There have been changes in approaches in certifying public school teachers, but when viewed in historical perspective, these have been changes in degree rather than changes in kind. This paper charts the history of certification/licensure and teacher testing to facilitate better understanding of the issue. The second task is to show the influence on the teaching profession of both teacher testing and licensure/certification through the use of historical examples from within and from outside the teaching profession. Comparisons with medicine and law are made. The third task is to show how important elements from the past might be used to influence public policy regarding teacher testing and licensure/certification in the future. (JD)