Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-05-01
COUNTY sUpERINTENDEScY.
THE OTHER SIDE or TINS QUESTION rxAnisEr

Mn. EDiroR The subject Of The " County su-
perintendency,' which engfosses the minds Of a
portion of our people. has been discussed At length
by the several journals in our county. 1t is a
TACT. that the various writers Tor, perhaps, one
writer under different c%ognomens) have had no
other than a personal interest in view, or did not
understand the subject 10 all It's bearings.
Whilst all our citizens should be interested 10
tue election OF a man TO preside over the interests
Of our schools, 1t Is TO the teacher and pupils,
more than any others, that such election becomes
a matter Of paramount Importance. They Of all
others are more directly benefited by an efficient
County Superintendent, or directly suffer IRON
the errors VI an incompetent one. The teachers
neglect, or diversity Of interest on part of County
Superintendent, and such loss tails upon the
schools in which thsy are employed. Let me
illustrate A County Superintendent lacking the
very essential Qualifications, E" literary and scien-
tiie requirements, and skill and experience 10
the art Of teaching" the evidences Of which are
a " diploma from a college legally empowered TO
grao, literary degrees, a diploma or State certif-
cate issued according to law by the authority of q
State Normal School"
The standard of qualifications Of teachers is low
cred or raised proportiooately with that OF the
County Superintendent. If he possesses a high
NtHItt VI tChofafeulHg " mhrttI VI 80 '"f'S"a
subjects with which be has 10 deal, he Is at once
recognized as a leader and director in tho profess
sion, and gains the confidence Of every teacher,
thus inspiring them to emulation and progress
II, on the contrary, his qualifications are 20 mea-
gre as to barely MI the most lenient requirements
Of the law, and which are only recognized In cases
where no higher degree Of qualifications are OBJ
~tainable, be loses all respect from his equals
among the teachers, is dsdained by his superiors
and distrusted by his interiors be thus ceases to
be recognized as . leader, aud becomes simply a
straw that Is shifted by every breeze Of public
sentiment, having no policy, no ability, and is
bound to be st constant warfare with the ablest
teachers, or lose all prestige as an executive on
Ger Of the schools. Then, IL is absolutely neces.
sary that, in order TO be Of any benefit, be should
be the equal or Superior 10 scholarship OF the
teachers over whom he Is placed
The County Superintendent should be a citizen
Of the county wherein be serves, 20 nothing short
Of q permanent and universal interest 10 the
present and future success and prosperity Of the
educational work, will restrain the temptation to
make his administration one Of constant strife
for self gain and local notoricty. Past expert
ence should convince US that II is unsafe and I'M
profitable to our best educational interests to
place men In that position who have no higher
motive and greater interest than to get every avail.
able centout Of the oiieeas saary, and then tax the
teachers profession and drain the resources Of the
county, in order TO make the perquisites Of the
office a greater temptation and more remunera-
tive source Of gaia than the salary itself. ThHt
our rural districts have been deprived Of The fos-
tering care Of the superiniendeney, aud the en-
tire county taxed to support a profitable %institu-
ton and establish a hotbcds Tor the propagation
Of teachers, from the embargo school,boy to a
full -fedged professional teacher In a single Sun.
mer, to either eracn or disgrace the teachers pro-
frssion and lower the credit attached 10 a profes.
sional certificate by q too frequent and indis.
criminate granting Of them, is fact which stands
out in bold relief, and which the most uuscrupu-
lous will not deny.
Az prceaution against the recerroncc Of this
extremely Objectionable feature Of the County
superintondency, Directors should elect to the
office a citizen Of the county, whose interests are
neither selfish nor local who is free from any
local control, and competent to perform the duties
Of The Office without the aid ola deputy or dictation
Of others who will rely upon home talent and
local assistance In our County Institute, thus
giving to teachers some return for the sacrifices
made to attend them, and save an annual sun 10
our Treasury which has been drawn thereffom
every year 70 pay l~ong-winded orators for adver.
Using their respective colleges, schools, or bust
ness among teachers
As a teacher, without any personal interests or
preferences, l have looked upon this contest from
a neutral standpoint trusting upon the good sense
and sound judgment Of Directors TO make a Judi
oious choice from the several candidates upon
merit alone. knowing that several Of them have
strong claims to the position. A few have no
claims whatever to the Office. The fact that q
man Ia his transition from the humber walks Of
life to the nobility ofthe learned professions hap.
pens 10 rest his Wearied limbs and TO recruit Bis
exhausted resources n few months In the school
room, is no evidence that he belongs to the teach
et's profession, and, conscquently, gives him no
claim to the only Office restricted TO the ranks Of
the teacher, neither does a few years Of inter
rupted residence in q county as an itinorant
schoolnasier constitute citizenship In It's literal
meaning A regards qualifications, I presume
all have the requisite degree to oil the require
mcnts Of law, II II be literally construed, but
Directors should exact the highest degree Of
scholarship obtainable, and not accept thai which
the law merely recognizes a. making a man cligi-
bic. II they would discriminate between a mol
aud a No. D certificate In selecting a teacher for
their schools, the more Important It ia to prefer
a regular. college graduate 70 the holder Of q pro-
i%cssional or permanent certificate 10 preside over
the schooh 81 the entire county.
IL Il a tact TO be deplored, that 10 every strug.
gle Tor political or social honor, elimination or
fecriminaticn are made the weapons with which
to win the contest instead Of merit, and II IL fro
q~uentiy the most elective weapon. The capdi.
date having the least regard Tor truth and who
can WELD the devllish tongue Of Islander aud na.
lcions fAlsehood most glibily against his oppo-
nsnt will make the most ~cfiectual impression
upon ,otert--ii not In his own favor, against the
man ho yiloly attacks.
IL Is wellknown that one Of the candidates,
whose claims on account Of citizenship, scholar
ship aud professional experience nre superior to
any on the list, and tenioIi stronger than those
who 20 vileIy and malieisu-ly attack his charac-
ter and opinions, regardless Of eve,y principle Of
trnth and justice, being utterly unable 10 produce
a %solntiIls Of evidence in support Of = single
charge against him, has been made the target Of