The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-01-26


To the Editor of the Press:
Mr. Superintendent johnson in his lectures
the past season, and in his Report to the Legis-
lature, just presented, advocates the adoption
OF four measures, as desirable improvements
in the machinery # our school system. They
are, Board of County Supervisors, County
Institutes, uniformity OF text books, and COM
pulsory attendance uf scholars between the
ages OF five and sixteen.
L notice some reference to these proposed
measures as new schemes of the Superintend-
ent. So tar from this being true, institutes
and the county officers with more or less re-
semblance to those now proposed, have been
tried in our State and abandoned; and the
other measures have been discussed in the
reports OF former superintendent, and re-
ceived with more or less favor, by education
al men.
1t is not then to be urged against these
measures, that they are new devices; nor
would it be an a.gument, e ther for or against
them, if they were. They should be adopted
or rejected on their merits.
Mr.. johnson has cast about him, on assum-
ing the duties of his office, to ascertain by
what methods he may most effectually ad-
vance the interests of educat ON. He is wise
in moving on the works of the enemy by
paths already surveyed and partially opened
by his predecessors. We have no doubt that
some of these points would have been carried
in the Legislature before this time, but for
the allengrossing affairs of the war, and the
taxes since burdening the State.
Now that our State is moving forward with
energy and enterprise in developing her mate
rial resources, and is destined TO hold front
rank in other regards, it is surely inconsistent
with her position and character to neglect
any means which promise to elevate the con-
dtion OF her public schools.
Let us look little at the measures propos-
ed by Mr.. Johnson-premising that have
not seen Mr.. Johnson's report itself, but only
the newspaper abstracts.
This call for aid in this work, in the person
OF county officers of some kind, cannot fail to
meet the approval of any reasonable mind
This necessity was urged time and again by
Superintendent Weston, in his annual ie-
port. The following extract from one oil
those reports is precisely in the line of this
discussion,
From the nature of the case he cannot
come in personal contact with all the teach
ers and scholars. His field is so large and
other prescribed duties so numerous that the
pleasure of exaIination and supervision of
| individual schools IN q V1e1 dn
med him. submit then that our necessities
require modification of cur system, so as to
secure an arrangement something like
the following The Superintendent OF
public instruction should have under
his general supervision, subject to wise
regulations, all the affairs of pub
lie education for the State. His Office at the
capital furnished with all the appliances nee
essary to the proper discharge OF his duties,
should be the center OF all educational oper-
atoms of the State. Under his direction.
and reporting to him, there should be in each
county or congressional district, a special
commissioner OF public schools, whose duty
it shall be to visit each own in his circuit.
and every school, IT possble,-hold meetings
| with the people tor lriendy discussion of ali
school matters-conduct Institutes of instruc-
| tion tor teachers, and by friendly counsel
| seek to remove any difficulties arising he
| tween pa ents and teacbers--witb authority
| to settle certain matters Which might be
| referred to him; in word b do for each
county or district, what the itate Superin-
| tendent cannot do for all.
School committees acting in SINE sort un-
| der the county or district Commissioner.
should have the entire control ofschooI at.
fairs in their respective towns, performing all
Tue aaslee eseIett men together; thus avoidiifss
the conflict OF jurisdiction no often Existing,
and thus securing something like Uniformity
in school arrangements throughout thetown,
county and State.
Let us give reasonable heed to the sugges-
tions of those who have had the most oppo.
tunity to perceive and feel our educational
| wants. EX.