Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-07-03
THE SCHOOL QUESTIONING. 4.

GNN
shortcomings of the executive officer Of
the Board of Education, which can only
be reasonably accounted for by a%ccredit-
ing him with undue zeal in ex~tricating
the schools from the rut. We find on
page SO Of the rules and regulations Of
the School Board, under the head of
duties of the Superintendent, the follow
ing: The Superintendent is the execu-
tive officer Of The. Board, underti its con-
troll, subject to its rules and regulations"
etc. Mark well: under its control"
" subject to the rules and regulations"
language so plain hat a child could I'M
derstand. Again, He shall keep regu-
lar Office hours other than school hours,
viz. from S to 9 am. and from $3.50 to
4:30 p.m." This is a rule of the Board
governing the Superintendent, yet it is
a rule that he has violated, not acci-
IDENTIFY, not occasionally, but persist
emily, repeatedly and to the very great
annoyance Of numbers of citizens who
have sought him in vain during office
hours TO see him on school bus
mess. Girls and boys have gone
again and again and until their
patience was exhausted in search
of him, yet failed; and this, citizens
of Memphis, is a rule of the
Board Of Education-certainly e rule of
great merit. Again, HE shall devote
himself entirely to the duties Of his
Office" HE shall superintend the ad-
mission of pupils" He shall visit the
schools at least once a month" "He
shall s%uperintend the admission Of pu-
pills" The wisdom of this rule most
certainly will not be called in question;
yet as far as the Superintendent is con-
cerned, it is a dead letter. HE shall
visit the schools at least once a month"
Another rule full Of wisdom, yet violated
by the Superintendent; it is certain that
he visited the Linden street schools very
rarely. A diary kept by Superintendent
James I. Leath shows how he spent his
time, in what schools, how long and what
he did. lie was at his work always and
at his Office promptly at 8 o'clock a m.
every day, at school by fifteen minutes
past nine, and again at Office by 3:3e
pm" Office hours" OF him it could
be truly said, that he devoted himself
entirely to the duties of his Office" Mr..
Picket keeps no diary, at least l have
been unable to find one. Should one
come to light it might be q matter of in
terest to some to compared it with Colonel
Leath's. Again, There shall be two
stated examinations each year." The
examinations shall be uniform on the
same subject throughout the schools on
the same day the questions shall be
prepared by the Superintendent, etc"
This rule the superintendent has vio-
With the exception Of a part of
the questions for the fourth, fifth, sixth
and seventh grades the principals of the
different buildings have prepared the
questions, thus destroying all uniformity
the object of the rule. The Superin-
tendent has again violated section As of
the rules. which requires among other
things that "a copy of the monthly alb
be conspicuously posted ia each
school room by the teacher, ETC." There
certainly could be no excuse for this, as
for once at least its violation could not
make his duties airy less burdensome
With such a record himself; with a
shifting, tickle policy; with the work of
four men upon his hands, as it is claimed
he has had, is it any wonder that the
schools have lost their prestige2 Is it
any wonder that the people are not sat
is6ed? Is it any wonder that the best
friends Of the public schools have well
nigh given up the ship A day Of
change will most surely come. The
people, the masses demand it, and then,
and not till then, will the schools flourish
and prosper.
Your ebedient servant,
Fl. G. SLAUGHTER.