data on the qualification of teach- ers in terms of years of school attendance, another in terms of the number of summer schools attended, and still an- other in terms of the grade of certificate held. It is evi- dent from such data that no intelligible comparison could be made. A comparison would be feasible in terms of years of school attendance, provided the word "year" is de- fined. No one can tell anything about a teacher's qualifi- cations from the certificate he holds. If he has obtained it by passing an examination, there is no basis on which to draw conclusions. If it happens to be a professional cer- tificate, one may be able to look up the state law regarding the certification of teachers and make an intelligent guess. Thus, because of the inconsistency in the use of terms, all doubtful data were excluded. This discussion will deal with tenure as to years' expe- rience, number of different schools taught, consecutive years in present position, greatest number of consecutive years taught in any one school, and the three types of changes made by rural teachers. Experience of Rural Teachers 1. As shown by data obtained from educational literature. The data used in this discussion were obtained from Edu- cational Surveys and State Superintendents' Reports. Data on the experience of rural teachers were found in no other educational literature, and were found here for only six Southern States. These data presented in the following table show that 15.2 per cent of the rural teachers in five states (North Carolina is excluded) have taught only one year. They further show that 45.4 per cent of the rural 16 The Present Status of teachers have taught five years or longer. The following interpretation may be made: 15.2 per cent of the rural teachers quit each year, and only 45.4 per cent teach as long as five years. In other words, the table shows that the median rural teacher teaches four years and quits. TABLE 1. — Some Rural Teachers in the South, Classified on the Basis of Experience States Total number of teachers considered The number of teachers who have taught lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama (1) Kentucky (2)... Louisiana (2) Missouri (2) N. Carolina (2). W. Virginia (2). 160 9354 5942 20208 12015 10335 35 1676 927 2934 1414 25 1470 2590 807 2362 643 1913 2679 10409 4031 4902 Per Cent (3). 15.2 14.0 12.1 9.8 45.4 1 An Educational Survey of Three Counties in Alabama, page 81. a State Superintendent's Report (1916, 1914, 1915, 1915, and 1916, respectively. 3 These per cents will not add to 100 due to the bases used. If a state has no representation in a column, it is excluded in figuring the per cent. For instance, North Carolina does not figure in finding the per cent in the first column with one year's experience. Instead of 58,014 as a base, 58,014-12,015, or 45,999 was used. In the second and fifth columns four states were considered, and in the third and fourth columns only two states were considered. The following table gives the per cent in each group of experiences by states. It will be observed that the median per cent, for the five states, with one year's experience is 15.2 ; and the median per cent with five years's experience, or more, is 46.8. TABLE 2. — Some Bural Teachers in the South, Classified on the Basis of Experience, Expressed in Per Cents 1 State Total number of teachers considered The per cent of teachers who have taught lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama 160 9354 5942 20208 12015 10335 22.0 17.9 15.6 14.5 16 15.7 15.0 12.8 Kentucky.. ..- Louisiana 13.5 11.7 10.8 9.8 45 1 Missouri 51 2 N. Carolina.. 33.6 W.Virginia 12.7 48.5 Median 15.6 15.35 12.6 10.3 46 8 1 Obtained from Educational Literature (see page 16). Rural Teachers in the South 17 These medians are practically the same as the per cents derived in the preceding table, and like the preceding table show that the median rural teacher quits after teaching four years. TABLE 3. — Some Rural Teachers in Other States, Classified) on the Basis of Experience, Expressed in Per Cents State Per cent of teachers who have taught lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more 24.0 15.4 29.2 31.2 54.4 59.0 8.4 11.2 23.5 21.9 8.0 9.0 40.0 Iowa (2) Ohio (3) 12.4 17.4 16.3 8.0 9.6 2.4 39.3 South Dakota (4) Wyoming (5) 18.3 3.0 Median..., 29.2 19.0 14.35 8.5 28.8 1 A Rural Survey of Tulane County, California. 2 State Superintendent's Report, 1913. 3 Rural Life Survey of Greene and Clemont Counties, Ohio, 1914. 4 The Educational System of South Dakota, Bureau of Education Bulletin, 1918, number 31, page 211. 5 Educational Survey of Wyoming by A. C. Monahan and Katherine M. Cook, Bulletin 1916, number 29, page 81. 2. As shown by data obtained from personal interviews with six county superintendents. These data were obtained from six county superintendents visited during April, 1919. The superintendents could not give complete data for any group of teachers except those who had taught only one year. So the following table will try to show nothing more than the per cent of rural teachers who have had only one year's experience. It will be seen in the table that the per cent of teachers with only one year's experience varies from 15.8 per cent in Alabama to 22.5 per cent in Tennessee. The median for the five states is 19.4 per cent. The data composing the above tables on experience were taken from the fol- lowing sources: Alabama — An Educational Survey of Three Counties in Alabama, page 81. Kentucky — State Superintendent's Report, 1916. Louisiana — State Superintendent's Report, 1914. Missouri — State Superintendent's Report, 1915. West Virginia — State Superintendent's Report, 1916. California — A Rural Survey of Tulane County, California (made by country church work of the Board of Home Missions and the Presbyterian Church in the United States — W. H. Wilson and H. N. Morse, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York City). Ohio — A Rural Life Survey of Greene and Clemont Counties, Ohio, by the same church. Iowa — State Superintendent's Report, 1913. Wyoming — Educational Survey of Wyoming, by A. C. Monahan and Katherine Cook; Bureau of Education Bulletin, 1916, No. 29, page 211. 18 The Present Status of TABLE 4. — Rural Teachers of One Year's Experience; Six Counties 1 A County in Total Numbei of Teachers Teachers with 1 yr.'s Experience Per cent with 1 yr.'s Experience Alabama.- . - - Arkansas . . , .. 120 61 78 160 195 19 10 17 31 44 15.8 16.7 Mississippi 21.8 19.4 Tennessee (2).. 22.5 Total... . ... 614 121 19.7 19.4 1 These data were obtained by a personal interview with six county superin- tendents in the above-named states. 2 Two county superintendents were visited in Tennessee. 3. As shown by data obtained from questionnaires sent to rural teachers. These data have been classified into two groups. One group considers teachers who were teaching in one- and two-teacher schools, and the other group con- siders teachers who were teaching in schools with more than two teachers. TABEE 5. — Some Teachers in One- and Two-Teacher Schools, Classified on the Basis of Experience 1 State Total number of teachers considered The number of teachers who have taught lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama 33 63 3 5 28 47 9 36 34 5 32 32 18 40 17 3 4 1 1 3 11 1 8 5 6 7 3 7 2 5 19 Arkansas.. 40 Florida 2 Kentucky. _ 1 3 7 1 7 2 1 4 2 Louisiana.. .... . Maryland .... 1 2 17 27 Mississippi. .. 1 6 Missouri __ 2 8 19 North Carolina . 5 14 Oklahoma .. 5 South Carolina 10 7 6 14 3 5 6 4 6 1 3 2 2 5 4 5 4 2 4 1 9 Tennessee 13 Texas . . . . 4 Virginia 11 West Virginia ... 8 Total 402 77 56 37 36 196 Per Cent . ... 19.1 13.9 9.2 9.0 49.0 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. In one- and two-teacher schools 19.1 per cent of the teach- ers have taught one year only, and 49 per cent have taught five years or longer. In schools with more than two teach- ers, 13 per cent have taught one year only, and 60.3 per cent have taught five years or longer. Rural Teachers in the South 19 TABLE 6. — Some Rural Teachers in Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, Classified on the Basis of Experience 1 States Total number of teachers considered The number of teachers who have taught lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama 34 25 7 2 39 23 15 10 18 13 41 11 31 54 7 2 2 2 1 2 2 28 1 19 Florida... 7 Kentucky.. _ 1 3 1 2 1 7 1 1 1 1 4 8 2 2 11 1 9 2 2 1 1 18 Maryland 18 Mississippi 11 Missouri 1 4 8 North Carolina.. 1 12 Oklahoma . 1 4 8 South Carolina 9 4 4 6 1 5 15 Tennessee ._ 5 Texas Virginia.. .. West Virginia .. 4 5 1 3 5 18 27 4 Total 330 43 43 27 18 199 Per Cent 13.0 13.0 8.3 5.4 60.3 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. Taking the two groups as a whole, 16.4 per cent have taught one year only, and 54 per cent have taught five years or longer. It is observed that the teachers who were teach- ing in the larger schools have had more experience than those teaching in the smaller schools. This may be ex- plained in two ways. First, the rural teachers begin teach- ing in the small schools and go from them to larger schools ; second, the teachers who teach in the smaller schools go out of the teaching profession more quickly than do those who teach in the larger schools. Both conclusions may tend to indicate that the tenure of rural teachers may be increased by consolidation. These data show that the median rural teacher in the one- and two-teacher schools teach only four years, as was shown by preceding data, but that the median teacher in the larger schools teaches five years before he quits. Summary A bird's-eye view of the preceding discussions can best be presented in a summary table which will show the per cents of each table that fall in each group of experiences. This summary table tends to show that there is no wide variation in either group. It also tends to show that the results presented by either table might be accepted and the error would be slight. 20 The Present Status of TABLE 7. — Summary Table Showing- the Per Cents that Fall in Each Group of Experience as Shown by the Preceding Tables Experience. Per cents shown in (i) table 1 The median per cents shown in table 2 Pel cents shown in (2) table 5 Per cents shown in table 6 The median per cents shown in (3) table 4 lyr 2 yrs. _- 15.2 14.0 12.1 9.8 45.4 15.6 15.35 12.6 10.3 46.8 19.1 13.9 9.2 9.0 49.0 13.0 13.0 8.2 5.4 60.3 19.4 3 yrs . 4 yrs.. . 5 yrs. or moie 1 Obtained from Educational Literature. 2 Obtained from Questionnaires. 