Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-04-10

ditions-of success. OF course, MS in all
other complex affairs, there are instances
that appear to conflict with this conclusion;
but on close inspection they will be found
rather to confirm it, For example one
Superintendent may have been so well
qualified for the station, aud so devoted to
the system, that he discharged its duties at
a most shamefully inadequate salary. But
who will argue from this, that it is the rish.
Of the public to impose such a burthen on
private means or individual patriotism
Or it may have been that all the conditions
appeared to be secured-both adequacy of
salary and "skill and experience in the art
Of teacbing"-yet failure ensued But
who vii condemn the Office, because, here
and there, a good teacher may have made
a poor Superintendent? Many az able
lawyer makes a miserable Judge; few of
the most successful practising physicians
are qualified for the Professors chair SO
capital teacher of boys may not succeed
a. Teacher of Teachers and administrative
officer of complicated school system.
| II would be no difficult task to run over
the whole State and show the correctness
of the conclusions just stated. But 1t Is
neither proper nor necessary.
Taking it for granted, that experience has
fully justified the wisdom Of the Legislature
in requiring the selection Of fit psrson
and the payment Of sufficient salary, for
this office, two questions arise:
l. Who is a fit person for the o6fce i?
2. What is sufficient salary!
In answer to the first question, it may,
in the words Of the school law, be replied
that ftuess consists in
l. Literary and scientific requirements
These are both Indispensable, and the de-
gree of them should be considerable In
every county, schools of every rank and
grade-from the lowest primary to the high
school, with its full round of braDches-are
or must soon come into existence and to
discharge the office properly, the Superia-
tendsns must be qualified "to examine" all
the Teachers, 'to visit them, and to "givs
such instructions in the art Of Teaching
and the method thereof in cash school" a.
the condition and grade Of each shall
require. How can this be done ,exeep, by
cne who is scholar enough to teach the
Teacher of the highest branch taught in
the highest school in his county !
.. ".SkiW and Experience in the Art Of
Teaching" il another rsquisite-not only
skill to know, but practice to do. IL is no
doubt true, that, in some instances, the
Office has been we'll filled by persons of no
great actual experience in the art. This
is owing to the known fact that some men
have naturally in them so much Of the
elements of the Teacher, and such \ 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 element
have been too numerous TO leave the ques-
tion doubtful But mere learning an1
professional skill are Lot sufficient, unless,
as the law and the necessity of the case
everywhere intimate, they are accompanied
with power to make them efficient. Hence,
3. ability to impart hnorIeoge, and g've
Information, publicly as UeN as prirately,i.
indispensable. Since the passage Of the act
of ls54-in addition sothe public meetings
for the examination of Teachers, and the
visitation of schools in the presence of
directors and parents thereby prescribed
the holding of district and county lnstit-
utss, Associations and Meetings, for the
improvement of Teachers, and the delivery
of public lectures and addresses for the
furtherancc Of the system and the explain
alton Of the law, have become so general,
aud are found to be SO beneficial, that they
may now be regarded as an integral part
of the Superintendent's duties. All these
occasions impose the duty of addressing the
public and the officer who does not do it,
fails in his duty. Some ability therefore to
speak in public should be embraced among
the requisites Of fitness for the Office.
T. Energy Of character and lore for the
,cork, 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 med
ium of qualification in other respects may
succeed
Amongst the qualifications necessary to
this most important Office, 1t 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
pubic trust; the one in question being no
exception to the general rule, but rather