QUALIFICATION OF TEACHERS.
Mr. Leeper's bill [S. 52], amending Section 34 of the Common School law [describe in these reports of January 13], was read a second time with a Committee report, substituting new matter therefor, which was concurred in, and the bill ordered engrossed.
The substituted bill provides that School Trustees of cities and incorporated towns, not under the supervision of the County Superintendent, may appoint examiners for teachers in their respective schools with especial reference to their qualifications to teach in the grades for which they apply, the licenses thus granted to be good only in the school corporations where granted. Confers also on County Superintendents the power to examine teachers for schools under their supervision with reference to their qualifications for work they are to perform. Licenses to be granted for six, twelve, twenty-four or thirty-six months. Six months license to be a trial license. No further license to be granted to holder of such license unless able to advance to a twelve months' grade. Two consecutive thirty-six months' licenses entitled holder, upon certain prescribed examination, to license for eight years, styled professional license. Such license to be good in any school of the State under the supervision of the County Superintendent. Applicants in all cases required to pay into County Treasury fifty cents, such fee to be applied as a County Institute fund. The bill received the unqualified indorsement of the Senate Committee on Education, as well as many of the principal educators of the State. Professor Smart, Superintendent of Public Instruction, has been especially active in the interest of the measure, and pronounces it the best bill that has been presented to the General Assembly on that subject for many years.