3 Obtained from. County Superintendents. Probably the most representative figures are the medians obtained from the summary table. These medians tend to show that 15.6 per cent of the rural teachers quit teaching in the rural schools each year, that only 47.9 per cent teach five years, and that the median rural teacher quits at the end of his fourth year. Medians Obtained from the Summary Table Years' Experience Median Per Cents 1 15.60 2 14.95 3 10.65 4 9.40 5 or more 47.90 The Number of Different Schools Taught by Rural Teachers Nothing was found in educational literature relative to this topic. The county superintendents could not give complete data on the subject in regard to all of the teach- ers in their counties ; therefore the basis of this discussion will be the data obtained from questionnaires sent to the rural teachers. Replies on this subject were received from 721 teachers, 393 of whom were teaching in one- and two- teacher schools, and 328 in larger schools. These data are organized on the basis of one- and two-teacher schools and schools that employ more than two teachers. Rural Teachers in the South 21 TABLE 8. — Teachers of One- and Two-Teacher Schools, According to the Number of Schools Taught 1 State Total number of teachers considered One School Two Schools Three Schools Four Schools Five or more Schools Alabama - - 33 63 3 5 27 46 9 31 34 4 32 32 18 39 17 4 9 1 2 3 18 1 8 9 6 6 7 10 4 8 1 1 7 4 1 3 3 12 Arkansas - 30 Florida- 1 1 4 9 2 9 6 1 Louisiana . . 5 7 1 4 7 3 6 1 5 3 8 Maryland 8 Mississippi . . 4 Missouri .. .. 7. North Carolina.- - . 9 3 South Carolina. . 10 7 10 17 3 9 10 3 9 2 7 3 1 2 2 3 Tennessee - . Texas 6 3 Virginia .. _ West Virginia . 6 7 Total 393 102 76 60 47 105 Per Cent.. . 25.9 19.3 15.3 11.9 26.7 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. Data show that 25.9 per cent of the teachers who were teaching in the one- and two-teacher schools have taught in only one school; 19.3 per cent have taught in two differ- ent schools; 15.3 per cent have taught in three different schools; 11.9 per cent have taught in four different schools; and 26.7 per cent have taught in five or more different schools. The median teacher in this group has taught only four years ; during these four years he has taught in three different schools. TABLE 9. — Teachers of Rural Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, According to the Number of Schools Taught 1 State Total number of teachers considered One School Two Schools Three Schools Four Schools 5 or more Schools Alabama.. . 33 25 7 2 38 23 15 10 19 13 40 11 31 54 7 3 2 •5 5 5 1 1 1 5 6 3 4 4 1 16 Arkansas. _•_ .. 13 Florida... ... _ 5 Kentucky . . 1 Louisiana 12 6 2 4 2 3 13 1 4 15 1 5 6 5 3 3 1 5 1 3 1 5 4 1 11 Maryland . _. . 2 Mississippi .. 7 Missouri. 1 5 1 11 5 9 13 1 4 North Carolina.. 7 Oklahoma 3 8 2 3 10 2 5 South Carolina 5 Tennessee .. 2 Texas 10 Virginia . 12 West Virginia... . 2 Total 328 68 67 50 41 102 Per Cent .. -. 20.7 20.4 15.2 12.5 31.1 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. 22 The Present Status of The record for teachers in the larger schools is not so bad, although they have taught longer. In this group 20.7 per cent have taught in only one school ; 20.4 per cent have taught in two different schools ; 15.2 per cent have taught in three different schools ; 12.5 per cent have taught in four different schools; and 31.1 per cent have taught in five or more different schools. Here again the median is three different schools. But the median teacher in this group has taught five years or more. Thus the median teacher in this group has taught in three different schools within five or more years. This tends to show that teachers not only teach longer in the larger schools, but remain in one position longer. These data organized on the basis of teachers' experience tend to show that the median rural teacher changes posi- tions at the end of his first year's experience; that he re- mains in his second school two years ; and that he changes positions every two years thereafter. TABLE 10. — Teachers of One- and Two-Teacher Schools, According to Experience and the Number of Schools Taught Years' Total num- ber of teachers The number of different schools taught Experience 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 or more 10 or more 9- 85 9 20 26 20 24 35 39 57 78 2 2 3 2 3 8 6 10 12 16 9 1 4 6 4 8 15 6 3 3 4 4 6 2 5 4 5 10 5(1) 12 1 30 8 3 3 2 7 1 5 16 78 1 1 6 7 18 41 6 5 4 3 2 1 Total, 393. 1 The median is in the group in heavy type. In table 10 it will be observed that the median teacher with 9 years' experience has taught in five different schools and that the median teacher with 10 years' experience or more has taught in eight different schools. This jump from five to eight is probably due to the fact that in the group of "10 or more" are included a large number of teach- ers who have taught much longer than ten years. Rural Teachers in the South 23 TABLE 11 . — Teachers of Rural Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, According to Experience and Number of Schools Taught Years' Total num- ber of teachers The number of different schools taught Experience 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 or more 10 or more 9. - 8 111 16 14 15 19 21 17 27 47 41 1 1 2 3 2 2 16 41 5 1 - 1 4 7 5 13 31 16 3 1 2 3 6 7 12 11 4 4 8 7 4 3 18 6 5 2 2 1 12(1) 1 1 12 1 1 9 2 9 1 19 7... 6 5 4 3 2 1 Total ... ... 328 1 The median is in the group in heavy type. The Effect of Educational Training of Teachers on Their Tenure in One Position In one- and two-teacher schools: The median teacher with less than 18 months' high school training has taught five years or more. During this time he has taught in three different schools. The median teacher who has had 18 months' high school training or more, but is not a high school graduate, has taught five years or more. During TABLE 12.— Teachers in One- and Two- Teacher Schools, According to Training and Experience, Expressed in Per Cents Training Total Teachers Per cent of teachers who have taught lyr. 2yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Less than 18 months' high school training 18 months' high school training but not high school graduate High school graduate, but less than 9 months' college training 9 months' college training or more 100 116 105 76 17 7.0 8.0 8.0 13.0 12.1 6.0 13.0 27.6 21.1 22.0 14.5 9.5 17.4 4.8 10.5 60.0 56.0 36.2 36.8 this time he has taught in four different schools. The me- dian teacher who is a high school graduate, but has had less than 9 months' college training, has taught three years. During the three years he has taught in two different schools. The median teacher with 9 months' college train- ing or more has taught three years. During the three years he has taught in three different schools. In other words, he has taught in a different school each year. 24 The Present Status of TABLE 13. — Teachers in One- and Two- Teacher Schools, Classified on the Basis of Training and the Number of Different Schools Taught, Expressed in Per Cents Total number of teachers Pei cent of teachers who have taught in Training One School Two Three Schools Schools Four Schools Five or more Sehools Less than 18 months' high school training- - 18 months' high school training, but not a 100 114 104 73 25.0 20.2 35.4 26.0 14.0 15.8 25.0 23.3 13.0 14.0 14.4 22.0 8.0 16.7 8.6 12.3 40.0 33.3 A high school graduate, but less than 9 16.4 17.4 In schools employing more than two teachers: The me- dian teacher with less than 18 months' high school training has taught eight years or more. During this time he has taught in five different schools. The median teacher with 18 months' high school training, but who is not a college graduate, has taught eight years or more. During this time he has taught in five different schools. The median teacher who is a high school graduate, but who has had less than 9 months' college training, has taught eight years or more. During this time he has taught in three different schools. TABLE 14. — Rural Teachers in Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, Classified on the Basis of Training and Experience, Expressed in Per Cents Training Total number of teachers considered Pei cent of teachers who have taught lyr. 2yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yis. 6 yrs. 7 yrs. 8yis. or more Less than 18 months' high 24 62 65 176 6.4 17.0 13.6 12.5 8.1 12.3 17.0 8.3 8.1 6.1 9.1 9.7 1.5 6.2 4.1 6.4 4.6 6.8 4.1 6.4 4.6 6.3 4.1 1.6 1.6 6.8 62.5 18 months' high school training but not a high school grad- uate -• High school graduate but less than 9 months' college training 53.2 52.3 9 months' college training or more.- 34.1 The median teacher with 9 months' college training or more has taught five years. During the five years he has taught in three different schools. Rural Teachers in the South 25 TABLE 15. — Rural Teachers in Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, Classified on the Basis of Training and the Number of Schools Taught, Expressed in Per Cents Tiaining Total number of Per cent of teachers who have taught ii teachers t m en to to in en considered o 4) ° C* Pn b" v 8 o o £ § c-p S u •c-P, §•?, Z-* XJ3 V-* o£ ^m *£ fe£ ai«8 K>W Www Less than 18 months' high school training . 18 months' high school training but not a high school grad uate A high school graduate but less than 9 months' college training 9 months' college training or more 24 4.1 16.7 12.5 16.7 12.5 4.1 16.6 62 9.7 14.5 20.9 4.9 14.5 6.4 9.7 65 24.6 18.5 20.0 9.2 10.8 1.5 1.5 177 25.4 22.0 13.0 16.3 8.4 4.5 2.2 16.6 19.3 14.0 7.9 These data tend to show: First, that the better trained teachers are the younger teachers ; second, that the poorly- trained experienced teachers stay longer in one position than the better trained inexperienced teachers. Consecutive Years in Present Position 1. As shown by data obtained from educational literature. Data were obtained for five Southern States. These data show that 63.2 per cent of the rural teachers are teaching their first year in their present position; 20.6 per cent are teaching their second year; 8.2 per cent are teaching their third year; 3.1 per cent are teaching their fourth year; and only 2.7 per cent are teachnig their fifth or more consecu- tive year in their present position. TABLE 16. — Rural Teachers, According to Consecutive Years' Experience in Present Position 1 State Total number of teachers considered The number of teachers who have their present position been in lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or longer Louisiana . ...... Missouri .. Oklahoma . ... South Carolina Tennessee ... .. 