undertaking: but that should not in itself limit her to one type of
school in these days of grant-aided institutions.[1] The new four-year
course makes it possible for her, as for independent students, to
train in the year subsequent to taking a degree--an essential reform
if the old over-strain and rush are to be avoided. It is generally
accepted, and in girls' secondary schools commonly acted upon, that
professional training for one year after graduation, is indispensable.
The teacher is born, not made, but she needs help if she is to avoid
mistakes equally disastrous to herself and her pupils: she requires
some knowledge of child-character, some acquaintance with the history
and theory of education, some leisure to formulate, some opportunity
to consider the aims as well as the methods of her teaching. We have,
perhaps, passed beyond the stage when it is necessary further to
discuss the value and effect of training. It is still desirable
to emphasise the fact that the untrained woman teacher finds it
increasingly difficult to obtain satisfactory and well-paid school
posts.[2] Girls should endeavour by every means in their power to
secure this fourth year at college, which is essential to their
competency and to security of employment. It would also be well to
impress on county councils that their work is but half done if they
continue to refuse a renewal of scholarships for training to those who
have taken a degree.

Students who have graduated with honours will have to decide before
they begin to train, whether they wish to become specialist teachers
and whether they have sufficient intellectual capacity to do so.
Generally speaking, a student who has obtained third-class honours
will do better to prepare herself for ordinary form work; she is
not likely to obtain control of the teaching of her own subject in a
first-rate school, though doubtless she will often get the opportunity