Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-11-01
The Work OF the County Superin-
tendent.

For recent issue of the HERALD
| penned an article regarding the
Office of County Superintendent con-
sidering some of the conditions OF
eligibility to the office, and as our
present Superintendent is not given
to sounding his own trumpet allow
me to review two divisions of his
work specified in former article, viz :
Examination of Teachers and Hold
ing Institutes.
During the past week there have
been gathered in Bloomington nearly
fifty teachers-and those preparing
for the work-to attend the institute
conducted by Prof. McGregor and
Supt. Guernsey. Among them Miss
Maggie, Principal of the Graded School
in Patch Grove, and her assistants,
Prof. BARLEY and his teachers, all
disposed to adopt the maxim of DIR.
Arnold quoted by Profs. McGregor,
81 prefer my pupils shall drink from
running stream and not from stag
nan. pool"
| question if sufficient Importance
is attached to this department of
preparation for school work, for in
stitutes are to the teacher like the
oil and emery wheel to the Sewing
machine. They heighten and polish
the machinery which neglect or time
had made rusty, if not untitled for
use. Teachers, especially those of
experience are inclined to get into
ruts and from out these Institutes
tend to help them, yes more, keep
them. During the two terms of Supt.
Guernsey's office he has held four ses-
sions of from two to four weeks, two
of one week each and six of shorter
duration. In them he has been as
sisted by persons of culture and ex-
perience in the school room and
marked ability TO perform institute
work. 1t is not sufficient for teach
err to be familiar with text books.
They must know the best methods
of imparting knowledge or the art OF
systematic teaching. The painter
spends years to become skilled in his
profession. The sculptor months OF
patient toll to present to the public g
single specimen of his power to bring
from the unsightly marble figure of
grace and beauty; and shall the teach
err, the highest type of an artist, for
be works not with chisel and brush
upon marble or canvass, whose studio
is the school room, be less skilled in
developing the character of every
child brought under his influence or
by the power of his own thought, for
ever stamping his impress for good
or evil upon the immortal mind ?
The institute is the teachers "School
of design" where he finds his models
and learns to fashion his own work,
that it may not suffer in comparison
with that of others.
My observation has convinced me
that in our own county the best
teachers are those who are the most
ready to avail themselves of the 3D.
vantages of institutes, and while those
most needing it are seldom in attend.
ance. Then let me urge upon teach
ers the Importance of punctual at
tendance and faithful attention to the
work of any and many institutes to
which they may have access.
Our Superintendent has during
thiS year only at the Spring aad Fall
examinations inspected the manu-
scripts of seven hundred and seventy
FIVE applicants for third grade cer-
ti6cates, each having eleven papers
which with the addition of I'd and
1st grade certificates give an aggre-
gate of ten thousand nine hundred
papers requiring one hundred and
nine days work of ten hours each.
mention this fact that the teachers
who have failed to receive their cer-
tificates in what seemed to them due
time may hereafter refrain from ex-
pressing their censure at pardonable
delay.
We have in each year 3l3 working
days and there are 2l6 school districts
scattered over territory of over 200
square miles, each claiming a share
of the time of the Superintendent; but
the days in which these schools are
in session vary from 1cO to $50 days
very few the latter-and in that
time they must be visited if at all. De-
Quoting the time given to institutes and
and examinations of teachers. Inspect
ing their manuscripts and general
office work, and allowing for stormy
days where is the person who will
assert that our present Superintend-
ent has neglected any part of his
duty, or grumble at the salary paid
as remunation for his services faith
fully rendered, rather let any thinking
man who can vote, or any woman
who cannot, urge the division of the
work of the County Superintendent
or the increase of the salary now
paid, that one person may not sink
under the weight of the responsible
tiles of the office, or falling to do the
whole work, for lack of time in which
to do it, receive the censure of those
who criticise without investigation.
Bloomington. Oct, II. E.J MN.
MT. - Go ,Nla .