4844 9883 7923 2023 93 2648 6804 4859 1270 67 1006 2071 1492 513 14 489 860 541 142 7 239 180 304 48 3 462 149 50 2 Total 24776 15648 5096 2039 774 663 Percent.. . . . .. .. . 63.2 20.6 8.2 3.1 2.7 1 Obtained from Educational Literature (see footnote, page 26). 26 The Present Status of It is further observed that about 84 teachers out of every 100 change positions every two years, and 63 out of every 100 change every year. Less than 16 teachers in every 100 have been in their present positions longer than two years. The data in the preceding table were converted into per cents and presented in another table. In this table the median per cent for each group of consecutive years is found and presented at the bottom of the table. The me- dian per cent who have been in their present position only one year is 63 ; the median per cent who have been in their TABLE 17.- -Rural Teachers, According to Consecutive Years' Experience in Present Position, Expressed in Per Cents 1 State Total number ot teachers considered The per cent of rural teachers who have taught in their present position lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Louisiana Missouri Oklahoma South Carolina. Tennessee 4844 9883 7923 2023 93 54.7 20.7 10.0 5.0 68.8 21.0 6.9 1.8 61.4 18.8 6.8 4.3 63.0 25.0 7.0 2 3 72.0 15.1 7.5 3.2 63.0 20.7 7.0 3.2 9.6 1.5 8.7 2.4 2.1 Median. 2.4 1 Obtained from Educational Literature (see footnote below). present position two years is 20.7; the median per cent who have been in their present position three years is 7; the median per cent who have been in their present position four years is 3.2 ; and the median per cent who have been in their present position five years or longer is only 2.4. It will be observed that these medians do not vary widely from the per cents found in the preceding table, 2. As shown by data obtained from personal interviews with six county superintendents. From these six county superintendents data were obtained relative to the consec- utive years in their present position for 601 rural teachers. These data were obtained by asking the county superin- tendent how many consecutive years each teacher had taught in the school he was then teaching, or had taught in 2 The data composing the tables on consecutive years in present position were obtained from the following' sources: Alabama — An Educational Survey of Three Counties in Alabama, Louisiana — State Superintendent's Report, 1916. Missouri — The Status of Rural Education in the United States, by A. C. Monahan, Bulletin, 1913, number 8, page 38. Oklahoma — A Guide to Better Schools, Duke, pages 51, 52. South Carolina — The Status of Rural Education in the United States, A. C. Mon- ahan, Bulletin, 1913, number 8, page 37. Tennessee — A Personal Survey of Montgomery County, Tennessee, 1919. Rural Teachers in the South 27 1918-1919. The superintendent gave the number of years for each teacher individually. These are the most complete data that will be presented on this subject, for every teacher in these six counties was considered. In other words, it is the same as 100 per cent replies. Therefore they should be more reliable than the data obtained from either the educational literature or the questionnaires sent to rural teachers. These data have been put into two groups. One group includes data relating to teachers who were teaching in one- and two-teacher schools, and the other group in- cludes data relating to teachers who taught in schools that employed more than two teachers. In the one- and two- teacher schools 71.8 per cent of the teachers were teaching TABLE 18. — Teachers of One- and Two- Teacher Schools, According to Consecutive Years' Experience in Present Position 1 State Total number of teachers considered The number of teachers who have taught in thei r present position lyr. 2yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama . 51 44 30 103 131 42 28 23 67 98 6 9 7 23 24 2 6 1 Arkansas. . 1 Mississippi 7 6 3 2 3 1 Total -. . 359 258 69 21 5 6 71.8 19.2 5.8 1.3 1.7 1 Data obtained from six county superintendents. their first year in their present position ; 19.2 per cent were teaching their second year in their present position; 5.8 per cent were teaching their third year in their present position; and only 3 per cent had been in their present po- sition four years or longer. It is observed that 91 per cent had been in their present position less than two years. In the larger schools conditions are not so bad, but they are bad enough. In these schools 62.2 per cent of the teachers were teaching their first year in their present position; 17.8 per cent were teaching their second year in their pres- ent position ; 8.7 per cent were teaching their third year in their present position ; 5 per cent were teaching their fourth year in their present position ; and 5.4 per cent were teach- ing their fifth year or more. 28 The Present Status of TABLE 19. — Teachers of Rural Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, According to Consecutive Years' Experience in Present Position 1 State Total number of teachers considered The number of teachers who have beer present position i in their lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more 70 16 47 45 64 44 9 31 22 47 12 4 5 12 10 3 2 8 4 4 2 1 1 7 1 9 2 2 Total 242 153 43 21 12 13 Per Cent... .. . .. 62.2 17.8 8.7 5.0 5.4 1 Data obtained from six County Superintendents. In larger schools 80 per cent of the teachers had been in their present positions less than two years as compared with 91 per cent in the one- and two-teacher schools, and more than twice as many teachers stay three consecutive years in one position as do in the smaller schools. 3. As shown by data obtained from questionnaires sent to 3,226 rural teachers in the sixteen Southern States. In all there are 725 replies considered. There are 396 replies from teachers of one- and two-teacher schools, and 329 re- plies from teachers in schools that employ more than two TABLE 20. — Teachers of One- and Two-Teacher Schools, According to Consecutive Years' Experience in Present Position 1 State Total number of teachers considered Number of teachers who have been in their present position lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or longer Alabama.. . ... 33 59 3 5 28 46 8 31 39 5 32 32 18 41 16 19 30 2 1 18 24 6 22 16 3 24 20 11 26 12 11 16 1 4 5 9 1 3 18 1 5 6 5 7 3 2 7 1 Arkansas 4 2 Florida Kentucky.. . Louisiana . . 3 3 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 Maryland . 9 Mississippi Missouri _ 3 3 2 North Carolina .. Oklahoma South Carolina 1 4 Tennessee . ... 1 Texas 1 Virginia . 4 2 West Virginia . __ Total 396 224 95 27 21 19 Per Cent 59.1 24.0 6.8 5.3 5 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. Rural Teachers in the South 29 teachers. These data are classified on the same basis as are the data in the above topic. In the one- and two-teacher schools 59.1 per cent of the teachers were teaching their first year in their present position ; 24 per cent were teach- ing their second year in their present position; 6.8 per cent were teaching their third year in their present position; 5.3 per cent were teaching their fourth year in their pres- ent position ; and 5 per cent were teaching their fifth year TABLE 21. — Teachers of Rural Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, According to Consecutive Years' Experience in Present Position 1 State Total number of teachers considered Number of teacheis who have taught present position in their 1 yr. 2yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama - .. 33 25 6 2 39 23 15 10 19 12 41 11 31 55 7 14 11 4 2 22 3 8 1 12 8 22 7 14 32 5 7 2 2 7 1 1 2 1 9 Arkansas... . 3 Floi ida Kentucky . . Louisiana .. 10 2 2 4 2 2 12 9 7 1 3 3 3 5 3 1 4 Mat ylar.d .. 12 Mississippi . . . Missouri. .. .. , 2 North Carolina _. Oklahoma 2 1 2 2 2 2 1 2 1 South Caiolina. .- . 1 4 Tennessee 2 Texas . 3 3 3 Virginia .. ...._'_ West Virginia 11 Total 329 165 60 28 23 53 Per Cent 50.2 18.2 8.5 7.0 16.1 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. or more in their present position. In the larger schools 50.2 per cent were teaching their first year ; 18.2 per cent were teaching their second year ; 8.5 per cent were teaching their third year; 7 per cent were teaching their fourth year; and 16 per cent were teaching their fifth year or more. These data also tend to show that the tenure of teachers is longer in larger schools than in one- and two- teacher schools. Summary A summary table giving the per cents expressed in the six preceding tables will probably be the most effective epitome that can be presented. This summary table shows a wide variation in the data obtained from the teachers and the data obtained from the county superintendents. In the per cent teaching their first year in their present po- sition there is a difference of 21.6 per cent; in the per cent teaching their fifth or more years in their present position there is a difference of 14.4 per cent. 30 The Present Status of TABL,E 22. — Summary Table Showing the Per Cent of Teachers that Fall in Each Group of Consecutive Years in Present Position, as Shown by the Different Tables Number years in present position Per cent shown in table 16 (1) The median per cent shown by table 17 (1) Per cent shown by table 20 (2) Per cent shown by table 21 (2) Per cent shown by table 18 Per cent shown by table 19 lyr 2 yrs 3 yrs — 4 yrs 5 yrs. or mote 63.2 20.6 8.2 3.1 2.7 63.0 20.7 7.0 3.2 2.4 59.1 24.0 6.8 5.3 5.0 50.2 71.8 18.2 19.2 8.5 5.8 7.0 1.3 16.1 1.7 62.2 17.8 8.7 5.0 5.4 1 Obtained from Educational Literature. 2 Obtained from Questionnaires. 3 Obtained from six county superintendents. Probably the figures that are most nearly representative of actual conditions are the medians derived from the sum- mary table. Medians Derived from the Above Table Consecutive Years in Present Position Median Per Cents One Year 63.1 Two Years 19.9 Three Years 7.6 Four Years 4.1 Five Years or more 3.85 These medians show that 63.1 per cent of the rural teach- ers were teaching their first year in their present position ; 19.9 per cent were teaching their second year ; 7.6 per cent were teaching their third year; 4.1 per cent were teaching their fourth year; and only 3.85 per cent were teaching their fifth year or more. These data all tend to show that the median rural teacher changes positions the first year and every two years thereafter. The Greatest Number of Consecutive Years Taught in Any One School This is another topic on which data were not available from educational literature. Of course county superin- tendents could not give this data in regard to all of their teachers. So only the data that were obtained from the questionnaires will be presented on this subject. Rural Teachers in the South 31 TABLE 23. — Teachers of One- and Two-Teacher Schools, According to the Greatest Number of Consecutive Years' Experience in Any Position 1 State Total number of teachers considered Teachers who have taught in some one position lyr. 2 yrs. 