New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-25


L,ze With US ss cordially again
TIE policy Of abolishiug cur States system OF
School Commissioners - one for each Asseuoiy
District lin other words, one for about every
Thirty thousand inhabitants), chosen by the legal
voters thereof, Of the annual State Eleotons-and
return Jog instead TO the system of Town Snpern'
tendeDts, one for each Township chosen by ehe
legal voters thereof at the annual Town Election
is a subject which we have not chosen to discuss.
Its discussion has been forced upon us by the asta-
tors for the rctroera.e movement contemplated, no
ole Of whom seems 70 be satisfied with bis side OF
the question presented BY any other OF its cham
pons. The grumblers required TIE use Of our col
umns to make known their e'ie vance; we conceded
it, but endeayorsd TO briefly show that they we're
mistakeb--tbat the new system was really better
than that it suppanted. Our first response called
out ano her, and our reply to this one developed
si;lI another malcontcnt-IO one meantime suggest
ing or soliciting q word On our own side. We we're
content to rest the question on our first passage at
arms; but our opponents were not: with them, 1t
has been zone Gown, az other come on" We can
not afford much space TO this local controversy but
We rive place herewith to the letter Of ga Farmer"
much the fullest and best statement We have seen
Of the wrong side Of the question. We shall herein
retly in order to the points made by GA Farmer y
ard this must close tie discussion. 80 far as The
TRIBUNE is concerned. The subject is by this
time exhausted
I. ga Farmer" proposes that each Township
Al b. 4 t,-~ ofo A liz
District supervision and return to Town Saperin.
tendents. Thu is to eivetc fe v Towns, contain
log small minority of the People. power to break
up the District system. Of course. we are utterly
opposed to it. We believe the fact that Town
ship voted thus to withdraw from and dsorgarize a
District would afford strong proof presumptIve that
District supervision is NEEDED, aud especially in that
particular Town.
II. The State Superintendent surveys the whole
grouud-he sees the working of the Common
School system mere broadly aud thoroughly than
any private citizen has opportunity do do-he
notes defects and shortcomings in whatever quar-.
tcr-be is unswayed by dread Of tax or hope Of
paltry ofTice-and lie ought to be good Judge in
the premises. We we're assured years since ny
the last State experimentation whose recon.
mtndeti, n the change now in question was made
that the Annual Reports which reached or should
haze reached him from the several Town Superin-
tendents eyinced not only gross incapacity but
scauda!ous neglect of duty on the part OF many OF
tbem-,ha% their general character proved Town
superintendence a farce, and the impossibility of
Drocuripe even reliable and toleTably complete
nah
this means. From that hour, we lave been opposed
TO Town Superintendent. 1t j, dear even at half
price.
III. There are regularly organized townships in
our State containing le,s than fifty male adult citi-
zons. none Of them we'll educated, even in bis own
estimation 70 say that these townships can and
will elect Town Superintendents as capable aud
efficient as are likely to be chosen from an Assem-
bly, District containing twenty-five to thirty thou
sand Inhabitants is TO defy every probability But
Of course the less the examining officer knows, the
easier it will be to procure his certificate. Hence
Town Superiutepdcnt' will always be preferred by
sstrants to teach who have good reason to dlsErus
their own qualifications.
". Every District Commissioner will naturally
lod an examination Of teachers at least annually 10
each township, ard give due notice thereof. AT
least nineteen Of every twenty teachers III here be
examined The ca.es in which teachers have to
ride far in quest Of tue Commissioner who is to
e1amine them must be exceptional and infrequent.
those Of persons who are sick. or absent, or not
expecting to teach when the regular examination
took place We ought not to upset al good system
o. accommodate this inmate fraction.
V. Tha. good Teachers make good Schools is a
sound proposition; but t requires efficient super
intendeuce 10 iusure good Teachers. Acd this is
not s!l-the coed Teacher needs some authority be-
hid him to bsck his appicat n for pane Of glass
in tie broken window, fuel that will burn, aud
SCHOOL, house that is not exactly outdoors. By
and by. we want him to ask for separate rects-
ton room, some shadetrees around tbf school
house, and even "trip CT playground where none
is row provided. We care not what fund the Com
missioner is paid from-we know that, should he
devote bis time mainly to bis public duties (aud no
good citizen shculd vote for enc who would mott
he will be sure in time to bring about an improve
men. 10 the comfort fitness effectiveness conve-
uience, CT nearly every school-house in his dis
trict. This will Of course cost something; and the
riggs,dly and miserly will complain of it; nay.
they arc now trying to break down the District
system through appreAcnsion Of It. In this they
may succeed, but not permanently.
VI. "A Farmer does well to complain oil rate
bills. We detest md hsvo always opposed them
would The to aboliss them to norrow. II we taxed
any for school purr oses except " property holders,
va wouH rrcsent heavy rste-bls 70 those who