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Show dill SCHOOLS NEED JEACHERS Serious Shortage of In-: structors Reported by Utah Superintendents. TTirhin one month of the opening of tho fall school term, the rural schools of Utah are several hundred teachers short of the number required, and with practically no prospect of securing the i instructors that are vitally necessary : to the proper administration of the state 6chool system. This fact was i brought out yesterday afternoon at the 'closing session of the state conference of superintendents held in the capitol. District superintendents present at the meeting reported a shortage totaling total-ing 275 teachers, 240 in tho rural districts dis-tricts and thirty-five in city districts. It was stated that the shortage probably prob-ably was considerably greater than reported. re-ported. Inability of district boards to raise 1 sufficient funds under the state law to I pay salaries that will attract teachers 1 to the rural schools is given by the superintendents su-perintendents as the cause of the condition. con-dition. The last legislature was asked to permit rural districts to levy a higher assessment, but refused to grant the request, preferring to await action on the constitutional amendment proposing pro-posing to increase the state's levying power. Superintendents reported that very few of the soldiers who formerly taught in high schools of the state are returning return-ing to educational work when they leave the army. They find more lucrative lucra-tive employment along other lines, it is said, and have definitely abandoned the educational field. Many women workers, work-ers, too, who went into some branch of war activity have, not returned to the schools, thus turther increasing the shortage. At the closing session yesterday, the superintendents passed a resolution providing pro-viding for the appointment of a committee com-mittee of five superintendents to cooperate co-operate with the state board of education educa-tion and nil other official bodies and organizations for the purpose of securing secur-ing the enforcement of state and municipal mu-nicipal laws enacted for the protection of the health and morals of minors; and if necessary, to secure additional legislation legis-lation as may be required to support the state program of health and civic education. The resolution also recommends, recom-mends, that local committees to carry on such work be appointed in each school district. A resolution was unanimously adopted, adopt-ed, expressing the appreciation of the superintendents of the state of the work done by Ir. E. G. Gowans, who recently resigned as state superintendent superinten-dent of public instruction, and who ib now state supervisor of health education. educa-tion. The superintendents went on record as favoring the launching of a campaign cam-paign of education for the general pub-j pub-j lie in the matter of school finance, par-I par-I ticularly to show the voters of the state why they should support the proposed constitutional amendment to give the state a higher levying power for educational educa-tional purposes. The teachers of the state were complimented com-plimented on the result of the membership mem-bership drive conducted during The pat year for membership in tho National Education association. The responses of Utah educators re stilted in this state standing third highest in the nation. na-tion. Uniform action in developing part time education clashes will be taken bv t he superintendents, it was decided. Plans will be formulated jointly, and a program outlined which will carry out I this new phase of educational work in the state along uniform lilies. |