more than any other school subject, may be directly correlated with actual use. In its teaching, more than in that of any other subject, the motive is supplied without great effort on the teacher's part. The difficulty in language teaching is rather to keep up to the present needs than to anticipate them, as is sometimes necessary in arithmetic and history; yet this method of teaching language—that is, basing the work on the every-day needs rather than following the outline or the textbook-is neither emphasized nor referred to in the course. Under present conditions in one-teacher schools agriculture, cooking and sewing, and probably manual training could be taught best in connection with club work, utilizing the out-of-school time on the farm and in the home. The work given could then be more nearly based on farm and home work, and therefore correlated with life, and could be better organized as to time of teaching particular items. For example, the wisdom of teaching plant propagation in December, when in a climate like that of Colorado neither observation nor correlation with home work is possible, is doubtful. Teaching "packing eggs for winter use" in March may be similarly characterized.

Probably but two subjects-music and penmanship-have in view the organization of a one-teacher school. To cover 20 subjects, each of which is outlined for a full nine-month school year, is practically impossible outside of a well-graded school. Agriculture, nature study, cooking, sewing, manual training, road making, and poultry culture, civics, scientific temperance, etc., are all excellent in themselves, but should be correlated with the "three R's," if they are to be taught satisfactorily in a one-teacher school. For example, much of the geography and history, especially in the lower grades, even as presented in the present course, could be given as language just as well as geography or history; the Colorado history and Colorado geography could be combined as one subject; the course in geography includes much that is really agriculture and nature study and duplicates the outlines for these subjects.

Elsewhere in this report the average rural school term is given as seven months. Many schools have much shorter terms. There are in the State nearly 1,800 one-teacher rural schools. In many of these all the eight grades are taught, and in a majority at least five or six grades. If the course of study were followed in such schools, arranged as it is for nine-month terms, two years for each grade would be necessary. If all the subjects given were taught as outlined-that is, on a basis of eight classes in practically every subject-less than five minutes would be available for each recitation, and individual pupils would have very little of the teacher's time in each subject daily.

In addition to the correlation of subjects here suggested, there are methods of alternating and combining classes particularly applicable in one-teacher schools. Definite ideas of such methods, together with the outline of the subjects themselves and added suggestions as to programs for study and recitation, should be given in a State course of study for one-teacher schools. It is far easier for the teacher to enlarge on the amount of subject matter given in the course than it is for her to cut it down. Hence the selecting of topics must be done for the teacher when it is impossible to make separate outlines for long and for short term schools. A course of study for a State like Colorado should make definite provision for short-term schools, since the difficult matter for rural teachers, particularly untrained ones (of which there are 58 per cent in the State), is to make such an organization for themselves.

Unity. The Colorado course includes 20 different subjects. An examination of the course fails to reveal any unity, continuity, or correlation among these different branches. It seems apparent that a course in each subject was arranged by one person or one committee of persons working independently of all the others. There is no relationship or correlation expressed, and none can be found on examination, even among the English subjects—reading, language, and spelling. These overlap frequently in subject matter, but this overlapping is apparently unintentional and does not consider economy of time by combining or alternating the affiliated subjects. In some subjects, as, for example, history, an effort is made to present a general aim of history study, and some stress is laid upon method. The outlines in spelling, reading, and music have stressed the method side, while in arithmetic, language, and agriculture, and in geography, with the exception of a few general hints, practically nothing is said about methods of presentation. The outlines in language are sensible and reasonably easy as to amount of formal grammar presented, while geography and history are very inclusive, containing many things difficult enough for high-school work. The course in language assumes that the teacher has few reference books, and specifically states that a number of poems (in reality far too few) are included in order that teachers may make such selection from those given as are best adapted to their needs, while history and geography assume not a paucity of reference and outside reading, but a variety of reference material rarely available in a rural school. These examples will serve to illustrate the evidence to the effect that there is no unity of ideas, purposes, or methods underlying the whole course. Each contributor stresses the things that seem important to him, and apparently there is little harmony of opinion as to these. To summarize, it may be said that a satisfactory State course of study to meet the conditions indicated is difficult to formulate. It

ought not to be expected that it can be done by anyone except a professional officer with teaching experience, and one who has made a special study of the fundamental principles of education and of the values of different subjects in the educational process. The development of the final course should extend over several years of trials and adjustments.

(6) TEACHERS.

Of the 3,627 teachers in Colorado outside of cities with special superintendents to whom questionnaires were sent concerning their education, professional training, and teaching experience, only 1,563, or 43 per cent of the number, replied. Such an attitude toward legitimate requests from an investigating committee for necessary information results in a large measure from the fact that there is no real school system and no centralization of educational authority within the State.