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama.. . . . 33 64 3 5 28 47 9 31 34 32 18 38 17 10 10 1 1 10 14 2 17 9 15 10 19 10 18 26 1 12 1 2 6 1 2 Arkansas Florida 10 Kentucky 4 6 9 3 6 12 7 5 9 3 Louisiana... 6 5 2 2 5 3 2 4 2 5 2 2 3 5 5 1 Maryland 17 Mississippi Missouri.. . . 3 North Carolina . 3 Tennessee 2 Texas . _ . .. 1 Virginia West Virgiria . . 3 1 3 1 Total 396 147 118 50 36 45 Pet Cent 37.1 30.0 12.6 9.1 11.4 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. In one- and two-teacher schools 37.1 per cent of the teach- ers have never taught more than one year in any one school ; 30 per cent have taught two consecutive years in one school ; 12.6 per cent have taught three consecutive years in one school; 9.1 per cent have taught four consecutive years in one school; and only 11.4 per cent have taught as many as five consecutive years in one school. TABLE 24. — Teachers of Rural Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, According to the Greatest Number of Consecutive Years' Experience in Any Position 1 State Total number of teachers considered Number of teachers who have taught in some one position lyr. 2yr». 3 yrs. 4 yrs. 5 yrs. or more Alabama. 33 24 6 2 39 23 15 10 19 13 41 11 31 55 7 4 3 9 3 1 1 10 2 1 2 5 3 15 6 8 2 2 4 1 12 Arkansas. . 6 Floiida .. ! 2 Kentucky . 1 14 2 3 1 6 4 14 6 6 19 3 Louisiana Maryland 7 3 3 1 4 2 5 2 2 7 2 1 6 14 Mississippi . .. Missouri North Carolina . Oklahoma 1 4 3 4 South Carolina 1 2 6 5 2 6 Tennessee 3 Texas 10 11 5 6 1 4 14 West Virginia 1 Total ... .. 329 86 73 55 35 80 Per Cent 26.1 22.2 16.7 10.7 24.3 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. 32 The Present Status of The median teacher in one- and two-teacher schools has taught only two consecutive years in any one school. In the larger schools 26.1 per cent have taught only one year in any one school ; 22.2 per cent have taught two consecu- tive years in one school; 16.7 per cent have taught three consecutive years in one school; 10.7 per cent have taught four consecutive years in one school; and 24.3 per cent have taught five consecutive years or more in one school. The median for this group is three consecutive years. A TABLE 25. — Showing the Per Cents Derived from the Two Preceding Tables Consecutive vears in one school One and two-teacher schools Larger schools 1 37.1 26.1 2 30.0 22.2 3 12.6 16.7 4 9.1 10.7 5 or more 11.4 24.3 comparison of these per cents brings out the fact that, com- paratively speaking, more than twice as many teachers stay five consecutive years in the larger schools as do in the one- and two-teacher schools. It is further shown that more teach three and four consecutive years in the same school than do in the one- and two-teacher schools. In the larger schools more than one-half of the teachers have taught three consecutive years in one school, while in the one- and two-teacher schools less than one-third have taught as many as three consecutive years in one school. Here again the data tend to show that the tenure of teachers in the larger schools is longer than it is in the one- and two- teacher school. Three Types of Changes Made by Rural Teachers The preceding data bring out the fact that rural teachers are constantly changing positions. The following question arises : Do teachers go from smaller to larger schools, from one school to another school the same size, or from larger schools to smaller schools? The data obtained from the questionnaires will shed some light on this question. In one- and two-teacher schools 18.8 per cent of the teachers changed from a smaller to a larger school; 52.8 per cent changed from one school to another school the same size; 28.4 per cent changed from a larger to a smaller school. The median teacher went to the same size school that he left. If going from a smaller school to a larger one is in- dicative of advancement, the median teacher in the one- and two-teacher schools is standing still. Rural Teachers in the South 33 TABUE 26. — Rural Teachers, Classified on the Basis of the Types of Changes They Made the Last Time 1 One and two-teacher schools The larger schools State Smaller to larger school One school to another same size Larger to a smaller school Smaller to larger school One school to another same size Larger to a smaller school 9 15 11 27 1 2 10 14 4 18 14 2 9 19 6 11 12 7 13 1 1 13 10 4 3 4 1 11 9 3 4 2 27 19 5 2 16 15 9 6 12 7 17 7 13 20 3 2 3 2 3 1 Florida. _. _ . Kentucky.. Louisiana 3 5 1 3 5 2 3 2 1 8 4 1 1 9 Maryland . . 1 3 North Carolina.. . Oklahoma .. South Carolina Tennessee.. ... Texas Virginia . 2 1 4 2 1 3 1 4 2 9 9 5 2 Total 57 160 86 187 25 50 Per Cent 18.8 52.8 28.4 71.3 9.6 19.2 1 Obtained from Questionnaires. In the larger schools 71.3 per cent of the teachers changed from a smaller to a larger school ; 9.6 per cent changed from one school to another school the same size; and 19.2 per cent changed from a larger to a smaller school. The me- dian teacher in this group changed from a smaller to a larger school. If these data are indicative of anything, it is that the teachers in the larger schools are more pro- gressive than the teachers in the one- and two-teacher schools. Tenure of the Median Rural Teacher The median rural teacher in one- and two-teacher schools has taught four years in three different schools. He has been in his present position one year, but has taught two consecutive years in one of the three schools during his teaching experience. The last change he made was from one school to another school the same size. The median rural teacher who taught in a school that em- ploys more than two teachers has taught five years or longer. During this period he has taught in three differ- ent schools. He has been in his present position only one year, but has taught three consecutive years in one of the three schools in which he has taught. The last change he made was from a smaller to a larger school. 34 The Present Status of Conclusions The data presented in this chapter seem to warrant three conclusions. First, the teaching life of the median rural teacher is short, not over four years ; second, the' median rural teacher is itinerant ; he has not taught more than two consecutive years in one school ; third, the tenure of rural teachers is improved by larger schools. The first two con- clusions call forth two very pertinent questions: Why do teachers leave the rural schools? Why do rural teachers change from one rural school to another rural school? These two questions will be discussed in the next two chap- ters. CHAPTER II WHY TEACHERS LEAVE RURAL SCHOOLS The fact that the teaching life of rural teachers is short has been pointed out in the preceding discussions. It was observed that the median teacher in one- and two-teacher schools did not teach longer than four years, and that the median teacher in the larger schools remained in the pro- fession only five years. The question was raised : Why do the teachers leave the rural schools? Various educators have expressed their views in trying to answer this question, but no one seems to have tried to answer it by making a scientific investigation of the subject. A number of dog- matic statements by educators were found, but not one presented data as a basis for his deductions. Each writer seems to have answered this question to his own satisfac- tion, and the masses seem to accept the answers given. Reasons Given by Various Educators The following excerpts present concisely the types of discussions found in educational literature in regard to why teachers leave the rural schools : "First, where teachers can secure living accommoda- tions, they can do so only at such high cost that they cannot afford to teach for the small salaries which they are paid; second, in a great many communities teachers cannot get living accommodations 'for love or money;' third, in some communities the homes which would board the teachers are not desirable places for them to stay." (L. J. Hanifan, Teachers' Cottages, West Virginia School Journal, page 394. May, 1918.) "Lack of proper boarding places for teachers is, in many communities, the only and fundamental reason why the school is in a backward, starved condition. Salary of teachers or equipment of school building cannot offset this handicap." (Mary B. Flemington, The Teachers' Boarding Place, School Board Journal, 50, page 18.) "In rural communities settled by Americans many diffi- culties face almost every teacher as regards her boarding place. It is hard to discipline, in school, the children at whose home the teacher stays, if the parents are lax. School difficulties are discussed at the table by the parents and children, the parents often passing on the teacher's abiltiy 36 The Present Status of or decisions before the children. The teacher must take the responsibility of getting herself and the children to school on time in the morning. The teacher has a cold room and no place to study ; she often must share her room and even her bed with one or two members of the family. The houses are poorly ventilated ; many of them screw on the storm windows with no ventilating opening, in the fall, for winter. The food is often heavy and greasy, intended for the men who do outside work. This, with exposure in all kinds of weather, and many other hardships, face the rural teacher who must live at some home near the school she is hired to teach.'' (Mary B. Flemington, School Board Journal, 50, page 18.) "Many young teachers begin in the country schools to get the experience necessary to secure a better position in the cities. They frequently use teaching as a stepping-stone to some other occupation. Often the young girl graduating from the high schools, the normals, and other higher insti- tutions of learning teaches several years until she marries." (A. C. Burkholder, The Rural Schools of Hayes County, Texas, The Normal School Bulletin, 7, pages 23, 24, February, 1918.) "The main causes for the short tenure of office in