The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1869-06-10
Fno A11oghan1an.
THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1860.
The County superintenaency.

The County superintendent
The recent triennial election of Count,
Superintendcnts throughout the State hu
again brought the question OF the superin
tendency prominently before the eyes O
the public. AS usual in such cases the
elections have developed some opposition
to the Office. We are happy to say that
the amount of such opposition is indeed
very slight Except in few instances,
where direct personal considerations arc
involved, this opposition, whatever there
may be of ii, comes Of not being wei ac-
quaintcd with the real value Of the Super
intendcncy to our conimon school economy.
! system that is SO complex IN It's details {;
50 extensive in Its scope SO vital in its
interests to the public veal, as our system
of common schools. can only exist and sub
sist by constant, close, and intelligent su-
pelvision. This can be done only by a
paid officer whose duty it is
Let US glance for a moment at the mag
nitude Of our school syston. For the
school year 1868, it comprised 1867
schools, 1851 teachers, 746,726 pupils.
What an army of children The want Of
some systematic supervision was long felt
before the final establishment of the office.
In his report for the school year 1850,
Gen. A. S. RUSSELL then State Superin-
tendent, adverts to the inefficiency of the
schools and the complaints of grumblers.
and adds, that ''to remove complaints and
secure more efficiency to the system, plan |
which is regarded as practicable, and in
volving little additional expense, is recon-
mended. 1t is the appointment of Su- |
perintendent of each Congressional dis I
trict, for term Of years, with an adequate
salary" This proposition was agitatcd in
some form CT other for years, until finally,
in 1854, the County Superintendency was
established. The system twenty years ago,
though then possessing scarcely half its
present proportions, had grown too cum
bersome to be left wholly in the hands Of
unpaid and irresponsible men, and the
'cdnt Of a suitable number of school ofi-
'ers s'core to do their duty "honestly, i'm
diligently, and according to law"
was .fett, and duly appreciated
We think that no candid individual
who is acquainted with the facts, whose
knowledge, whether derived from personal
'bservation or from reading, will enable
lim to compare the system as it was twen-
y years ago with it as we find it today.
will deny that vast advantages to the sys
EN- have flowed from the county super
nten deney. a writer in late number
fthe GermGnto,cn Telegraph well remarks,
N this subject, as follows: 9
''Here is exactly where the new school a
iw did its work. It required every coun- F
Y to have paid superintendent of com \
ION schools, and il was made his duty to .
o into every district, visit every school,
xamlne 1t closely, and see that all evils
nd detects are. .remedied. 1t was required s
Rat he should make full and candid re- +
ort to the State Superintendent, showing |,
he actual condition and requirements of
lie schools in his county. We invite the .
A0iic to take the annual reports of the i
tate Superintendent and read some Of !
lese county reports. They are better -
wv than they were few years since. fer i
e superintendents have done wonders in
short time. But in the reports made at
e beginning of their service the record Il
as very gloomy one. "
That IN many cases the best man is not th
losen to the Office, is no argument what of
-cr against it. That remark viii apply HI
e0eJy Office equally we'll The best men tn
ould be elected, but they are not always. of
d perhaps not even most frequently. vi
le county suPerintendcncy is only in the 70
me category with the rest We believe re
1t Il IS great instrument for good in gr
7 school system; and that, despite the la
2wlings Of few disappointed candidates, sa
1orant or prcjudiced men, or grade pc
'chers who do not like the yearly exam tn
atoms, the Office will be continued and mC
cry year rise in efficiency aud the public tn
imation, so long as intelligence, patri- er,
SIN, and religion have a name among n
sP;