The averages given in this report and in the tables submitted are. probably better than actual conditions warrant, not only because naturally a larger per cent of the better-qualified teachers replied, as with other questionnaires, but for the added reason that the forms intended only for teachers in the schools with no special superintendents really reached many towns with special supervision in which salaries, qualifications of teachers, etc., are better than in rural schools. For example, San Juan County is included in the averages given, though the salaries are all above $1,000, and all of the teachers have some training of college grade. Of the 1,563 teachers who replied 1,071 were in rural one-teacher schools and 492 in villages.

Qualifications.-Teaching qualifications are governed by general and special education, professional training, experience, and, in a general way, age, to the extent, at least, that one should be neither too immature nor too old for good service. In two counties the average age of teachers is 19 years, indicating that some very young

teachers are employed. In no county is the average age greater than 34 years; the average for the State is 25 years. In one county all of the teachers replying reported having no previous experience. In several the average experience is less than two years. For the State the average is three years—a little less than the average experience for rural teachers in the United States as a whole.

Each year States and cities in larger numbers are raising their standards. At the present time a minimum standard in most cities in the United States is six years of education (including professional subjects) above the elementary school for elementary teachers and eight years above the elementary school for high-school teachers. Of the teachers replying in Colorado 23 per cent have a general education of less than four years above the elementary school, or the equivalent of a high-school course.

Education of 1,563 rural teachers.

With elementary education only.

With some secondary education, but not four years__

With four years secondary education_‒‒‒

With some higher education, but not four years_.

With four years higher education__

Per cent.

7

16

35

34

8

In addition to those teachers who have elementary education only and some secondary training, but not the full four years necessary for high-school graduation, 35 per cent have graduated from high school but have had no education beyond it. This 35 per cent with the 23 per cent who have had less than four years above the elementary school, or 58 per cent of the total number replying, represent the body of teachers who have no professional training and only four years or less of general education above the elementary grades. Colorado has a much larger percentage of untrained teachers than the United States as a whole; a recent investigation by the Bureau of Education indicates that about one-third of the total number of rural teachers are entirely without professional training. Colorado's 58 per cent would be higher if rural teachers only were included. Thirty-four per cent of the teachers replying have some training, varying from one to three years, above high-school grade. Eight per cent have four years of higher education, or eight years above the elementary school. It is reasonably safe to say that with few exceptions these teachers lack the experience which makes them eligible to teach in village or city schools, and will remain in the country only long enough to make up for this deficiency.

Certification. Judging from the reports received by the bureau the majority of teachers in rural schools have second-grade certificates. Among the teachers replying there were more than five times as many having first as third grade certificates and six times as

many having second as third grade certificates. Of the total number of certificates issued by the county superintendents in 1915-16 (omitting Denver), approximately 60 per cent were of second, 20 per cent of first, and 20 per cent of third grade. Of the teachers replying to the bureau, certificates were held as follows: First-grade county, 561, or 36 per cent; second-grade county, 609, or 39 per cent; third-grade county, 106, or 7 per cent; State certificate, 277, or 17 per cent; no certificates, 10. There were between 600 and 700 thirdgrade certificates issued in Colorado in 1915-16, of which only 106 were held by teachers replying to questionnaires. These figures indicate that only a small percentage of the teachers holding thirdgrade certificates who are actually employed in the State replied to the questionnaire; that the teachers who did reply were above the average; and that the totals given here are better than they would be if all the teachers employed were included.

Neither high-school education nor professional training is necessary to receive a first-grade Colorado certificate. The examination for all three grades of certificates is the same. The subjects included are the elementary branches only, with the exception of elementary science and theory and practice of teaching. First-grade certificates represent an examination average of 90 per cent or more, with no branch below 70 per cent; second-grade an examination average of 80 per cent or more, with no branch below 65 per cent; and third grade an examination average of 75 per cent or more, with no branch below 60 per cent. The general average may be increased by 5 per cent for attendance at a teachers' institute. Twelve months' experience is required for a first-grade certificate, but no experience is required for certificates of second or third grade.

Two hundred and seventy-seven teachers holding State certificates replied to the bureau's questionnaire. In this group are included those holding certificates recommended by the State board of examiners and those having diplomas from the two teacher-training institutions of the State. These certificates and diplomas represent a minimum of six years' training above the elementary grades. The 277 teachers (17 per cent of the total) who hold these certificates include all who have any worthy amount of professional training. They are probably the only ones eligible to teach in city schools. when they have the necessary experience. In other words, the teaching body in rural schools is made up largely of persons who, because of lack of training, are not eligible to teach in city schools, and of those who, while having the necessary education, are using the country schools as training schools in which to receive the experience necessary for eligibility to city school work. No greater injustice could be done to rural communities who pay their proportional share of maintaining normal schools for the purpose of training