Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-09-25
PROF. STEVENS, OF LIE ROY, ON THE
SUPERlNTENDENCY.
He Declines TO Run Himself, and Gives
''Potent Reasons why Mr.. futile
is Entitled to . Second
Term.''

In the Leroy Independent, OF the 11th
INST, the editor suggested the name Of
Mr.. E. c. Stevens for County Superin
tendent. In the last issue OF that paper
Mr.. Stevens publishes communication
which is so strong testimonial to the
competency of the present encumbent
Mr.. futile, that we feel it our duty &c
give it the benefit Of the TRANscR1Pr's
circulation:
Briefly and squarely stated, am no,
an asplrant for the position and shall not,
under any consideration, allow my name
to be used in connection with the same.
AS one who is deeply interested in the
we'll -being Of the schools of Mower COun.
", desire to state that I earnestly and
sincerely advocate the reelection Of Mr..
futile. Although political courtesy en-.
titles faithful officer to second term,
there are other and more potent reasons
why Mr.. futile is entitled to second
term.
The Office of Superintendent Is differ.
ent from the other county Offices in as
much as there is less routine work and q
broader field for original labor. A brief
resume of the work which the present en-.
cumbent has accomplished may be of in.
tereet at this time.
When Mr.. futile assumed the duties OF
the office, there was no system exhibited
in the management of the schools, or, at
least. none that wrought any benefit TO
them. His first move was in the direction
of daily programmes. Out of 100 schools
4 loot nSnr mn no 70
naming 90 simply running by chance.
During the last year, nearly every school
in the county has been run by carefully
prepared programme. Then. the daily
Rotations numbered from 80 to 50, now,
from 20 to 80 per day. AT that time. only
very few teachers were giving any daily
preparation to the lessons. Such acourse
was deemed on.essential by great ma
tority Of our instructors. Public opinion
among these same teachers has n aterially
rare thing to find Mower county teacher
who does not give daily preparation to
the lessons.
Again 1t was found that while a small
minority of our teachers were we'll quail
fec, the large majority were sadly deficient
in literary requirements. To elevate the
standard of this majority was no slight
task
In the spring of '7S. the standard for
third grade certificates was placed at Is
per cent, and rs per cent. of the applicants
failed. After six months notice the stand.
ard was raised to Is per cent. and in the
fall Of rs, IS per cent. failed. 1t WAS
also found that. while many teachers were
fairly posted in technicalities, they were
provokingiy deficient in principles.
They knew more of the hoao than they
did of the sohy, hence running through
all the examinations of Mr.. Tuttle's term,
there have been a series Of questions
lending TO proficiency IN the principles
upon Raich those technicalities are based.
Thu eam' hal been most gratifying. The
t6d66fkbave4ef1 led to see the "error
Il &ir:t y,T 4p4 ARE now searching
afbsf h4l} e1aE3rinctR]es. In the
AS4i f44&fe& the teEeptage
d A1A6a4 i5Wef@oteE k9en ide&eHE%
tie tm{SiSas ~ 44afl lkae&e&
Ind 8e.1c(4ne{ llsls pfs,SlHee
.S!, ,ls sss s9s 81
$eseg,&f..;;a5 & 8. gS,5&
:EANo ~ &ShH< hA%S%I<.M.