Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-05-23 | Page 4 | High Compliment to Educator

HIGH UGH COMPLIMENT COl TO EDUCATOR T THE lIE National Education association pays pas a L. L high compliment to J. J R B R. R Smith dh chairman hairm irm n. n of the ha teachers teachers' welfare committee of the Salt 1 t r o Lake City schools in jn it its invitation to him hint to address the association at its convention to be behold behold behold hold in Washington in the first week of Jul July Mr lr r. r Smith will discuss the the- teachers' teachers merit rating system as it affects teacher appointments appoint appoint- ments and teacher salaries lie presented hii hi his findings after exhaustive study at a session of ol the department of superintendence at nt the Cleveland sessions o of the N. N U. U A. A last winter Mr Smith is is one of only two western speakers to participate in the discussions before the Washington Tash s ington convention The compliment is i the nicer in iii view of the fact that thai the value valno of his Ids discussion evidently was gauged by his appearance appearance ap ap- ap on Oil the platform at the thc Ohio gathering gather gather- lug ing of the superintendents' superintendents division of the national na nn- association The Thc merit rating system provoked ed lively H discussion when it was introduced d hero about two years ears ago It came camo into the local school schoolfield schoolfield schoolfield field somewhat after the manner of a white rabbits rabbit's emergence from an empty silk hat in inthe inthe inthe the hands lands of a magician No one seemed eager to claim authorship of the plan nor even willing willing will will- ing to admit ItS its it paternity While the objective objective tive sought when it was introduced here may ll have e been desirable in some particulars the course taken to reach it was littered Jittered up with injustice unfairness and inconsistencies Application Ap Ap- Application of its principles opened a wide field for whim and caprice Some modification of the system was obtained as its evils were brought to light but even eyen now to judge from opinions free freely expressed by teachers it cannot cannot can can- not be claimed to be he a suitable yard ard ick to apply to the teaching profession Out of the thenn nn multitude of counsel in the national gathering of educators something should be set up tip better betterto to serve the intended purpose