Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-04-16
New Series---Vol. ii, No. 23.

Istence; and TO discharge the Office proper-
ly, the Superintendent must be qualified
"to examine" all the Teachers, "to VISIT
them, and to "give such instructions in the
art of teaching and the method thereof in
each SCHOOL, as the condition and grade of
each shall require. How can this be done.
except by one who is scholar enough TO
teach the Teacher of the highest branch
taught in the highest school in his county,
2. ".SkiH and Experience in The .art of
Teaching, is another requisite-not only
skill to know, but practice TO do. 1t is no
doubt true, that, in some instances. the
office has been well filled by persons of
no great actual experience in the art. This
is owing 10 the known fact that some men
have naturally in them so much Of the
elements of The Teacher, and such a love
for the work and the cause, as TO supply,
to great degree, all other defects. But
the exception only proves the rule, for the
instances of failure for want of this ele
ment have been TOO numerous to leave the
question doubtful. But mere learning and
professional skill are not sufficient, unless.
as the law and the necessity of the case
everywhere intimate, they are accompani-
ed with power 10 make them Efficient
Hence,
3. .4bitify 10 inpart kno,oledge, and
gioe Information, publicly as aoeA as pri-
Uafely, is indispensable. Since the pas
sage of the act of l854-in addition TO
the public meetings for the examination of
Teachers, and the visitation of schools in
the presence Of directors and parents
thereby preseribed-lhe holding of district
and county Institutes, Associations and
Meetings, for the improvement of Teach
els, and the delivery Of public lectures
and addresses for the furtherance of the
system and the explanation of the law,
have become so general, and are found TO
be so beneficial, that they may now be
regarded as an integral part of the Super
intendent's duties. All these occasions
impose the duty of addressing the public;
and the officer who does not do il, fails in
his duty. Some ability therefore TO speak
in public should be embraced among the
requisites of fitness for the office.
4. Energy Of character and lore for
the tCork, are the last essentials that need
be specified. Without these, the highest
degree of scholastic attainment, of profess
sional skill, and of power of expression,
will fail, for the great moving forces of the
required character will be wanting. With
these present in large degree, even a
medium of qualification in other respects
may succeed.
Amongst the qualifications necessary TO
this most important Office, it is, of course,
not deemed requisite to speak Of temper
ance, honesty or industry, nor of common
sense, suavity of manners, or knowledge
of human nature. These are requisites
to the safe and efficient discharge of every
public trust; the one in question being no
exception to the general rule, but rather
demanding them in greater degree than
most others. In word. and aside from
special requisites, the nearer the character
of County Superintendent approaches 10
that of the Christian gentleman. the great
er will be his acceptance and success.
The answer to the question, What is an
an adequate salary9 will depend mainly on
the locality; and the experience of the pas.
three years will, in many eases, modify
past action OH this point. Many of the
Conventions fixed the salary in 1854, un-
der total or very material misapprehen-
sion Of the nature of the office, the amount
of service required and the degree of good
to be effected. Now, in many parts of
the State, all these points are clearly CON-
pretended, and the action of the directors
will no doubt be different. No one who
knows the people of Pennsylvania will,
for a moment, suppose that injustice will
be done in regulating the compensation of
those who are found to be amongst the
most useful, most laborious and most i'm.
portant of our public agents, The salary
must, as just remarked, depend on the cir
cumstances of each case; still, certain gen.
eral principles are indicated by the nature
OF the Office and the wants of the schools,
which il may be useful to elicit.
The first point to be determined is,
whether the whole, or only a portion, of
the officers time viii be required for the