Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1871-10-28
School SuperIntendents.


EDITORS CHRONICLES: A matter which
concerns our common schools and requires
to be considered by our Legislature, is the
question of the employment of school SUI
perintendents. For some not very appar-
ent reason, no feature of the modern school
system seems to arouse as much bitter Op
position as State and county superintend-
ency. Many who have not been accus-
toned to the working of common schools
ignOrantly suppose that vast system of
State education, in community unaccus-
toned to its practical workings and opera
tions, can be so constructed and set in mo-
ton as to run itself without help or super
intendence Others, on the watch for Oh
jections and determined to omit no Oppor-
tunity to assail the system. attack this
point, because, with the true scent of the
demagogue, they discover, in the necessa-
nv expense of school superintendent, the
easiest way Of appealing to ignorance and
prejudice against the system. n
A system of common schools is neces-
sarily a somewhat complicated one. 1t
embraces the whole State, and ope-
rates in the smallest political sub
chinery comprises all the educational in
stitutions of the State, from the universi-
ties down in regular gradatiOn through
| the academies and graded schools to the
common school, each grade forming the
complement of all the others. 1t neces-
states the employment of numerous Off
GERS, the assessment of taxes, the purchase
of property, the creation and maintenance
of school houses, and the selection, en-
plOyment and compensation of multi
tude of teachers. More than any other
public interest, its success and develop
ment depend upon a cordial, hearty, in
foll of olI ho hoY
of the community, and on constant and
watchful supervision of all the workings
of the system.
OF necessity the local operations of the
system must be, to considerable extent
committed to officials little acquainted
with its practical workings, and not always
the best fitted to carry it out. "What is
the business of every body is the business
of no one," and experience has shown what
was to be expected, that withoutthe super
vision and labors of officers specially
charged with that duty, common schools
will, if maintained at all, be maintained
in needless, slovenly and heartless man.
ner, and will fail to enlist the interest and
arouse the pride of the community.
In organizing or re-OrganiZing our school
system, we can not afford to presume that
we know all by intuition, and to turn our
books upon the long experience of other
States. Common schools are not what
they were fifty years ago; and the science
| OF popular education has in that period
advanced with strides as great as any 9TH
er. In Germany, with its magnificent ed
ucatlonal system, as we'll as in those States
OF the Union where the greatest success
mas been attained and the greatest pro-
| gress made, 1t has been found necessary to
| secure the supervision and labOrs of a min
| lister or superintendent for the whole State
as well as of local superintendent.
We have made our excellent State Treas
urer a State Superintendent of Common
! Schools but what can he, burdened with
his regular official duties, do towards sul-
| pervising and perfecting the great school
system of great State? And if he were
able to bestOw his entire time and attention
to our common schools, his efforts would
be but half effected, without the aid and
cooperation of a corps of local superin-
| tendentS.
1t is objected that superintendents of
| public schools will cost money. OF course
they will cost money, and there is precious
little that is worth having in this world
that does not cost money. The common
school system-run it how we wilI-will
cost money. A very general feeling, not
10 say opinion, prevails that a system of
common schools is to be maintained and
operated as mere convenience out OF
WnaI there is left after everything else is
paid 1or. The sooner we get rid of that
hotion the Detter. If we have school
system Worth maintaining, we shall have
70 pay ior IL ana the true policy in this,
as III oCher hlaIVers, is when we do pay for
thing, to have 1t worth paying for.