The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-01-25
EDUCATIONAL.
THE STATE EDUCATIONAL, SYSTEM.


session OF the Wisconsin Teachers Asso-
citation. As basis for this discussion
served report of which the main fea-
lures are given in the following synopsis.
The defects of the present system are
the following: 1. Excessive subdivi-
sion of territory and local independence.
2. Lack of uniformity in the burdens
of cost. 3. Lack of uniformity in char
acter and amount of instruction. 4. Lack
of an efficient library system. 5. Lack
of intelligent, authoritative and perma
nent supervision.
To remedy these defects the following
is recommended 1. A State Beard of
Education of eleven members nine ap-
pointed by the Governor with consent of
the Senate the State Superintendent
and the President of the University to be
er- o6icjo members. 2. County Super
intendents to be appointed by the State
Board, to be paid by the State q salary
fixed by statute residence in the county
not essential to eligibility. 3. 4 Town
ship Board of three persons Zone annu-
ally) to be elected by the people in every
township, for the management of the
school interest therein; the Board to APP
point Secretary who shall have imme-
diate supervision of the schools Of the
town, and shall act under the general
III root ion Of tho To,,ptv1 SupariptenJaIt
4. A central high or grammar school in
each township, SO far as practicable. In
this school and in the primary schools
of the township, well defined courses of
study, absolute uniformity of text books,
and uniformity il methods Of instruc-
ton and discipline. 5. To make the
schools as nearly uniform as possible in
character and length, and to carry out to
judicious extent the principle ''the
property of the State shall educate the
children of the State" there is to be
uniform State tax for the support of the
schools. 6. One half OF the money dis
tributed by the State to be distributed
on the basis of aggregate attendance. 7.
Uniform examinations throughout the
State for teachers of the same grade to
be the r4le. s.. A system Of township
libraries, the Joint creation of State and
local action, of books to be selected from
lists approved by the State, and to be
purchased by the State on low terms.
This report was adopted by the con-
vent1on. It contains some excellent re-
commentators, especially those pertain
ing to the Township System, the Town
ship High School, and the State tax for
the support of schools. But the good
points in the proposed system are more
than balanced by the bad points III it.
In the first place, State Board of
Education as the one proposed is highly
Objectionable, both as regards the meth
Cd of their appointment and the powers
to be conferred upon them. We know
| by experience that while Governors in
appointing educational boards take poll
tics, location, nationality, and perhaps
scholarship and general wolth into con-
sideration, they rarely seem to care for
the appointee's professional qualifica-
tons and does any one suppose they
would act otherwise in appointing MEM
| bers of the recon- anended State Board Z
R,1+ sale savants of the teachers conven-
ton go still further. They recommend
that the county superintendent be APP
pointed by their State Board of politi-
clans. Whom would this board appoint?
| The members of this board would be
best acquainted with the leading poIiti-
clans of each county, on whose recon-
| mendation most appoir tments for county
superintendent would be made; and the
appointees would generally be from
among the second rate satellites of an
aspiring county politician. A teacher
would seldom be chosen, because teach
ers, as a class, have no political infu-
ence. If residence in the county is not
essential to eligibility, as is proposed,
the politicians would have things still
more their own way. The county super
intendents could then be all found in
some favored spot and distributed
throughout the State. But Manitowoc
county would never again have a kirwan
to discourage incompetency, and to pro-
mote good work in the school room.
Too much stress is placed on uniform
ity. Uniformity and progress are not
indentical. Uniformity so far as rights
and privileges are concerned is a
good thing; but when teachers think
that uniformity in the use of text books,
uniformity in methods OF instruction and
discipline, etc., will benefit the schools,
they make very great mistake. If uni
forInity in these things is to be intro
dnced it is necessary to reduce every
thing to an average; but this can not be
done without lessening good qualities
of the best. And further, the supreme
board that would determine these things
can not always be infaiiible.
The County Board meet again next
Friday to take action on the proposition