The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-03-04
Written for The Spirit of Democracy
FROM INDIANA.
RpowN Co INn Fob, o. 1877.

Ed SPIRIT: In reading The SPIRIT o
last week, noticed your correspondent
from Jackson township is decidedly in
favor OF county superintendency in the
schools of Monroe IL ever such thing
should occur, my opinion is, let him be
teacher or patron OF school, that be
will become as much opposed to the
measure as he is now in favor of it. HI
says:
Are teachers so fearful OF losing theil
independence that they stir up,he breezes
OF opposition ?"
God forbid, that they may ever lose
the little Independence that they now
possess ] know not what he means by
their independence, unless it is the priv.
ilege they have of managing their schools
as seems to them best. A privilege they
will be deprived OF il ever such super
vision is adopted. Every true teacher
will do his utmost to promote the ad
vancement of the pupils under his
charge, without having an all powerful
superintendent to visit his achool for the
purpose Of prodding him on to useful
ness. What teacher can see unmoved
this mighty prodigy of power and learn
ing step into his school and commence
giving orders as to what he must do and
how he shall do it2 while the teacher
who has every facility for showing wha,
his pupils require, has no voice in the
matter, but must .submissively comply
with the demands of this transient but
powerful visitor, upon whom his or hel
future welfare depends, and who has
about as good an opportunity for finding
out what the school really needs as Q
person who has never been inside Of it
What then would besthe result ,of snch
q coursep Teachers would naturally be
come disguised and iaattentioh and q
general apathy would inevitably follow.
Compare the schools Of Monroe with the
schools Of places where county super
vision is carried on and you will fnd
that Monroe is up with them at least, il
not in advance. For an example take
the State OF Indiana and you perceive
that she is far behind Ohio az regards
the success of their respective common
school system quote the following
from an article which appeared a few
weeks since. in the Indianapolis Herald;
"But no amount of self congratulation,
no stated increase of pupils and no igno
ring all the questions save those neces-
sary to hunt down the already badgered
teachers, can disguise the fact that {
deep and widespread dissatisfaction ex
lists, both with the conduct and result o.
our common schools. TIE fault lher
must be either with the teacher or will
the system. 1t cannot be that it liei
with the former from the fact that tht
teacher is 10 no sense free agent. bu
is limited to one unvsryingroutite, bott
10 method and progress, and must de
fvelop the minds of the pupils according
to certain cast-iron rules laid down by q
superintendent. The system alone is a
fault, making as it does, the teachers
who are the bone and sinew Of edaca
ton, whose Office Is higher even thar
II
that Of the parent--wh0 manipulates moi
machinery. of iron and steelbut the com
plex organism of mind and soul-wert
puppets in the hand OF one more super
intendeat, to whom is given almost alb
solute power-from whom, pleased, the.
hope for commendation and assistance
from whom, displeased, they need ex
pect nothing but disapprobation AM
withdrawal of patronage. One fact can
not but have been remarked on tn
course of the past agitation on the com
mon school question: No teacher ha
come forward openly with views on an,
Of the matters under discussion. The
stood then as they stand to day, bod
moving, thinking and working but non
committal, silent, and apparently withou
any views or thoughts of vital impol
tance to them and their work"
/ HANKY