PUBLIC-SCHOOL TEACHER IN A DEMOCRACY 417 



of sincere appreciation. The plan works, partly because of the emo- 

 tional power of mutual felicitation, and partly because the administra- 

 tion is too busy to search for abler men who do not push themselves 

 into the official horizon. All this is politics of a subtler kind than any 

 the ward politician knew when in the same community he was the 

 brutal power to be feared and flattered by the hopeful teacher. 



The law protects the teacher in his position from the party poli- 

 ticians, but it does not protect the public, and the public makes no 

 attempt to protect itself against the imposition of numerous teachers 

 who have failed to " make good." It is practically impossible in cer- 

 tain of the large cities of the country to dismiss a teacher or a principal 

 for incompetency. He can be harassed, but not dismissed. To a con- 

 siderable extent custom and state or municipal laws insure him (in 

 the case of teachers) an increase of salary as the years are added to his 

 tenure of office. 



The law which protects the teacher from unscrupulous interests 

 strengthens and emphasizes the idea that public positions belong to 

 the holders, and not to the public itself. The facts that a poor or low- 

 minded teacher or principal may not only do infinite harm to human 

 character in formation, but that he also fails to do infinite good, have 

 not generally been taken into consideration officially in the best organ- 

 ized school administrations. If any one ever should suggest the idea 

 that by the failure of a teacher to do constructive good in his position 

 he thereby forfeited it, he would be set down as a " dreamer." Teachers 

 and principals have been dismissed for open cruelty or viciousness, 

 but not often for poor teaching, unsympathetic nature, low-minded- 

 ness, vulgarity, mental stagnation, and probably never solely for failure 

 to contribute something to the moral and social uplift of a little com- 

 munity — the school. So general is the idea yet among teachers that 

 their business is simply to " teach." A superintendent would need to 

 be strong indeed with his community, if he should undertake to dis- 

 miss his inefficient teachers. The worst of them have their " influ- 

 ential " friends, and the argument from " bread and butter " is well- 

 nigh invincible. Our conception of the importance of education in 

 the national life must become more clear, and our belief in education 

 more sincere. Perhaps then we shall have advanced to the position 

 that the selfish, incompetent agent of education shall not defeat or 

 hinder the purpose of a great public movement, no matter what his 

 personal needs may be. 



The presence of inefficient and ineffective workers in the teaching 

 profession undoubtedly has much to do with the present low salaries 

 of teachers. The kind of work done, and the quality of it on the 

 whole, have not been good enough to enable organized education to com- 

 pel the payment of better salaries. Whatever complaints we may make 

 vol. Lxxni. — 27. 