this area, as well as in the rural schools elsewhere in Texas, may be summarized as follows : Many young teachers, ambi- tious to teach in the city, regard the country schools as mere practice schools, where they may get the training in experience necessary to fit themselves for city positions, and, consequently, at first opportunity leave the country and take work in the city. Many teachers who would oth- erwise remain in the country find it impossible to do so because of social isolation, undesirable boarding places, small salaries, and poor school equipment. Most persons using teaching as a temporary employment, or stepping- stones to something else, are in the country and village schools. These consist, for the most part, of young men preparing for law, medicine, and the ministry, and of young women teaching until they marry." (E. B. Davis, A Study of Rural Schools in Travis County, Texas, University of Texas Bulletin, No. 67, page 39, December, 1916.) "The teacher of the one-room school has an average of thirty daily recitations; and she is 'inspected,' rather than visited or supervised, by the county superintendent from one to three times a year; perhaps more than four-fifths are their own janitors, and nearly all must walk from half a mile to two miles or more on a winter's morning to build Rural Teachers in the South 37 their fires in a cold school building ; suitable boarding places are becoming more difficult to secure each year; and the formidable disadvantages are constantly forcing the best teachers into the city systems." (Arp, Rural Education and the Consolidated School, pages 146, 147.) "Country districts usually experience some difficulty in securing and retaining well-qualified, successful teachers. The chief reasons are : Unsatisfactory rooming and board- ing places for teachers, low salaries, too many classes, poorly heated and ventilated buildings, unattractive grounds, lack of equipment, no janitor, irregular attend- ance, terms too short, too much exposure, little or no chance for self -improvement, little or no chance to attend church, too few agreeable companions, too few lectures, entertain- ments, books, magazines, and newspapers." (Wilkinson, Rural School Management, page 397.) The reasons given by the various educators may be sum- marized as follows: Unsatisfactory rooming places, low salaries, too many classes, poorly heated and ventilated buildings, unattractive grounds, lack of equipment, no jan- itor, irregular attendance, short terms, too much exposure, little or no chance of self-improvement, little or no chance to attend church, too few agreeable companions, nothing for entertainment, desire to get into some other profession, to get married, and to get into a city school system. Six out of the seven educators quoted, mentioned unsat- isfactory boarding places, four mentioned salary, and none of the other reasons is mentioned by more than two. Thus, it seems evident to those who have considered the question of tenure of rural teachers, that poor boarding places and low salaries are the principal reasons why teachers leave the rural schools. Reasons as Shown by Data Obtained from Six County Superintendents The reasons given by these educators appear perfectly sound, but they seem to be based on nothing more than per- sonal opinion. They have presented no data to back their statements. While making this study, six county superin- tendents in five different states were visited. In each county the county superintendent was asked to take his list of teachers who taught in his county in 1917-1918 and check those teachers who did not teach in his county in 1918-1919. Each name marked was then considered separately, and the county superintendent was asked why he did not teach 38 The Present Status of in 1918-1919. If the superintendent did not know, the n?me was checked under the item: "Quit teaching, no rea- son known." In the six counties there were 601 white teachers teach- ing in the rural schools in 1917-1918. In 1918-1919, 253, or 42.1 per cent, of the same 601 teachers were not teach- ing in the rural schools of those six counties. The reasons given by the six county superintendents why these 253 teachers left the rural schools are presented in the following table : Reasons Why 253 Teachers Left the Rural Schools 1 Reasons Number of teachers Per cent 1. 2. 3. 4. S. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. To go into a city system To improve their education To get into something more remunerative. To get married To assume home duties To quit teaching, no reason known To go into another county To go into the military service Inability to get a position 111 health Death Total 1 Obtained from six County Superintendents. This survey is not extensive enough to warrant stating definitely that the reasons given in the above table are the only ones that tend to drive the teachers out of the rural schools, but the results obtained are probably indicative of what would be found if every county superintendent in the United States were interviewed on the same subject, in the same manner. A comparative study of the data secured in these six counties seems to show that the data from any one county are indicative of what will be found in any other county. The above table tends to show four outstanding reasons why teachers leave the rural schools ; namely, "to get into something more remunerative," "to get married," "to go into another county," and "to go into the military service." There are in all eleven reasons given ; they range in order of importance from 23.71 per cent to .79 per cent. How- ever, only the four outstanding ones will be discussed here. These four reasons include 79.41 per cent, or nearly four- fifths, of the teachers who quit. In other words, four- fifths of the rural teachers quit teaching "to get into some- thing more remunerative," "to get married," "to go into Rural Teachers in the South 39 another county," or "to go into the military service." Now that the last-mentioned reason is eliminated by the cessa- tion of the World War, there seem to be but three about which rural school administrators need to worry. And since it would not be advisable to eliminate the second, there seem to be but two left. However, the second might be eliminated to an extent, but not through discouraging marriages. The third reason may be partly overcome by better salaries, but it is likely that some of the teachers who go to other counties are those whom the county superintend- ent is not anxious to retain. Finally, the one big problem is to devise some plan whereby a greater revenue will come into the coffers of the rural school system. The rural teach- ers and the county superintendents must awaken the people to the realization of the fact that the rural schools will never function properly . until adequately financed ; that an effi- cient teaching corps with a degree of permanency cannot be had until their incomes are sufficient to secure for them the necessities of life and some of the ordinary pleasures which are so essential to one's success. A teacher is auto- matically placed in a class of a high consumptive capacity, but his income is so meager that he is either forced to lower his standard of living or else seek a more remunerative position. He usually does the latter, as has just been pointed out through the preceding data. Higher salaries will also induce more men to become rural teachers, and therefore the per cent of teachers who quit to get married will likely be reduced. 40 The Present Status of The graph below points out very tersely the order of im- portance of reasons why teachers leave the rural schools : A Distribution of the Reasons Why Teachers Left the Rural Schools 5 10 15 ao % 25% To get into something- more remuner- ative 237 To get married To get into another county To go into the military service, 21.7 17.4 16.6 To quit teaching, no reason known. . . 1 ,0 To go into a city system ^.v Inability to get a position <£»0 To improve their education Crr To assume home duties. Ill health Death . . . 1.6 1.6 .6 Fig. 3 Reasons Given by Teachers Themselves In order that an expression from the teachers might be given, the questionnaire on the following page was handed to sixty city teachers who have at some time taught in the rural schools. They checked the reasons that are shown in the table below. It is observed that 49, or more than 81 per cent, of the 60 checked "better salary," and that 17, or 28.3 per cent, checked it as the principal reason for leaving the rural schools; 42, or 70 per cent, checked "term was too short;" 41, or 68.3 per cent, "too many classes to teach." These three reasons stand out prominently as the reasons given by teachers for leaving the rural schools. From these replies it is further shown that a low salary is the principal cause that forces teachers to leave the rural Rural Teachers in the South 41 schools. The other two reasons, in order of importance, are: "Short term" and "too many classes to teach." Both of which may be partially, if not wholly, solved by more money. Then it may still be stated that more money is the essential thing for the solution of the problem. It will give better salaries ; it will give a longer term ; it will make possible a system of consolidation that will reduce the num- ber of classes that one person has to teach. It is a striking fact that not a single county superintend- ent gave "unsatisfactory boarding place" as the reason why teachers left, only four of the teachers checked it, and but one of them checked it twice. In the minds of the educa- tors quoted at the first of this chapter, an unsatisfactory boarding place is one of the first reasons why efficient teach- ers cannot be had and kept in the rural schools. This is shown by the fact that six out of the seven gave "unsatis- factory boarding place," and it is the only reason that is mentioned by as many as six. No doubt this is a problem to be solved by rural teachers and rural school administra- tors, but laying so much stress on it is questionable when there are other reasons which appear to be much more vital. The question of why teachers leave the rural schools is closely related to the question of why teachers change from one rural school to another. The latter question will be discussed in the next chapter, and will, no doubt, shed some light on the question just discussed. A Copy of the Questionnaire That Was Handed to the Sixty City Teachers Who Have, at Some Time, Taught in Rural Schools Please check (X) the five items that influenced you most to leave the rural schools. Check twice (XX) the one item of the five that influenced you most. Don't check more than five. Read all the items before checking any. 1. Difficult to get to school. 