The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-29
Election OF County Superinteu.
dents.

The following wise aud timely remarks
on the subject of the election of County
Superintendents, taken from the official
column of the Penna School Journal,
are commended to the careful considera.
tion of all School Directors -
On the first Monday of May next, the
directors Of the several counties of the
Commonwealth will be called upon to
elect SuperintenGents for their respective
counties, to perform the duties of that of
fee for the three years ensuing. The
Office has now been in operation twelve
years, and its good results are apparent to
all who are unprejudiced. The directors,
teachers, and the people now understand
what kind o. men are needed to stand at
the head of, and direct the educational
interests of the counties of the State, and
as it is supposed that such men as are re-
quired, are to be found in every county,
none but the best men should be selected.
A County Superintendent should be in
scholarship equal, if not superior to any
of the teachers of his county. This is
necessary, in order that he may be able
to examine them in all the branches that
may be required to be taught, aud also
that he may intelligently inspect all the
schools in the various departments of
science pursued. Without this superior
ity, he cannot command the confidence
and respect of those with whom and for
whom he is TO act. He should be thor
oughly yersed In the elementary depart
ments of the sciences that are required to
be taught In our common schools It is
not enough that he be a superior scholar,
as that expression is usually understood
he should be perfectly familiar with the
elements, as we'll as with the higher de-
partments and more abstract sciences.
He should be practical teacher, or be
should have been such within a few past
years This the law requires, as pointed
ly az it does that he be "a man of learning.
The words of the act are-the directors
shall select cone person Of literary and
scientific requirements, and of skill aud
experience in the art of teaching" A
person, therefore, who has never taught,
or who has not been closely identified
with the common school system for the
last eight or ten years, should not be Sc
lected
Such an individuals thoughts have
been upon other subjects, and whatever
his literary attainments may be, he is not
the man to put iu charge Of our eGuca-
tional machinery Our system is pro-
gressive one, aud it has made great ad-
vance and secured great results while he
has been standing still or retrogFading in
school affairs. Such man cannot take
hold of the system as it now is, and carry
it forward as it should be conducted.
The County Superintendent ought to
be an earnest, energetic, jealous, working
man, who has kept pace with educational
improvement OF the age, man who un-
derstauds the history Of our system, and
who has read, to some extent, the history
OF school systems Of other States. While
he should be cautious to not Introduce
new things, because they are neW, he
should also make use Of all real improve
ments Tor the benefit of the schools. He
should not be politician, in the general |
acceptation of that word that is, he |
should not be man who, by his active |
participation in party sui:e, and petty |
political wrangles, has rendered himself |
odlous to those who do not belong to his |
party. The doings of this officer are to |
influence all parties upon a subject of |
vast importance 10 the well-being Of the |
State. He is to operate with the youth of
the Commonwealth, not OF party; and |
he should therefore be a man in whom ali |
have confidence as person of honesty of |
purpose, how much soever he may differ |
from them upon questions of State and |
National policy. 1t he be working, in
triguing politician, he cannot secure the
and good will, and cooperation
of all classes.
In order that the Superintendent may
be able to do the greatest amount of good,
he must have the confidence aud support
of the teachers of his county without
this, he will to a great extent be power
less. They must feel that he is their
friend, to whom they can go with all their
troubles aud difficulties, and find a sym
pathizer. That, although he is often
obliged to refuse their requests, they
know that he does it from a sense of du-
ty, rather than from a desire to wound |
their feelings. /