The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-27
SUPERINTENDENT HOPKINS RE-
PORT
THE NEW AMENDMENTS TO THE
SCHOOL. LAW


THE COUNTY sUPERINTENDENCY DISCUSSED
AN INTERESTING ARGUMENT IN IT'S FAVOR
JOINT GRADED sCHooLs-coUNTY BOARD
OF EDUCATION AND TOWNSHIP INSTITUTES.
Further extracts, as given below, were
taken yesterday from Superintendent Hop
kins' biennial report to the legislature,
which is being prepared from day to day.
The various matters treated of, especially
that on county superintendency," will be
read with interest. His arguments on that
subject are practical and to the point. and
will be of considerable weight should the
matter be revived by the next legislature:
GRADED SCHOOLS.
There are 27l graded schools in the State,
but 1t is impossible to estimate the number
of these that are joint graded schools. Many
of our towns and townships have joint
graded schools in actual operation. and so
far as known to me are giving good satisfac-
ton to the people.
THE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
| After citing the law on this subject, the
superintendent says: Under the old law
| the county commissioners appointed the
county examiner, but when the Office of
county superintendent was created that
power was transferred to the township
trustees. They were thought TO be peculiarly
fitted to make this appointment, on &C
count of their intimate connection with the
schools. 1t would have been better to have
| left this power where it was, since too often
| county super;ntendents are liable to be
biased in their opinions to the trustee.
| On the whole, however, no complaint has
arisen from this source, and / recommend
| that no change be made in this matter now.
The great power of the county superin-
tendent rests in his visits to the schools.
| He has to a great degree entire charge of the
school interest of his county. His SUPER
| vision extends alike to all, his cares are
| boundless, and his labors amending. One
branch of duty assigned to the county super
| intendents is that he shall have the general
superintendent of the schools of his county.
! He shall attend each township institute at
| least once each year, when he shall preside
at the same and conduct its exercises. He
shall visit the schools of the county at least
once each year for the purpose of
INCREASING THEIR USEFULNESS,
and elevate, as far as practicable, the poorer
schools to the standard of the best. He shall
encourage teachers institutes and associa-
tions, and shall labor in every practicable
way to elevate the standard of teaching and
to improve the schools of the county. This
clause of the law is sufficient to occupy al
most all the time of the county superintend-
ent, and renders it his duty to labor aggres-
sively in the cause of education. This ag-
| gressve work is extremely important, be-
| cause the class of people who are most in
need of education are most Indifferent to its
value. They have to be sought out indus
to school. This is the dangerous and expen-
sive class to society, composed, in large
| part, of people who add depravity to ig-
| norance. This class even public free educa-
ton has failed hitherto to permeate thor
oGghly, and it has existed so largely
/ even in the counties which have been most
| liberal in supplying the means of education,
that compulsory laws have been passed by
several of the European governments to
| force the children into schools; and the same
policy is now urged in many States of this
union. The Importance of bringing these
| people under the elevating influence of edu-
cation can scarcely be over estimated ii
moral and religious influences fail, if persis-
tent efforts of county superintendent ac-
complish this desirable object in part only,
it then becomes the duty of the State to
adopt coercive measures.
To bring about this healthy educational
sentiments the object of the visits of the su-
perintendents, and to undertake to estimate
their value in dollars and cents to a COM
munity is a manifest absurdity. He who
prides an education so little as to estimate
its worth in dollars and cents is void of all
those higher aspirations that prompt men to
educate. The county superintendent is
largely responsible for everything that enters
into the organization and conduct of each
school. He must see that it is provided with
those educational appliances which are
needed for
SUCCESSFUL INSTRUCTION.
He must be concerned in making and en-.
forcing all rules and regulations by which
the school is managed. He must see to its
discipline, plan of instruction, uniformity o.
text books and proficiency of pupils. Hi:
relations to- the teacher are intimate and
5 controlling. He should be qualified tC
I Judge of the teachers work and
r to give sound and discriminating advice
Besides visiting, which can never be fire.
quent enough, the superintendent keeps
3 himself informed of the condition and prog
ress of the schools by means of the monthly
reports from the teachers. These reports
9 are voluminous and minute and require
8 carefulness on the part of the teacher. THE
Superintendent here inserts in his report a
Q blank form for teachers monthly re-
| port, adopted by the county superintend
. ent's conventional The proper relation o
g the county superintendent to the schools o
: his county is similar to that ofthe principa
Q of a large school. Let any one imagine how
] burdensome and responsible would be tn,
Q duties of the principal of school of fifty
{ teachers, and he has an idea of the duties o
g county superintendent. To say that thi
: officer is not needed and has not weight,
] responsibilities; to say that he can b
s DISPENSED with, and that the law allow.
5 fhim to be an idler is not only absurd
] but is injurious to the public service
WRITTEN REPORTS.
Z In addition to the usual statistical report
the county superintendent is required t,
furnish additional information embodied il
d written report, relative to the condition O
4 the schools, school houses and the genera
!, progress of education, etc, in the county
They have responded with remarkabl,
{ promptness in this matter.
I, EXAMINATION OF DoCKETs, RECORDS, ETC.
? This work has been carefully performed