The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1872-02-17
Our Public School System---Let.
ter to Hon. John Ray.

Hon. JobA Ray, State Senator:
SIR he recent dicussion of school
matters in the Senate, together with
your ineroduction of another school
bill brought out several assertions con-
cerniLg the expense of our public
school system which ought to be care
fully co. sidered; not only by Senators,
but By tax payers and persons who
have afkheart the interests of educa-
ton. was claimed by one of the
Senators opposed to our present sys-
TEN thay the State educational officers
are paiA an enormous sum for the
supermrendence of our free schools.
TIVE questions naturally arise: L.
Is the Isesent system of superintend-
ence r3tuired to bring our schools
up to I e desired standard 2. Are
we payk k'g too much for school super
intendek kees
We I'll find that the experience of
States p which public schools have
been loa established will aid us much
in detefmin the value of local and
general superintendent. The State
which irst inaugurated public schools
We're mpelled to struggle through
years experiment and comparative
failure before arriving at the point to
which e have already attained in Lou
isiana.
We taye profted by their expert
ments Ind failures, and have truly
eclecti system made up of the good
featurt of many Others. In the early
experiments in framing public school
systems the feature of systematized
superintendent was in many in
stances almost wholly ignored. The
result fwas that the public schools in
some ttates were so inefficient that
grave fioubts were entertained by
many 5 to the wisdom and economy
of the Iiublic school system.
Practical educators were not slow
to discover that the weak feature of
the imperfect systems was lack of SUI
perintzndence, and that it was hope
less expect the best results from a
class teachers who were accountable
to no gtelligent superintendent for the
professional discharge of duty, accord
ing to the latest and best methods of
instruction and discipline.
AS well might we expect good cot
ton n sugar crops from a plantation
without suitable manager to plan
and Hrect. The school superinten-
dent il to his division what the mana
ger is the plantation. One is just
as INDISPENSABLE as the other,
Supp 4fintendence is no longer an ex-
perim1nt. The glorious results ac-
complfshed. by its aid in such States
as New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois,
MichiAln, Minnesota, Iowa, Wiscon-
sin, Iissouri, Kansas, California,
Missisf sfippi, Texas, and others, has set
tied the matter forever.
May we not rejoice that Louisiana
is second to no State in the Union in
the modern appliances of educational
work We certainly have occasion
to RED let that our financial condition,
cause1 by gigantic civil war, pre-
vents is from doubling ortrebling our
corps xof local superintendents. We
have 4at present only six; eur neigh
Dor, mississippi, has 65 Il for each
county,; Georgia 1876; Missouri has
ia, Illinois l02, Pennsylvania 76,
West Virginia 81, old Virginia 81,
Wisconsin 62, Iowa 81, Michigan 81
Kansas 45, New Jersey IL, Texas IL,
and New York I32. These superin-
tendents are employed in the rural
districts alone.
The following extracts from reports
of General Eaton, National Commits
sionA of Education, and those of sew
eral State superintendent of States
whelk the value of superintendent
has been fully studied, will indicate
in what high estimation it is held by
those best prepared to judge OF its
etficancy:
is hardly possible to separate
schozl supervision from efficient in
stru] Eion and training. No State OF
city system, proposing the highest eff
fieiency, presumes to do without it,
-GS aeral EatOn's Report Of 1870.
proclaim again that the county
supa intendency is the right arm OF
our School system; its strongest liv-
ing tlement Of power; the most close
ly identified with its future progress
and development. No more disas-
tropA blow could be aimed at the sys-
tend than one directed at the life OF
the lsuperintendency. Let the right
mari be chosen in every county, and
the Thought of such an assault could
not be entertained. Hon. Netctoa
Bdteman Superintendent Of Public IN
str,atioa, Illinois.
long experience in those States
Wild Re the county superintendency
system has been tested, as well as .oul
own, proves beyond controversy the
eff iency of this plan of school man.
agAnent."- Hon. H. b. Wilson, Stdft
Sad Saintendent Instruction, Minnesota
I'm all business enterprises super
Wis fon is acknowledged to be an es'
serf fial condition of success. A manu-,
facf Turing or commercial firm whlei
ne6lects to employ this safeguard IN
vites failure and insures bankruptcy
1t economics motive power, adapt;
NJ, Inc RI andS and 1al0tectS onainS