The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-01-23

one mas passed the mystic rlVer.-
We all remember her prophetic essay
-'that she, perhaps, might not long
stay here, but that she would watch
and wait for us in better world"
She has gone home. Let us pre-
pare to follow.
The following extract from an able
and timely report upon School SUI
peryision, by committee, of which
Supt. McMynn was chairman, seems
80 important, that we cannot refrain
from inserting it for the benefit Of
our own county.-ED. Con-.
Your committee are of the opinion
that the County SUPPLEMENTARY is
a desirable feature of our school sys-
tenn; and they believe that much of
the dissatisfaction felt in some parts
of the State, with this office, is due
to the fact that more is required Of
those officers than they can perform.
They are, in many counties, utterly
unable to visit all of the schools un-
der their jurisdiction, and as people
appreciate the necessity of school Wis
itation, they feel that most important
work is entirely neglected. Your
committee would, therefore, not SUI
percede the County superintendency,
but they would smpptenae,at it by a
torn school OrgGnisGtion.
That the present Independent To-
cal district is not satisfactory to those
most interested in successful adj
ministration Of our educational af-
fairs, is 30 true as to be generally ad-
mitted. Were it not true that the
success of any system depends more
upon the intelligence and energy of
It's agents than upon the machinery
Of its structure, we might also des-
pair Of progress under our present
school organization. Still. it is not
wise to argue that, because a system
that is Theoretically dad, maybe SO
wisely administered as to be produc-
tive Of good, it, therefore, is unwise
10 change it for better. a
The defects Of our present school
district system are radical. The ex-
perience of the American people in
the management Of public affairs has
demonstrated the torn to be the true
~'aat. To certain extent this unit
is recognized in our system. Town
boards OF supervisors have power to
divide their respective towns into
school districts, in such manner as
they may deem proper, They may
alter boundaries of districts; annex
part of one to another, unite seve-
raj into one, or divide one into seve-
raj. Their authority is limited only
by the right of appeal to the Depart
ment of Public Instruction. They
divide funds and property in case
districts are annulled and thus, in
several respects, we have the town
district system in operation in our
State. Instead, however, of carry
ing out this principle, and providing
a town school board to manage the
school affairs, we have created from
three to ten other boards in each of
the towns, to which the. management
ofthe schools is entrusted. Each of
these district boards has power:
1. 10 establish and keep in operation,
for at least i've months during the year,
such schools as may be required to accom-.
modate children over four and under TWEEN.
ty years OF age, in their district.
z. When authorized by vote of the
district to purchase or lease school house
sites, to purchase or build school houses,
and to keep them in repair
D. 10 expend the money belonging to
the district and to keep an account Of re-
ceipts and disbursements. LII
4. 10 adopt aud enforce all needful
rules and regulations for the government,
instruction and management of their
school. I -
O. 10 employ teachers and fix the
amount Of their compensation.
g. To adopt textbooks. designate the
course of study, and to visit aud examine
the school. ITI
Z. 10 provide fuel, furniture annar.trs
and whatever Is necessary to the good Of
the school. eooN VI
These and other duties imposed
upon district boards by law, show
that they are charged with the most
important interests of the people
Their duties are difficult, demanding
tor their proper discharge, high char
acter, general intelligence, broad
views, solid Judgment, public spirit,
integrity and refinement. sCThe frsf
thing that strikes the mind i1peSalH-
ng our present system in the light
of these facts is the difficulty of find
ing men with Unnecessary quaIiRca-
tons. Under existing arrangements
this is practically I'M possible. The
present system requires too manv
officers to act as school officers. i'll
we assume five as the AVERAGE
number of districts in each town
of the state, we have, countino
the Town Supervisors and the Town
Clerk, nineteen school officers for each
town, or more than fifteen thousand
in all. We have, then, one school
officer for every twenty-five children
over four and under twenty years
ofage. It would seem that such a |
redupiicatlon of officers is entirely |
needless. 1t certainly seems to be
III direct conflict with the usual
methods of doing business. 1t will :