Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-07
COUNTY SCPERINTENDENTS.

We are informed that bill will be
shortly introduced in the Senate, by
Senator Stone, of Elko, in reference
to the qualifications Of County Super
intendents of public schools. In tho
provisions Of the bill, each applicant
for the position named, will here
after be required to holda firstgrade
certificate, in order to be eligible to
election. That is q measure we like,
it has the right ring about it; it de-
notes an Importance in the education
al interests Of the State. No man
can properly fulfil the duties OF such
an Office, unless he is both teacher
and scholar, and that he is such a
man the certificate itself will be the
best proof that can be offered. 1t
too often happens. In politics, that
candidates aspire to the various Of
fees solely in accordance with the
salaries which they can command.
They seldom examine themselves as
to their individual fitness for the
places which they covet, but heartily
they enter ut once into the labors OF
the campaign. This is all wrong.
There are quacks in politics just as
there are hacks in the other walks
of life, there are men who are willing
to serve their country because their
country is willing to serve them, men
who have scarcely a thought beyond
the money they earn everyday. But
a public servant should he Just as
competent for his prescribed work,
as a private one, for State is only a
corporation On a somewhat extended
scale. Especially is this question of
fitness applicable in regard to our
common schools, and men of pecu-
liar talent have here a part to play.
They have an important duty in the
education of the people, they should
be eminent,y qualified for the duties
they are to perform. To teach school
is not an easy task. Every one who
has tried it, will subscribe to this
remark. Special talent is all the
time required, tact must go hand in
hand with ability and sense. Scholars
are widely different in their acquire
ments and dispositions, their
habits and manner of study arc
everywhere in consonance with the
same, and to properly regulate these,
to set them onward in the world re-
quircs genius especially adapted to
the work. Too often it happens that
teachers only make teaching a means
to accomplish an end, an every day
shift in lieu Of some better task. Tho
head is in the work, the usual rou-
tine labor is performed by the hands;
but the heart is somewhere else. It
beats not in sympathy with the duties
which are required. The County
Superintendent is himself only g
teacher On e more extended scale.
His sphere Is wider, his advantages
are more marked, his influence moro
widely diffuseG in the world. 1t is
true he is beyond the usual b c's OF
the district school; his scholars, in a
measure, are the teachers them
selves; but these must also be coun-
seled and Taught; and the books
which they use, the laws which they
introduce, tho discipline they en-
force must also be regulated with
study and most consumate care. If
the Superintendent himself is illit-
crate and unlearned: if he is unac-
quainted with the usual tenets of ed
ucational life, then the fountain head
being poisoned the spring itself can
scarcely afford healthy nourishment
for the scholar. Our Nevada sys-
tenn in sense is superior to that of
older States; but for more lasting re-
suits in the future let every teacher,
every Superintendent himself be
one thoroughly competent for the
work, and one with q heart tho
roughly in sympathy with the cause.
Then will our schools be an addi-
tional honor to the State, and a
source of profit aud pride to the
community at large. We are glad
that Senator Stone has IN contem-
plation such bill as we have named,
and when presented We hope it will
meet with the favor its merit and
importance demands.
The Manhattan Company have de-