The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1868-11-26
Salem Correspondence Q.

Ed. TELEGRAPH Now that election
is past and peace and quietude is about to
assume its usual sway in our community,
thought Of asking you for space in your
valuable paper for few thoughts and
sugg estions about the Office and duties of
County Superintendent.
My thoughts were called to this subject
just now, by an illusion to it by your Bris
toll correspondent q last week. So far az
my knowledge extends among the patrons
ofou common schools there is strong
feeling of dissatisfaction with its past ana
present management
/ can see no significance in the term
Superintendent as applied to our schools.
know Of no business public or private
that could be said with any consistency to
be superintendent when the person in
charge only saw the business once during
its entire existence, and then only few
minutes. Such experimenting would
raise a smile in any other business but
this In this it creates dissatisfaction.
have never known half day spent
in any one school by the Superin-
during its entire term, and, have known
whole term in my district to pass with
out his even calling at the school house
door. | have often heard it remarked by
men of good minds, lovers of education
ani excellent patrons of schools, that sucl,
flying visits as the Superintendent gave
our schools am )uIted to nothing, and hl
m.ght jls5 as we'll stay at home l do
n)t ala t. to th5 present incumbent in
any ? Ir5,cliAr mlllsr know not but
what ne hts d)Ie his duties as faithfully
All we'll Is any ii his predecessors.
N)r II kl)E that it is the fault of
th1 oifi;ial at all. 1t may be in the pro
vi5i3l ofthe law that it does not require
mro service and provide sufficient COM
pensation therefor But | hardly think
the latter is the case If am not mis-
taken the superintendent draws large,
salary than any teacher in his Jurisdiction
and, does not spend half the time or labor.
can conceive ola plan which, if adopted
1t seems u me would be OF much mor>
service to the schools than the one now III
use. If the Superintendent when the
schools are opening for the term, as is now
the case, would provide himself with Ia
blank book, visit all the schools in the
County each half day, making any need
full ggestions-talze the name of thu
teacher-No. of the district, No. ofclasses
and their present state of progress, giving
them to understand that he would bi
with them another hllf day before the
term closed to compare notes and see what
progress they were making, it could moi
fail to be OF more service to the schools
thaa the past manner of flying through
the county visiting three or four schools
each day. It will require about two
months time each term to perform this
labor; perhaps trife over, but are foul
or five months labor too much for Su
perintendent to perform on salary OF
five hundred dollars?
The people expect more of him THAI
this. They want what the name of hi.
office implies Superintendent Of Schools
PATRON
REMARKS Our first impression OF
reading the foregoing communication wa
unfayorable to its publication, because i
is liable to be construed as having
personal bearing. We are assured by tn
writer that no special allusion is INTENDED
to any present or past Official in thi
county or elsewhere; he designs his re
marks aimed at the system of county So
perintendency,a as it now exists as a part Z
our common school system The utilit
of the county superintendent system, con
pared with other methods, is a legitimat
subject of discussion, and one upon whic
educate rs are not agreed.-EDs TEL.