New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-08-22
WHOLE NUMBER g..

The necessity of establishing the office
ol farlsn Superintendent has been from
time to time adyerted to by NV predecessors.
and desire again to cali tie attention Of
your honorable body to the necessity ofsuch
| an Office.
In another report he says: 'a4
The creation OF the office of Parish Super-
intendent is of paramount importance. and
again respectfully beg leave to cali your
attention to such a change in the law.
Abiding TO the defective supervision
provided by the old law, and the injurious
effect of abolishing the Office of Parish
Superintendent, Doctor Samuel Bard says
The abolition of the Office of Parish Super
intendent, / have no hesitation in saying,
was great mistake. That even with it the
system of Supeiintendeuey was satis-s
factory, | know it would be incorrect to
assert; but however far from this 1t may
have been, there was little more gained by
the step than would now be by abolishing
Our whole public school system, because It
is so little like what it ought to be.
Again he says:
There really is not single feature of the
| system anything approaching whet it ought
mocked under the present provisions; the
securing of competent and otherwise eligi-
| BILE teachers is utterly impracticable; the
| administration of the finances of the depart
ment is by no means within that rigid con-
troll which ought to characterize it:
Looking at the great extent of the State,
| and the number of schools there are needing
| careful and almost constant supervision, IL
| must be evident to any one who Will take
| the trouble to reflect upon the subject that
it is a physical impossibility for State Su-
| perintendent to do properly even only that
which the strict letter of the law requires
| from him.
The general feeling of the community.
however, and his own conscientious appre-
citation of the necessities of the case, will
| exact far more than that from him.
Each school should be superntended with
a vigilance, an influence, and an ability
which would effectuaLy prevent it from be
ing ruined or rendered Of little value by
neglect or mismanagement.
After furnishing numerous extracts from
the reports Of Parish Treasurers, showing
the inefficient supervision of the schools.
he further remarks s
The foregoing extracts show conclusively
that the school directors, in most instances,
donot attend to the duties expected OF them
If il is desirable to have reports from the
various parishes, and this can not be ques-
toned, ii is absolutely essential that the
Treasurers be furnished with data from
which to make their reports.
Reference to such of these as accompany
this report will show that the same com
plants are still and generally made, not
Withstanding issued circular urging upon
the directors the Importance Of furnishing
the Parish Treasurers with all the informa-
, ton they could, at their annual meeting Oh
the first Monday in October.
In speaking Of the necessity Of securing
good teachers, and of taking proper steps
, 10 render the profession honorable, which
is impracticable under the old system, he
, makes use of the following very significant
!, expressions ....#
}, And is it anything short of suicidal to
, allow mistaken and unjust parsimony tc
]. render this nugatory if not injurious-tC
to treacherous hands? Yet, to some extent
at least, this is the result of the present
!, system, under which the position of teach
d er, instead OF being but, at all events, on q
level with that of members OF other protes
sions, is sunk so low that as clerk, daily
L laborer, or almost any of the less responsi-
# bic occupations open to honorable indus
a try, a man can more creditably and more
satisfactorily perform his duties, and more
advantageously provide for the needs o
/, himself and his family.
], In further allusion to the causes which
render it impracticable under the old sys
= TEN to procure the services Of competen
y teachers, he remarks:
n One fact which greatly contributes to thi
result is, that in some parishes the Director
10 have not thought examination of candi
-' dates necessary, and have appointed then
without anything like sufficient evidence c
i, their fitness.
u. In alluding to the defective supervision
and the causes thereof, Mr.. John MaeNai
Sc says, in his report to the Legislature {
- 1861:
l. In the year 1862 the law establishing Il
: Office of Parish Superintendent was repea
'n ed, and the sole control and. development
OF our noble plan of free public schools i'll Il
rural parishes of this great State WAS left
or the hands of the District Directors an
" " with what result, at least in large nBmbC
n. NJ of cases, your honorable body can judg
10 from the reports and extracts embodied
" " this paper, and for introducing which this
"A my apology, if apology be necessary, that
Az no other way could make known to Il
10 members Of the General Assemb
to know these things, the disgraeef
o- Encouragement, and l may say, almo
:" criminal neglect, which have characterize
ng the local administration of our free publ
y, school system. A course of mismanageme
L WHICH dAtnV5b DG tuSE6utDA6 NSIS
- not testified to by so many independent W
nesses in different parishes and difere
Us years.
ne. Can your honors reflect that drunk,
rr. teachers in many instances have been placl
st in the State schools, which should be q
nj. nurseries of virtue, piety, and patriotism
IN without emotions of the deepest indign
ee. tion? Yet, by the testimony OF numero
en-. witnesses, such have been, in many d1str1c
Gel and for many months, if not years, t
u teachers of the States children.
MS, NJ. Avery adds his testimony to the
I'M efficiency of the system in the fcllowir
ge, language;
ott, The entire school system needs remod
es- inc. Your superintendent is perfectly po'
Ike, erIess TO do anything in tue way of impro
inc The school system, as the law makes
The duty of the police jury TO district ea
parish into school districts, appoint
OF treasurer to receive school money, O CO
Ica- mittee to examine teachers, and also mai
"a, it the duty of directors to employ teaehe
sln- 1t is also the duty of the Treasurer TO dra
ich the school money, on his own W
Il rant drawn on the State Audit
and pay teachers warrants as dra'
le by the directors of school districts. 10
superintendent has nothing left to do, as
can not interfere with districts, teachei
aW treasurers, or school money, but simply
w. make the quarterly approprlatlens, viii
can be done by him for the whole year
ots less than three days.
Gus According to the law he has no right ev
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