Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-09-04
PUBLIC sCHOOLs-oUR sUPERINTEED-
PVT

Is 1CdVOL0-OV0 "
ENT.
The LEDGER has had q good deal in
its columns on this subject. 1t is an i'm
portant public interest, and we purpose
to do our duty to the readers Of this
ioarnsI ia endeavoring to see that the
management of these schools is con
Quoted for the benefit Of the people.
That a good and proper system of pub
lie schools, under efficient and judicio1s
management, is q very great benefit to
any community no one will deny. But
like all good institutions, it is liable to
be mismanaged to such an extent that it
become an injury, rather than a benefit.
Whether this has been done in Memphis
or not is a proper and legitimate ques-
ton for journalistic discussion, and we
propese to engage in it when occasion
requires. The manner in which our
present Superintendent was selected at
an increased salary, the course he has
pursued toward the teachers under him
and the general extravaganza of
his plans have all been venti-
lated in this journal in plain Ian
guage. In some of these discussions
his capacity for the position has been
questioned. During the past winter a
committee Of excellent gentlemen was
selected to inquire generally into the
condition and management OF the
schools, with special power to inquire
into and report to the School Board as
to charges Of incapacity which had been
preferred against the Superintendent.
This committee made a lengthy report,
pointing out acts of ~extravagance and
mismanagement in soft and gentle Ian
guage. On the question of the Super
i~ntendents ineapAcity they reported that
it is not customary in other cities to
make such inquiries, and they respect
fully returned the charges to the Board
to be acted npon by them. 1t was then
and still is a matter Of establishment
why this very important subject was
passed by that committee so quietly and
with so little reason. If there is any
such custom in other cities it is one
much more honored in the breach than
in the observance. The capacity Of
any and all public officers are
proper subjects for inquiry with
che public whose servants they are. To
fail to make a full and strict examine
ton as TO the capacity of a public Off
Ger when a COMMITTEES il charged to do
so is a gross violation Of duty on the
part Of that COMMITTEES. The failure in
this instance has not been excused by
the patrons Of the public schools in
Msnphia. They hare made the inquiry
fo< themselves. /, has been discovered
that tas suysrutsadsnt has written,
2E1 the Beard have caused 70 be pub
li8asd fsr AIN pamphlet which is put
f5-sE "a sEs co1ras Of stsdy in oar city
scsooh TIE Erss sentence in that
book reads q follows Language de-
Tsl0ped II nGn IS = thing Of habit, or
second nature, and not 8 thing Of rule
and present judgment" This badly
constructed, incorrect aud muddy SEN
tenee is followed by a set Of observa,
tons, directions and principles Of In
struetion" which viii satisfy any impair
tial mind of the utter ineapaeity Of the
mau for the position. The effect Of an
examination by the public into the
merits Of this course Of study has been
to cause nuNbers Of our citizens to with
draw their children from the public
schools and to r~e-estAblish private
schools in many parts Of the city. It is
the duty Of the School Board to lock
into this matter, and stop the Wholesale
destruction of q most excellent public
institution by fostering incompetency in
its management. The people who pay
taxes to support the schools require this
at the hands Of their Board Of Visitors.
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