Article by Commissioner of Education Earl McGrath, Are There Too Many Women Teaching Our Boys?

ARE THERE TOO MANY WOMEN TEACHING OUR BOYS?* There is at present a great shortage of teachers in the United States. The shortage is most acute in the elementary school where most of the teachers are women. As the increasing birth rate is felt in the high schools in the next f ew years, there will also be a serious shortage of teachers at that level where about half the teachers are women. One would have to say, therefore, that there is a need for many more women teachers than we have at present. Another aspect of the question, however, is related to the influence of women on growing boys as contrasted with the influence of men. Implied in your question is the thought that boys should not be so exclusively under the influence of women teachers, because the personality traits of women tend to be different from those 'of men and these are accordingly passed on to boys in the classroom. I do not hold this view. I believe that the question should be phrased as follows: Are our children being instructed by good teachers? The sex of the teacher is unimportant. His or her ability to teach is the important fact. I believe, of course, that both elementary and high school teaching offers excellent opportunities for men and I should hope, therefore, that more men would be interested in entering the teaching profession. But we can use all the good women teachers who wish to enter the profession. Earl J. McGrath, U.S. Commissioner of Education, Federal Security Agency, *By Washington, D. C., to Jimmy Jemiel for use in his N.Y. Daily "Ast Anybody " Sentember 28. 1950.