2. Nothing to do during Saturday and Sunday. 3. Too few agreeable companions. 4. Community gossip. 5. Factions in school district. 6. Patrons took no interest in the school. 7. The children were hard to discipline. 8. The children were slow in learning. 9. Too many classes to teach. 10. Work was too hard. 11. To get into a graded school. 12. To get into a larger school. 13. Irregular attendance. 14. Term was too short. 42 The Present Status of 15. Better salary. 16. Boarding place was unsatisfactory. 17. Had no place to entertain my friends. 18. Boarding place was too far from school. 19. Too much exposure. 20. Had to do my own janitor work. 21. Community health conditions undesirable. 22. Principal wasn't agreeable. 23. Poor school building. 24. Poor equipment for the school. 25. Poor playgrounds. 26. Little chance for self -improvement. 27. So I could attend a church of my own denomination. 28. To be closer home. 29. Don't think a teacher should stay too long in one place. 30. Difficult to get laundrying done. 32. Had planned to quit teaching, and when I decided to teach again, my old school was taken. 33. Any reason not mentioned. Make this one of the five, if checked. Have you checked only five? Have you checked one twice? Reasons Given by Sixty City Teachers Why They Left the Rural Schools 1 Reasons No. X No. XX Total Per cent 1. Difficult to get to school 2. Nothing to do during Saturday and Sunday 3. Two few agreeable companions 4. Community gossip 5. Factions in school district 6. Patrons took no interest in the school 7. Too many ciasses to teach ', 8. Work was too hard 9. To get into a graded school 10. To get into a larger school 11. Irregular attendance 12. Term was too short 13. Better Salary 14. Boarding place was unsatisfactory 15. Had no place to entertain my friends 16. Boarding place was too far from school 1 7 . Too much exposure 18. Had to do my own janitor work 19. Community health conditions undesirable.. 20. Poor school building 21. Poor equipment for the school 22. Poor playgrounds 23. Little chance for self-improvement 24. To be closer home , 25. To get a longer contract 26. Ambitious to advance in the rofession 5 1 6 2 10 1 2 10 2 1 5 4 37 5 4 41 4 7 1 8 11 4 15 16 4 20 9 35 9 42 7 32 17 49 3 1 4 1 5 6 6 2 1 5 6 6 3 1 8 20 1 17 8 20 1 29 12 13 2 15 5 1 6 1 2 3 10 3.3 16.6 3.3 8.3 6.6 68.3 13.3 25 33.3 15 70 81.6 6.6 1.6 8.3 10 10 5 13.3 33.3 1.6 48.3 25 10 5 1 Per cent is based on number of teachers. CHAPTER III WHY TEACHERS CHANGE FROM ONE RURAL SCHOOL TO ANOTHER RURAL SCHOOL Reasons Why Rural Teachers Change Positions, as Given by Six County Superintendents 1. Why teachers in one- and two-teacher schools change. According to the data obtained from county superintend- ents, there are three outstanding reasons why rural teach- ers in one- and two-teacher schools change positions. They are: "Better salary," "to be closer home," and "patrons didn't like him." "Better salary" influenced 42.4 per cent of these teachers to change positions the last time ; "to be closer home" influenced 27.4 per cent of them to change; and dissatisfaction among the patrons influenced 17.2 per cent of them to change. There are three other reasons that may be considered here of minor importance, accord- ing to the viewpoints of the county superintendents. These three range in importance, as to the number of teachers they affected, from 5.4 per cent to 9.6 per cent. They are in order of importance: "Changed by the county superintendent," 9.6 per cent ; "to get into a larger school," 6.4 per cent; and "had planned to quit teaching, and when I decided to teach again, my old school was taken," 5.4 per cent. No other reason mentioned influenced more than 3 per cent of the teachers in this group to change, and none of them was given as the most important reason why so high a per cent changed. It will be observed that 13 reasons were given by the county superintendents as the "most important" reason why teachers in this group changed positions. These vary in importance from .5 per cent to 38.7 per cent. Here again "better salary," "to be closer home," and "patrons didn't like him" are the outstanding reasons why teachers changed positions. Taken together, they were the princi- pal 1 reasons why 79.1 per cent of them changed. "Better salary" was the principal reason for 38.7 per cent of the changes, "to be closer home" was the principal reason for 23.7 per cent of the changes, and "patrons didn't like him" was the principal reason for 16.7 per cent of the changes. The three minor reasons mentioned above were the three principal reasons for 13.4 per cent of the changes. They 1 The word principal used to modify reasons means the one reason that was the *iost important in effecting a change. 44 The Present Status of rank in importance as follows: Superintendent changed 6.4 per cent; 3.8 per cent did not decide to teach again un- til after their old school was taken ; and 3.2 per cent changed to get into a larger school. TABLE 1. — Reasons Why Teachers of One- and Two-Teacher Schools Changed Positions the Last Time 1 O C o Reasons checked (XX) Reasons checked (X) Per cent of teachers affected by each reason. of the reasons in per Reasons E < ca to c cfl M u < '_. n. 'ta 0) ■s. 3 to r. o Si w _) c e > +J •" o , w to e to TO tn c o. o, 'j5 'C a Ol o 0] CO TO e to TO C a a. m u w 71 g 1) aj V C "O ^£ c C y C fi 5 22 (2 TO u o XI to < cd <: 01 c (5 o TO < TO M < V) 01 c c 5 TO u On .Sac , wi x ey a. 41 u Difficult to get to school Nothing to do Saturday and Sunday. Too few agreeable companions Community gossip Factions in the school district Patrons took no interest in school Children were haid to discipline Children were slow to learn Too many classes to teach Work was too hard To get into a giaded school To get into a larger school Irregular attendance Term was too short Better salary Boarding place was unsatisfactory No place to entertain my friends Boarding place too far from school — Too much exposure Had to do my own janitor work Commurity health conditions poor... Principal wasn't agreeable Poor school building Poor equipment for the school Poor playgrounds- . . Little chance for self-improvement... So I could attend a church of my own denomination To be closer home Don't think a teacher should stay too long in one place Difficult to get laundering done To get a longer contract Had planned to quit teaching and when I decided to teach again my old school was taken To get away from home Changed by the county superintendent To be nearer town My school was consolidated Patrons didn't like him Give my children better opportunities 4 23 20 1 45 1 38 2 13 10 14 .8 2.5 3.3 18.9 16.4 36.9 2.5 2.5 31.1 1.6 3.3 1.6 5.7 74 15.6 11.4 28.7 28.7 1.6 3.3 1.8 2.5 5.7 1 Obtained from County Superintendents. Twelve principal 1 reasons were given why the teachers in this group changed positions the last time. These rea- sons vary in importance from .8 per cent to 28.7 per cent. The four outstanding reasons mentioned in the preceding paragraph are also the four outstanding principal reasons 1 The word principal used to modify reasons means the one reason that was the most important in effecting a change. Rural Teachers in the South 47 why teachers in this group change positions. These four reasons were the principal things that caused 84.4 per cent of the teachers in this group to change. "Better salary" was the principal reason why 28.7 per cent changed; "to be closer home" was the principal reason why 28.7 per cent changed; "to get into a graded school" was the principal reason why 15.6 per cent changed ; and "to get into a larger school" was the principal reason why 11.4 per cent changed. The two minor reasons mentioned were, the principal rea- sons why 8.2 per cent changed. "Patrons didn't like them" was the principal reason why 5.7 per cent changed ; and the county superintendent changed 2.5 per cent. Again six things constitute the principal reasons why more than 92 per cent of the rural teachers changed positions, and it is a most significant fact that five of these things are identical in both groups. The two reasons that are not identical are : "To get into graded school," which is in the second group, but not in the first; "had planned to quit teaching, and when I decided to teach again, my old school was taken," which is one of the six in the first group, but not in the sec- ond. Although this last-named reason does not come in as one of the six mentioned in the second group, it does rank higher as a principal reason than "changed by the county superintendent." Thus, by adding one more reason in each group so as to have seven identical things, it is ob- served that these seven reasons are the principal causes for more than 95 per cent of all the changes that are made in the rural schools in either or both groups. A very effective graphic comparison of the importance of each principal reason in each group is given below. An Explanation of the Graph The black bars present the principal reasons why the teachers of one- and two-teacher schools changed positions the last time. The white bars present the principal reasons why the teachers of schools that employ more than two teachers changed positions the last time. The per cents 48 The Present Status of show the per cent of the whole number of teachers that each reason influenced most. Per Cent of Changes Due to Each Reason, as Shown by the Principal Reasons Given by County Superintendents Better salary ^6.7 2A.7 To be closer home 23- 7 287 Patrons didn't like him ,6 /^ Changed by the superintendent 6.4- 2.5 Planned to quit teaching, and when I 3.8 decided to teach again, school taken 3.3 To get into a larger school 3.2. M.4 To get into a graded school l.b 15.6 Don't think a teacher should stay too 1.1 long in one place '•" Irregular attendance Factions in the school district -5 Too many classes to teach 5 Term was too short 5 To be nearer town .5 To get away from home .8 Poor school building 6 ] Give my children better opportunities .60 40% [Teachers of one- and two-teacher school 3 Teachers of the larger schools Fig. 4 "Better salary" caused a greater per cent of changes in the one- and two-teacher schools than in the larger schools. "To be closer home" did not cause as large a per cent of changes in the one- and two-teacher schools as it did in the larger schools. "Patrons didn't like him" caused a much larger per cent of changes in the one- and two-teacher schoools than it did in the larger schools. This may indi- cate that the teachers in the smaller schools are not so well qualified and therefore not so efficient as the teachers in the larger schools, and it was pointed out in chapter I that they have not had as much experience. A larger per cent of the teachers of one- and two-teacher schools were changed by the county superintendents than were in the larger schools. Rural Teachers in the South 49 Practically the same per cent in both groups had planned to quit teaching, and when they decided to teach again, their old schools were taken. 