The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1879-04-10

ohLO4AhA AEE OhAlb IN IhElh ADmlNLk
TRATION
Prepared and published hy order Of the Ungradet
School Section of the Ohio State Teachers Al
ISOLATION.
[ConcJuded.1
During the year ending Angus
81, 1877, the sum of S144,0O0, OF 8
per cent. of the whole amount ex
pended for school purposes in gradet
schools, was paid for supervision
The last report of the State Com
missioner, that for 1873, shows th,
yearly expenditure for supervision
to be S185,OOO or an increase o
over $4,000 in a single year. Thi
expenditure is fully justified by th
effective service it secures. Thi
expenditure of from 81 to Al pc
cent. of tho annual outlay for schoo
purposes, for supervision, accomp
fishes more for the good of thr
schools than an equal amount spen-
in any other direction. Then tn,
cost of supervision is not excessive
No firm transacting business to-tht
extent of 100000 a year woulC
hesitate for an instant to pay three
or four per cent. of that sum in or
der to secure capable talent to di
rect and control Alright such a vast
pecunisry interest. Yet such is tht
course now pursued in country
districts, where four millions Of dol
lars are annually expended IpO7
schools, managed ,oittOlst method Oh
supervision. That much of this Yast
sum is uselessly wasted is now gen.
orally admitted. If, by the yearly
expenditure of S15O,OOO for county
supervision, the efficiency of coun.
try schools could be increased ter
per cent, a great saving would be
effected, if it be admitted that educa
ton has any value. If one Iaborer Of
ters services at SI.OO per day, while
another demands one-tsnth more
the former will be employed, the
ability of the two to perform the re
quired work being equal, but if it is
known that the latter can do one,
third more work than the former bis
employment Is a measure of econo,
my. So, if county supervision, al
first view, seems to bring additional
expense, it is reasonable to inquire
before inveighing against it as an
extrsvagsuce, whether its usefulness
in making our large school expendi-
ture more productive of good re-
suits would not many times repay
its cost In answer to such an in
quiry we can but point to the incon-
trovertible evidence of the great
utility and economy of supervision,
as wisely employed in our city schools
and in the rural schools of more than
three-fourths of the States.
The manner of appointing the
county superintendent should be
such as to remove him as far as possi-
ble from the domain of party politics.
In order to secure this result it has
been thought best to provide for his
election by a county board, com
posed of the presidents of the differ
ent township boards The county
board should also have power to
prescribe the text books to be used
in the township schools, and to pre-
pare q course Of study to be pursued
in them.
The salary attached to the Office
Of county superintendent should be
such as to bring to it the best talent
This salary, as some advocate, should
be paid out of the school funds
of the State, the amount Of salary
being based upon the number of
youth of school age in the county.
Some contend that the whole ques-
ton of salary should be decided by
the appointing power, namely, the
county board of education.
To secure competent persons to
I'll the Office, it is necessary to pro-
vide for some system of examination
by which the fitness of applicants
for the superintendency can be de-
termined. The State Board of Ex-
aminers could safely be intrusted
with the duty of examining appi-
cants and issuing certificates to such
as are found qualified for the duties
Of the position to which they aspire.
1t is difficult fully to state all the
benefits that would result from a
system of county su
pervision. The county superintend-
ent's range of duty is pretty fully
presented in the following state
ments, most of which should be
credited to President Hinsda!e:
l. A competent and faithful su
would be of great i'm
mediate and direct advantage to the
of his county, especially to
the inexperienced and weak, of whom
The number must continue large, in
the management of their schools.
His suggestions as TO the methods
Of teaching and administration would
be most seIviceable.
2. His advice would be of great
value to the board of education, par
if the township plan should
be inauguraied and he would be in
D position to render valuable service
in settling controversies, incident to
school administration, which now
often result IN unnecessary and tx
pensive litigation.
3. He would be of service in PIE
pairing a course of study for ungrad-
ed schools, adequate to their wants
and possibilities, thus introducing
sufficient system to make possible
some plan of classification and exam
nation.
4. He would be by far the most
,ompet Mt person in the county to
examine teachers; he would know
them in their school houses as well
Is in their examination papers
5. He would be the natural con-
1uctor-in-chief of the county insti-
5ute, now so important an adjunct of
ihe common school work, rendering
.hnra valuabla sey.vicp
6. He would be an organ of com
respecting school affairs
With the outside public, importing
md naturalizing the best ideas