New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-01-26

year; Canal Auditor a, %, 900 yea, with 3 e'1'
at q, 800 Canal Board Composed Of nine State Nh
CEN whose duties connected with the Board orcuv,
uuch Of their time; five Commissioners of tiP Canal
| Fund TO keep and manage ts moneys; a Corps OF
Engineers, with salaries varying from 81 500 down 10
$500: troop Of Collectors. superntecdents Inspwt
| oYs WeiChers and IockrenderS-the whole forfn.ux
a very C phcSted and expensive system confined in
its operation, 10 but fractional portion OF the State
c, pare the School Department with is Snperntend
ent beputy and two clerks, with this formidable array
of receiving ard discussing officers DO not include
tie Town Supern.cEdens because the time aud atten-
ten devoted BY them is as insignificant compared with
the wants of the Schools las their rewsrd stn.ed
Tie gross income Of the cGsHs fsli short OF the
amount eNpene,d for school purposes IL The sum ID
s4C664s II. The whole expense sor collection, super
Mtcndebce and repairs Of the canals for the year
1850 exceeds the money invested i,ring that year foe
school houses, sites, fuel, &c., only sil9 s0t 70.
There is. therefore, out Of the Cities personal
supervision of our common schools. They are
practically in the hande Of the eachera whose seec-
.on is more frequently determined by consideration
of dollars and cents, than by their ability acquire
ments and devotion 10 the business, | viii not under
cake TO estimate the priceless yeas OF youth thus
wasted.
County suyervision was recommended by the Hon.
John C. Spencer in 1871, and instituted under his ad-
min stration. In ls43 the Hon. Samuel forng, who
cams into othce strongly preudiced against TIE plan.
after years experience of it, results reported TO the
Legislature that in every county OF the State where
" the Deputy superintendent has sS-duousy fulfilled
.. his mission Improvement IN the condition of the
schools is manifest In his next report he emphat-
eniv expresses his conviction of the Importance and
etihty of unity supervision, His successor the Hon
n 5 Benton in lsi6 bore his testimony 81 the excel
lence and usefulness of the plan. The Legislature
Of 1917, in unpsoptious hour, npon the memorial
of sons half dozen boars Of SupeTyiscfs abolished
the otfiee. Ehe Hon. Christopher Morgan, after
yeats experience in the Office of superintendent OF
Common Schools without the aid of county super
yisios ia his port of January, 1919 says: 1.-THE act
aboisAin, the office of County superintendent was, in
the opnioi of she undersigned, retrograde move
ment. If those Vhcers were not in every instance
competent and fsthfu TO their trust, the fault not
in the ppOinng power. X a wise selection was not
always made dOeS that furnish SQUAD reason for de-
stloying the office , IL MAJ safely be said that
other Office in the Sate would bear test"
The same officer 10 his succeeding Ennual reports.
strongly urged upon The Legislature the necessity OF
restoration of the offlser.
The Hon. Henry y Randall in his report in 1884,
strongly condemned tie present nefciert and defect
i've system and drew glowing picture Of the advant
ages and the results Of county supervision The
d rsgned deems IL unn ctssaTy 3 quote ~ length the
language OF the reports % which he has referred. lie
will be happy to aid ths Legislative Committee who
have IA charge the subject of edacation. with all the
facts within his knowledge bea Sg relation to this
subject. II will be found hat all OPINION and authority
woithy Of the highest consideration are in favor "
county supervision.
In mosof our cities and many large villages Boards
of Education bsve been established, to whose care
have been committed the interests 81 education But
however useful such Boards may be in cities and vii
lagos, they will be found not TO answer the purposes
Of SUPERVISION nor other purposes N the rural and
sparsey populated districts. The Union Free-Schod
law of 1883 provides for the establishment of such
Boards and il they are desired by the people they
be organized under that law In every city and viii
lace there always few men whosc'zeal and intel
Qence qualify them for such Offices, and whose leisure
permits a reasonable attention to theu duties. But
a Board whose members reside miles apart, and
whose avocations allow them lessre cannot
ssmble often enough, and deliberate intelligently,
or act efficiently. II was for this reason that the
Boards of School Commissioners in the towns were
abolished and their duties enoined upon one mantle
Town Superintendent. Boards OF Education also
have the character of delberatIve and legislative
assemblies. Their powers advisory and directory
rather than supervisory and executive. Hence the
necessity in most of the cities of appointing Supern
tenlent of Schools, Secretary Of the Board who
acts in that capacity.
All experience proves that supervision cannot be
look for in boards whose constitution aud compost
ton render them slow and unwieldy. The duties OF
SUI ei vision require that they should be performed,
as far a. possible, by man. left ifee to~act within
the prescribed limits of reasonable jurisdiction. II
would be contrary to all experience oexpec any board.
howe yer constituted, and endowed with whatever
Of wisdom and ability TO act with the promptness,
energy and activity requisite for the efectnal superys
ion OfschOos in gle town county. Pennsylvania,
consc ous of this has adopted the system Of county
supervision, and in all parts of that State its influence
is turning the attenten of her people to the places
where her children eOpgregate for instruction.
II is the province of legislative bodies and boar,ls Of
alton TO deliberate 10 resolve and enact but in
oil eases executive arm, welded by single will, u
REQUISITE to give force and effect 10 delegated power
The ofs should be elective. II tbs objection be
urged that sometimes incompetent men are thus
chosen the answer IT, that il is evil Incident 10
system of government, which will ind It's remedy
when our schools shall receive attention commemorate
with their importance. The officer should, be
eligible and the term Of office should not be less than
three years
The duties Of these officers should DO to examine
and license teachers; to visit and inspect schools; 10
organize and conduct teachers ilstatesj to encOur
age teachers associations and school oeiehratoDsi TO
counsel in all local questions arising usder tho opera
ti0n of the School laws ts introduce 10 the notice OF
Teachers and the people the best modes of instruction,
the physiological laws that govern tue health and the
nowth of the young, the most apl owed plans Of
heahful exercise Of the children; to awaken gene
raj interest among the people the subject Of educa-
ton; 20 report from time to time the condition and
prospt cts OF the schools, and to psrfom such other
duti be required by low Oh The regulations OF
this Department.
|. may not be advisable to give the officer power to
decide Appeals. This could not be done satisfactorily,
without allowing his decisions to be reviewed by this
Department
4 County Superintendent, or OR in each Assembly
District daily visiting the schools, associatng with
teachers and pupils holding public meetings in VII
lagos and neighborho0ds, hnpering and receiving
knowledge, inspiring and acquiring zeal, encouraging
establishing teachers institutes, discussing plans
for developing and guiding the youthful mind,
awakening parental solictude, encouraging the
teachers and inspiring the pupils with de-
ity and enthusiasm into every department of in
.trueiioD is the thing most needfs 10 perfect our
school system. Sach supervision would awaken the
pee pie to the importance Of the system, and give that
Intensity to the popular interest in the welfare and
culture Of the yOung essential TO AS oo<dnl support
and successful operation.
In conclusion be begs leave briefly 10 recapituinte
the amendments in the school laws which be declares
most worthy Of immediate attention.
l. That the annual meetings OF all the school dis-
nh Ill al a milf Lar eaFig