Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-02-09

That they should be continued does not
admit of doubt after seeing what they
have done. Doubtless they will in a few
years become unnecessary as the influence
of the Normal Schools extends, but at
present they cannot be dispensed with
except to the dctriment of the schools.
The evidence of their beneficial effect is
not confined to the report before us, but
may be found in the county papers where
the Institutes were held, and in common
datory resolves adopted by teachers and
parents.
Another new agency established by the
last Legislature was county supervision.
In accordance with the act of establish
ment supervisor was appointed in every
county, but the Board was not organized
until in May, when its labors commenced
and have been kept up with unremitlng
energy This Board supplies an impor-
tant link which was needed to fill space
between town and State supervision, for
want of which they were ineffective. That
it has succeeded well is nowhere disputed.
Though new in this State it had been tried
in other States with success, SO that its
friends and supporters were confident
from what they saw elsewhere, that a
trial here would not be failure. Teach
ers and committees give their testimony
=. 81. ,,,,tl,Ant pfv
pervision our school system would be a
fragmentary, disjointed inefficient thing,
wanting coherency and vigor, lacking the
power to make itself felt in the enforce
ment of individual responsibility upon the
part of committee and teachers. The SUI
perintendent was fortunate in the selec-
ton of county supervisors. They have
been able, industrious, and Jealous in
their labor. Having been in operation
but eight months its full benefits have not
been felt and cannot be calculated, but
the State Superintendent reckons that it
has at least paid the State about four times
rs much as it it has cost thus far. This
however" he says after summing up its
benefits in dollars and cents, lis but a
crude and imperfect way of estimating
the full value and influence of county su-
pervision. This agency has been termed
the main working BEAM the right arm
in the school system of other States.
have no hesitation in adding my testimony
to the invaluable aid rendered by such
supervision in this State even for the brief
time which has elapsed since its establish
mcnt." The reports of the county super
visors are important additions to the Su-
perintendent's report. They are all well
prepared, containing in small space
much well digested matter and many val
liable facts, and casting new light on the
operations of our schools.
There are still some important measures
which the State Superintendent desires to
have established. Among the most ne
cessary of which are the abolition of the
district system, the employment of teach
ers by the Superintendent School Com
mittee instead of by agents, compulsory
attendance of scholars, and uniformity of
text books. The question of uniformity of
text books is exciting good deal of
attention at the present time. The method
now in force of supplying school books
has become an immense evil, fastening
unnecessary expense upon parents, crea-
ting needless changes, spreading eorrup-
ton into nearly every town and city in
the State, combining authors, publishers,
agents, dealers and school officers in
transactions of questionable nature at
least, and has long called in vain for a
remedy. The system of uniform text
books seems to us to look in the direction
of an end of this great abuse, and We
hope it may be tried. 1t cannot be any
worse than the endless change, variety,
and extravagance,--to say nothing of
other evils-which the people now endure,
and may prove great benefit.