'To get into a larger school" influenced a very small per cent in the one- and two-teacher schools, but in the larger schools it was quite an important reason for changes. It is perfectly natural that this reason would vary in importance in these two groups. In the one- and two-teacher schools there can be but little changing from a smaller to a larger school, and in chapter I it was pointed out that there are very few such changes made in this group. On the other hand, it was pointed out in chap- ter I that more than 71 per cent of the teachers in the larger schools went from a smaller school to a larger one. "To get into a graded school" affected a very small per cent in the one- and two-teacher schools. Of course nothing else would be expected, for most of the smaller schools are not graded. In the larger schools it was quite an important reason. The per cent of teachers influenced to change by other reasons is about the same in both groups. In fact, a very small per cent in either group seem to be influenced by either of the other reasons. The graph shows very concisely the importance of each reason in each group and makes a striking comparison of each reason in both groups. In the first group 79 per cent of the changes are due to three causes ; in the second group 84 per cent of the changes are due to four causes. The most important deduction that might be made from the graph is that the teachers in the larger schools seem to be giving more satisfactory services than the teachers in the smaller schools. Conclusions The data obtained from county superintendents seem to justify the following conclusions : First, seven things con- stitute the principal reasons to which over 95 per cent of the changes in all of the rural schools are due ; second, the better qualified and more experienced teachers are found in the larger schools ; third, the progressive teacher does not stay in the one- and two-teacher schools long, but changes to a larger school ; fourth, there is more dissatisfac- tion in regard to the teacher among the patrons of one- and two-teacher schools than among the patrons of larger schools; fifth, three times as many teachers were failures and disliked by the patrons of one- and two-teacher schools as were failures and disliked by patrons of the larger schools. 50 The Present Status of Reasons Given by Rural Teachers Why They Change Positions 1. Why teachers in one- and two-teacher schools changed. The results obtained from the questionnaires sent to the rural teachers show that there are three reasons, each of which was checked by more than 30 per cent' of the teachers in one- and two-teacher schools. "Better salary" was checked by 55 per cent; "too many classes to teach" was TABLE 3.- -The Number of Teachers in One- and Two-Teacher Schools, by States, Who Checked Each Reason Once (X) 1 Reasons re c re (5 re FS > rt c ■v U 'S. a o V. u o ?! E o u U rt a X) e ni M u 3 £ 3 C V, "5 +j 3 K V c 1. Difficult to get to school 2. Nothing to do Saturday and Sunday 3 . Too few agreeable companions 4. Community gossip 5. Factions in the school district 6. Patrons took no interest in school 7. Children were hard to discipline 8. Children were slow in learning 9. Too many classes to teach 10. Work was too hard 1 1 . To get into a graded school 12. To get into a larger school... 13. Irregular attendance 14. Term was too short 15. Better salary 16. Boarding place was unsatisfactory 17. No place to entertain my friends 18. Boarding place too far from school 19. Too much exposure 20. Had to do my own janitor work 21. Community health conditions poor 22. Principal wasn't agreeable 23. Poor school building 24. Poor equipment for the school 25. Poor playgrounds 26. Little chance for self-improvement 27. So I could attend a church of my own denomination 28. To be closer home 29. Don't think a teacher should stay too long in one place 30. Difficult to get laundering done 31. To get a longer contract 32. Had planned to quit teaching and when I decided to teach again my old school was taken 1 From Questionnaires. Number 33 in the questionnaire asked for any reason not mentioned. The following reasons were given by teach- ers in one- and two-teacher schools : Reasons Number Who Gave It To enter school 4 To teach with my husband 2 Married, began teaching again after my husband died 2 Too many relatives in the school 2 Stopped teaching a while to rest 1 To put my daughter in a high school 1 To become principal 1 Had been in school with most of the children, thought I would suc- ceed better in a school where the children did not know me 1 54 The Present Status of Since these reasons affected less than 2 per cent of the teachers in this group, they would be counted negligible where there are so many other reasons that affect a much larger per cent. 2. Why teachers in schools with more than two teachers change. In this group 57 per cent of the teachers checked "better salary;" 32 per cent checked "too many classes to teach;" 26.7 per cent checked "to be closer home;" 26.7 per cent checked "little chance of self-improvement;" 26.3 per cent checked "to get into a larger school;" and 21.3 per cent checked "term was too short." Twelve of the other reasons were each checked by more than 10 per cent of the teachers, but less than 20 per cent of them. Of the other fourteen reasons, none was checked by 10 per cent of the teachers. This group checked only twenty-two of the different rea- sons twice. They vary in the per cent of teachers checking them from .4 per cent to 29 per cent. 29 per cent of the teachers checked "better salary" twice; 16.6 per cent Rural Teachers in the South 55 TABLE 7. — The Number of Teachers in Schools that Employ More Than Two Teachers, by States, Who Checked Each Reason Twice 1 Reasons o S a XI < CO a B a M 1-1 < JO 'ii O to o a QJ M c 2 '7: '3 e u « 'S p. as 'us as 'u j 71 A s n a o M O si V. B 73 ■0 u O 3 V V US as 0J c d H CO S Eh 'E H > 2 a '3 H > as 1. Difficult to get to school. . _. . 2. Nothing to do Saturday and Sunday 3. Too few agreeable companions. __ 5 8 11 8 5 1 8 2 7 13 5 9 70 14 1 1 -- 1 1 -- 1 2 2 1 4 "I 1 2 3 4 ? 2 4 1 1 2 3 8 5 1 "I "I 3 "i 2 1 3 1 3 7 3 2 "I 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 4 2 4. Community gossip. ._ .:__ .. . 5 . Factions in th e school district .. . 1 1 1 1 6. Patrons took no interest in school.. .. 3 1 7. Children were hard to discipline . 8. Children were slow in learning 2 1 :: — 10. Work was too hard. ....... 11. To get into a graded school .. 1 3 8 1 2 4 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 12. To get into a larger school. . ._ ._ "il" 2 1 2 10 2 7 16. Boarding place was unsatisfactory. . 1 7 . No place to entertain my friends 18. Boarding place too far from school. 19. Too much exposure .. 20. Had to do my own janitor work 21. Community health conditions poor ._ _ 22. Principal wasn't agreeable. ._ 10 2 5 1 2 -- 1 1 1 1 26. Little chance for self-improvement 27. So I could attend a church of my own il .... 2 .... -- -- 2 -- 1 -- 2 2 -- 2 -- -- 28. To be closer home.. ... ... 29. Don't think a teacher should stay too 40 6 6 3 S '6 2 1 1 1 3 -- "■ 2 "■ 14 2 -- 1 4 1 1 2 1 32. Had planned to quit teaching and when I decided to teach again my old school 1 From Questionnaires. checked u to be closer home" twice; 5.8 per cent checked "boarding place was unsatisfactory" twice; and 5.4 per cent checked "to get into a larger school" twice. Here, as has always been found, "better salary" is the outstanding cause of changes, with "to be closer home" ranking second. There are two other reasons that each caused 5 per cent of the changes. None of the other eighteen caused more than 4.6 per cent. In this group the four reasons named are the principal causes of 56.8 per cent of all the changes. In the group of one- and two-teacher schools it was found 56 The Present Status of TABLE 8. — Reasons for Changes of Positions as Indicated by Rural Teachers of Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers Reasons 2-c 01 JH 01 .a fe .a S V o d"0 e\ S4>y_ 1) u — J2 ss o w> ^ +> 2 (3 O O rtag -i- 1 o ui TJ w 9, ° a w *> GJ 05 u fefS's H o £**«■* •g be u o. o v 3 ~J3 a, fi w & 13 Jd rt •« S3 22 w u 2 o) C rt « o > outto 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. Difficult to get to school Nothing to do Saturday and Sunday Too few agreeable companions Community gossip Factions in the school district Patrons took no interest in school Children were hard to discipline Children were slow in learning Too many classes to teach Work was too hard To get into a graded school To get into a larger school Irregular attendance Term was too short Better salary Boarding place was unsatisfactory No place to entertain my friends Boarding place too far from school - Too much exposure , Had to do my own janitor wofk Community health conditions poor Principal wasn 't agreeable Poor school building Poor equipment for the school Poor playgrounds Little chance for self-impr)ovement So I could attend a church of my own denomination To be closer home Don't think a teacher should stay too long in one place Difficult to get laundering done To get a longer contract Had planned to quit teaching and when I decided to teach again my old school was taken To get away from home Changed by the County Superintendent. To be nearer town My school was consolidated Patrons didn't like him 6 2 1 72 44 2 31 1 6 9 5 18 7 1 26 3 7 7 6 17 60 4 4 6 6 3 11 1 30 3 6 .5 2.6 3.2 1.1 .5 38.7 23.7 1.1 6.4 .5 16.7 2.6 .4 2.2 3.3 1.8 6.6 2.6 .4 9.6 1.1 2.6 2.6 2.2 6.3 22.2 1.4 .7 1.4 .7 1.4 2.2 2.2 1.1 4.1 .4 11.1 1.1 2.2 3.3 checked it twice for the principal reason why they changed. Both agree on "to be closer home" being the second reason in importance. But again they differ as to the per cent of changes due to this reason. The superintendents rate it twice as high as