Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-08-31

4 From tuition LIZ
From building Zr5W
s68,snC
Last year an amount in excess Of this
of S25, 600 was expended, making total
cost of their schools for the year 89, 800,
Scholastic population is 5000. Total en-
rolled, 5000.
The public school system of Memphis
has been in operation nineteen years.
The eighteenth annual report showed
an average enrolment of 3409, with an
average attendanceof 1850. The school
department OF the city government il
managed by a Board Of School Visitors,
two from each ward, who are elected
annually. a regular course of graded
study is prescribed. Ancient and mod
eTn languages and the higher
mathematics are laugh in the High
schools. The salaries of Superintendent,
teachers, etc, have averaged about as
follows: Superintendent, one hundred
and seventy-five dollars per month
Secretary, one hundred dollars PEI
month; principal of male high school,
one hundred and fifty dollars per month
principal of female high school, one
hundred and twenty-five dollars pei
month; male principals of other schools,
one hundred dollars per month; male
teachers, from one hundred to one hun
bred and ten dollars per month; female
teachers, from fifty to s~eventy-ive and
eighty dollars per month.
Thresholds of the city are in a health
full condition, exhibiting increasing at
tendance and usefulness.
OF more interest, we make room fol
the following, which may he accepted as
a synopsis of the report, which we find
too lengthy for our columns:
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The short time that I have held my
present position, and the hurried man
ner in which this report has been pre-
pared, make it msnifestly improper that
l should suggest any sweeping changes
in the present system. 1t must be evil
dent, however, to any M who will ex-
anime the reports from the various
counties, hitherto appended, that the
system as it at present exists is utterly
devoid of vitality, and is wholly I'M
suited for the accomplishment of the
great purposes of education. The objec-
tons to it are the want of suitable pro-
visions TO secure:
Ffrst-Unity of action throughout the
State.
Second-The creation Of a hvelier in
terest among the people of the State in
educational matters.
Third-A larger amount of energy in
the system.
FOurth-MOre frequent and more reli-
able statistics from each county.
As to the best methods of securing
these desirable ends, it would perhaps
be better to refer the whole subject TO
I the wisdom or O11r nrnuanf TaofeIo4rrra
but / viii venture to suggest two recon-
mendatiOns which the friends of educa-
ton throughout the State agree to be
necessary:
l. The appointment of a competent
State Superintendent, with a salary suf-
fcient to enable him to devote his
whole time and ability to the follow
ing;
First-The creation of a sentiment in
the State favorable to public education;
and +
Second-To t he building up, as that
feeling increases, of an effective school
system.
Without such an officer the whole
county system will prove a ~stupendous
failure, to the lasting injury and disgrace
of the present generation.
3. Provisions for the appointment
of Superintendent in each county as
schools are organized. The duties of
such an officer should be precisely for
the school districts what the duties of
the State officer should be for the
counties. He should travel from district
to district, encouraging the friends of
schools by keeping them informed as to
the progress ofschools in other counties,
by supplying them with facts in refer
ence to school management and school
laws. He should stimulate the people
to build gOOd-school houses, to send their
children TO the school. He should also
endeavOr to create a feeling of pride and
emulation among the School Commits
siOneTs in the various districts, and in
deed, do everything necessary to carry
out the purposes of the law. And in or
der that he may 90 this, be should be
paid a liberal salary, and clothed with
sufficient powers. Much of this power
is now vested in the County Board Of
Education. This for celebrity of action
is too unwieldy. As the law makes no
provision for the payment of the Com
missiOners for their services, it is diff
cult to get a sufficient number together
In the Board to form a quorum. 1t re-
quires too long q time to act,
and when it does act, it is
generally with a divided senti-
ment among the members. Its DEGREES
are therefore but feebly executed. The
sense Of responsibility is divided and
destroyed on such a body, and the voice
of praise or eensure is alike UNDECIDED.
No scope is given to individual ambi-
ton. The work demanded TO be done
is great, but the remuneration is small. |
Far better would it be to concentrate
the responsibility and power into the |
hands of a competent Superintendent,
and demand Of him certain specific du-
ties to be promptly and faithfully dis
charged.
Until better feeling in regard to
public schools is established, it would
perhaps be well to permit the County
superintendent to appoint the Com
missioners IN each district. There are
some good reasons for suggesting this
course: First, the people are so apathetic
and Indifferent about schools that it is
difficult 70 get them to hold an election
for Commissioners; and second when
Commissioners are elected, they are
usually satisfied with the honor be- |
slowed, and If they serve at all serve but
poorly. Sometimes, however, they are
in antagonism to the school interest,
and work to defeat it at the next cleo
ton. Either apathy or Ul-win is gener-
ally the result Of such an election. III
the Superintendent had the power to ap-
point them, the whole county could be
more rapidly organized; the best men
could be selected for the position, and if
u refused TO serve, another could be |
appointed without going through the |
expense and farce of an election, and a |
more harmonious working and develop
ment of the system could be secured.
The Superintendent should be elected
by the people, because his position is, or
should be one of honor and profit.
Not SO with the Commissioners. Their
work is laborious. They must or should
feel a deep interest upon the subject of
schools, and the best men should be Sc
lected for that positiOn-men who viii
work for the good of the cause, and
who will feel the heavy responsibility
resting upon them. These Commission
ers should visit every family and pre-
sent TO their consideration the impor-
lance of the subject to their individual
prosperity. In short, the whole labor
of building up public schools should be
systematized by regarding the county as
the unit in the work of the State SUI
perintendent; and the school district as
the unit in the work of the County Su-
perintendent; and the family as the
unit in the work of the Commissioners.
The meagerness of the reports given
is sufficient to convince any n that
some other method should be devised to
collect the scholastic statistics of the
-.-k.o nho H1arwe IF. fho Govn4v |