The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-04-11
The School Superintendent.

MR.. EDITOR:-I have been much interested.
as have doubtless all your readers, in the com:
"a Parent" which have lately appeared in
your columns, and confess have been very
greatly surprised at the confidence with which
they have asserted that our schools have not
made any progress and are, in fact, failure.
L had supposed that to determine this point it
would require pretty thorough examination of
the work of all our Schools a careful COMPARE
son OF the work done now with that done say
two years ago, an accurate knowledge of what
was required to be done, and knowledge more
or less general OF what the committee and SUI
perintendept are trying to do, before so author
itative judgment could be pronounced. But
Mark Twain seems to have furnished the meth
cd upon which your correspondents have pro-
ceeded, when he said to recent interviewer,
u never heartily and thoroughly endorse a
man unless L know nothing whatever about
him "Parent' denies point blank that the
schools arelbetter than before Mr.. Hunt came
here, but offers no proof whatever of his state
ment, but appeals to any one interested enough
in our schools to look after them for proof.
Your correspondents say that children are
''tired and worried" and are required to bring
home work from school, depriving them of nee
essary recreation; they fail, however, to con-
meet the WEAKNESS and worry and the require
ment with Mr. Hunt. L too have children in
both primary and grammar schools; they are
no more tired and worried than they were be-
fore the superintendent came. They always
did and still continue to bring home their work,
but no more than they did before.
Following parents" suggestion Iahave asked
both parents and teachers with regard to the
condition of the schools. From the former" L
am sorry to say, the universal reply has been l
haven't visited them to find OUT, and among
the teachers have not found that they 'trem.
BILE and take long breaths'' to any great degree,
either when Mr.. Hunt comes in or goes out L
think found out that no one would tremble
who did not have cause to do SO from acknowl-
edged unfftness for her position. had thought
that this point was worth something, namely,
that the school committee Who were elected fol
their supposed fitness for the place, all of them
by large majorities in their wards. have selected
Mr.. Hunt as Superintendent of schools and
after working with him in the superintendance
have reelected him twice. But parent says
that Mr. Hunt rules them. Do they ''tremble
and take long breaths?" for the Superinten-
dent has the same power to turn them out at
any moment as he has the teachers.
The schools are open every day for personal
examination of parents andj Others interested.
N. says that there are at the committee
room examination papers which will conclu-
sively prove the great advance which the schools
have made during the past two years: State.
ments amount to nothing unsubstantiated by
proof. Nor does the testimony gathered from
isolated cases prove deterioration OF our
+ schools. You might as we'll condemn the
street department for mismanagement because
boy has stumbled upon the pavement as to
. say that our school system is failure because
someone's child is stirred and WORRIES"
think as do parent and ga Parent that
the subject of the supervision of our schools
should De discussed by our citizens; but sug.
gest that the work be approached BY as thor,
ough preparation as one would desire to have
his o. her own case examined, before judgment
DO pronounced. ANOTHER PARENT.