the teachers; the superintendents gave it as the principal cause of 23.7 per cent of the changes, while 62 The Present Status of only 11.1 per cent of the teachers checked it as the one rea- son that influenced them most to change the last time. Probably the next most striking thing to be seen in this graph is that there are a number of reasons that were checked by the teachers that county superintendents did not mention, or if they did, they gave them as the cause of a very small per cent of the changes. Just what this indi- cates would be hard to say. However, it tends to indicate that the county superintendents are not as familiar with the problems that are confronting their teachers as they should be. It may indicate that there are a number of changes made each year that could be avoided if the county superintendent had matters "well in hand" and knew ex- actly what was going on in the school districts. It may in- dicate that there is an urgent need of closer supervision in the rural schools — a need for a type of supervision that will make the work in the classroom more effective and will help the teacher create an interest among his patrons — an interest that will cause them to improve the school build- ing, purchase the necessary equipment, construct play- grounds and equip them, and provide suitable boarding places for the teacher. There were two reasons that were given by the county superintendents that the teachers did not give. Teachers would not be expected to check "patrons didn't like him;" therefore it was not put in the questionnaire. No doubt it is one of the principal causes of changes, but it could never be obtained through the teachers. When the patrons don't like a teacher, the county superintendent is one of the first to hear about it. He is notified on every hand and re- quested to remove the teacher and give them another. If the county superintendent does not know about some of the other reasons, he should be an authority on this one. The other reason, "changed by the county superintendent," is another that the teachers would not be likely to check, but it is certain that a county superintendent knows the teach- ers that he changed. No doubt these are two important Rural Teachers in the South 63 Per Cent of Changes in the One- and Two-Teacher Schools Due to Each Reason, as Shown by Teachers' Double Checks (XX), and the Principal Reasons Given by County Superintendents Better salary To be closer home , Too many classes to teach , Patrons took no interest in school, % 22.1 38.7 U.I 25.7 °>.t> .5 6.6 Term was too short 6 3 .5 Little chance for self-improvement... 4( Community gossip 3.3 Planned to quit teaching, and when I decided to teach again, school taken 3.3 3.8 To get into a larger school 2fc 3.2 To get into a graded school 2 6 2.6 Children were hard to discipline 2.6 Difficult to get a school 2 6 Too few agreeable companions 2.2 Irregular attendance 1.2 11 Poor school building 2.2 To get a longer contract 2.2 Poor equipment for the school 2.2 Factions in the school district t.e .5 Boarding place was unsatisfactory... 1,4 Principal wasn't agreeable 1.4 Too much exposure 1.4 Don't think a teacher should stay too long in one place 1', Work was too hard 1.1 Poor playgrounds Boarding place was too far from school 7 Had to do my own janitor work 7 Children were slow in learning 4 Nothing to do Saturday and Sunday . . 4 So I could attend a church of my own denomination 4 Patrons didn't like him , 6 7 Changed by the superintendent 64 To be nearer town .5 35% (Checked by the teachers ^Given by the county superintendents Fig. 6 64 The Present Status of Per Cent of Changes in the Larger Schools Due to Each Reason, as Shown by Teachers' Double Checks (XX), and the Principal Reasons Given by County Superintendents Better salary To be closer home. Boarding place was unsatisfactory... To get into a larger school Factions in the school district Little chance for self-improvement . . Principal wasn't agreeable Term was too short Community gossip Too many classes to teach Patrons took no interest in school.. Z9.0 28.7 16.6 28.7 5.6 5.4 11-4 4.6 .8 4.6 4.2 3.7 3.3 3.3 33 2.9 To get into a graded school Don't think a teacher should stay too 'S- 6 long in one place 2 5 1.6 Too few agreeable companions.... Children were hard to discipline.. 2.1 2.1 Irregular attendance , ( Planned to quit teaching, and when I decided to teach again, school taken ( j 3.3 Poor school building 6 .8 Work was too hard g Children were slow in learning 4. Boarding place was too far from school ,4 To get a longer contract .4 Patrons didn't like him 5.7 Changed by the superintendent 2.5 To get away from home „ To give my children better opportu- nities .8 U Checked by the teachers 3 Given by the county superintendents Fig. 7 Rural Teachers in the South 65 reasons why teachers in the one- and two-teacher schools change positions. Teachers in the larger schools. The data under this topic will also be compared by means of a graph. On the whole this graph presents about the same picture as the preceding graph. There doesn't seem to be as much difference in the opinions of county superintendents and teachers in regard to the cause of the changes, in this group, as there was in the other group. "Better salary" is given by both as causing practically the same per cent of changes. The county su- perintendents still attribute more changes due to "to be closer home" than the teachers do. They also gave "to get into a larger school" and "to get into a graded school" as important reasons, while only a small per cent of the teach- ers checked them twice. Here, as in the other group, there are a number of reasons checked by the teachers that were not given by the county superintendents, which again indi- cates that the county superintendent is not cognizant of all the problems that are confronting his teachers. Many of these teachers, no doubt, change from the one- and two- teacher schools to the larger schools, and these are the rea- sons. They went where they would get closer supervision, where the patrons took more interest, and where the neces- sary equipment for the school had been provided. In this group it is observed that there were fewer disliked by the patrons and a smaller number of changes made by the county superintendents than in the group of one- and two- teacher schools. The reasons given by the county super- intendents and the reasons checked twice by the teachers indicate that the county superintendents are better in- formed about what is going on in the larger schools than they are in regard to what is happening in the one- and two- teacher schools. 66 The Present Status of TABL.E 10. — Changes of Positions in Rural Schools Employing More Than Two Teachers, According to Reasons Given by County Super- intendents and the Teachers Reasons C +J CM (U tn -* £ -, >•■ en « .£ C tn X S C > c. ri £ .5 « 1, ~ u " t> S « rt = r; J3 c6 +j O r^ O 4) o) o Oj£cS c & s O cq O u v fc w u « a o - j O 41 S-9 5 2 « S 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35. 36. 37. Difficult to get to school Nothing to do Saturday and Sunday Too few agreeable companions Community gossip Factions in the school district Patrons took no interest in school Children were hard to discipline Children were slow in learning Too many classes to teach Work was too hard To get into a graded school To get into a larger school Irregular attendance Term was too short Better salary Boarding place was unsatisfactory No place to entertain my friends Boarding place too far from school Too much exposure Had to do my own janitor work Community health conditions poor Principal wasn't agreeable Poor school building Poor equipment for the school Poor playgrounds Little chance for self-improvement So I could attend a church of my own denomination To be closer home Don't think a teacher should stay too long in one place Difficult to get laundering done To get a longer contract Had planned to quit teaching and when I decided to teach again my old school was taken To get away from home Changed by the County Superintendent - To be nearer town Patrons didn't like him Give my children a better opportunity.. 19 14 35 35 2 13 5 9 70 14 11 40 6 11 15.6 11.4 28.7 28.7 1.6 3.3 .8 2.5 2.1 3.3 4.6 3.3 2.1 .4 3.3 .8 2.9 5.4 2.1 3.7 29.0 5.8 4.2 4.6 16.6 2.5 .4 1.7 Rural Teachers in the South 67 Rural teachers as a whole. This graph shows at a glance to what the county superintendents attribute the changes in the rural schools. In their opinion, over 95 per cent of the changes are due to seven reasons. It is interesting to tw r^Tit nf Chances in All Rural Schools Due to Each Reason, as Shown by Teachers' Double Checks (XX), and the Principal Reasons Given by County Superintendents Better salary 25.4 S4.6 iS.fe i5.6 6.6 .3 5.1 .3 5.1 To be closer home Too many classes to teach Term was too short Patrons took no interest in school.. Little chance for self-improvement. . 45 To get into a larger school 40 Planned to quit teaching, and when I 6.5 decided to teach again, school taken 4.0 Boarding place was unsatisfactory... 35 Irregular attendance Community gossip Factions in the school district.... To get into a graded school Principal wasn't agreeable Children were hard to discipline.. Too few agreeable companions Don't think a teacher should stay too long in one place Poor school building Difficult to get a school To get a longer contract Poor equipment for the school Work was too hard Too much exposure Boarding place too far from school.. Poor playgrounds Children were slow in learning Had to do my own janitor work Nothing to do Saturday and Sunday. . So I could attend a church of my own denomination Patrons didn't like him Changed by the county superintendent To get away from home To be nearer town Give my children better educational opportunities 1.3 1.2.1 1.0 | .6 .6 ■*> A .4 Z .1 12.5 3.1 .3D .3 .J 2.3 2.1 (.7 1.5 1 P ¥ 35% ] I Checked by the teachers 3 Given by the county superintendents Fig. 8 68 The Present Status of note that only one of these seven reasons is ranked as high by the teachers as by the county superintendents. "Had planned to quit teaching, and when I decided to teach again, my old school was taken" was checked twice by 4 per cent of the teachers, and it was given by the county superin- TABLE 11. — Changes of Positions in All Rural Schools, According to Reasons Given by County Superintendents and Teachers Reasons £.5g > g- o O •*-! >- J3 m £> OS O rs 3 Mrs V O D O C «J2 4) S D ° * ci S CO e: « >> O 03 j; ° G 5 3 s a c y >>_ to y CO O »i t/1 "^ c3