Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-01-07

schools as often as possible; to aid il
settling all differences that may aris,
between teachers and parents !; to inquir
into all matters pertaining to the condi
ton of schoolhOuses, that the health ant
comfort Of pupils may be- cared for an.
promoted and to make a detailed re
port of the schools in his district. Th
Importance of the duties of the superin
tendent may be at once known from
their nature.
The duty OF selecting and examining
teacher cannot be properly performed
except by one who has had an. actua
experience In just that kind of werk ths
teachers, is expected to perform. HI
must be able to determine by examina
ton what are the natural gifts the can
didate for teaching possesses; whether
his mind is richly stored with know
ledge, and is thoroughly trained by an
experience in doing what he eshould have
the power to do.
No teacher should be admitted to the
schools until there has been found in
him the power to control his pupils and
to mould Alright their characters. To dc
all this, he must be able to discern the
peculiar characteristics of the individual
members of his classes, and be able to
minister to individual wants.
1t requires trained educator to OK.
anime for these things, and to know
when they are found. The mode of ex-
amining teachers by few questions
pertaining to the facts he is to teach,
leaving out ofaccount all reference to the
principles of teaching, or to the personal
qualities of the teacher, is farce, and it
has filled our schools with class of per-
sons who are subjecting the schools TO a
waste they cannot afford to endure. The
first step toward true progress in our
school-wOrk is to substitute good teach
ers for poor ones. This step will never
be taken until those to whom the power
to choose is committed, are impressed
with the importance of employing none
but good teachers, and who know the
marks by which they may be discover
ed. However well educated he may be,
no one but teacher is prepared to con-
duct the examination of teachers. or to
tell what he sees when he visits school.
The internal life of q school is conceal
ed from all inexperienced eyes. Recita-
tions having the external appearance of
perfection may be prepared without
method or proper objects of study; and
they may be given without knowledge
or right exertion of mental power.
The children, to the inexperienced
eye, may appear in proper order, and
yet the stiffness and sobriety be due to
stupidity, or to system of government
that is crushing out the best life of their
young natures. The skillful superinten
dent will be able to see what is invisi-
BILE to the inexperienced, and will know
how to apply remedy, by guiding the
teacher to better methods of teaching
and of school government. He ia to be
to the teachers of his district what a
principal ofa school is to those who labor
with him. From want of proper exter-
nal help, good teachers are often com.
PEELED to abandon or to modify into in
Significance their good plans Of teaching
and school management.
Parents sometimes complain; the
school is too large or too small; it is i'm
properly graded; the means of teaching
ar& wanting; textbooks are not uni
form the course of study has no phil
osophy in it; the school house is with
out comfort or convenience; but into it
the teacher is put with conditions such
as render it impossible for him to pro
duce any good results. 1t is the duty
and privilege of the superintendent to
discover such conditions, and to relieve
the teacher from their disastrous effects.
He can do what no other agent can do
toward removing difficulties and Great
ing right public sentiment toward the
schools, by making them worthy of sup
port.
AS fact, the schools of the country
are everywhere better for being subject
ed to proper supervision. Educators
are not divided in their sentiments con-
cerning the utility ofspecial and intel
ligent supervision of all the schools
Wherever such supervision exists the
schools take on new form new in
terest is awakened in them the per cent
of attendance ia increased the teachers
feel that they are supported by an infiu
ence, such as they themselves are unable
to exert, and the people become willing
sOfinstitutions that make such
good returns for what Is expended upon
them. Objections to superlntendents
are made, some of which are well found
ed. A poor superintendent may be
worse than none. He may neglect his
duty, or he may superintend the life of
q good teacher and of his school all out
of them, and leave nothing but disoour-
agement and irritation and ill-will in
tA01A PA0NOos AAO AA10y OO W6utluk
good sense, and become obnoxious to the
people.
But these objections arise from the
fallibility of a weak human nature that
renders the success of all human enter
prises conditional. A good superinten-
dent is the life of our common school
system. This experience has proved
A poor one must be exchanged, as soon
as possible, for better. If the fault is
in the man, change may be made, and
leave the good system unchanged
Whatever may be said of the expense of
supporting the system, 1t may be shown
that we cannot afford to do without it.
The waste we are now making is not
only of money improperly and uselessly
expended, but it is also of the precious
time Of our children, who have but a
brief period of their youth time allotted
to them for a preparation for life. If
this time is lost, waste has been made
of that which alone has value, and
which no after effort can repair.-Ne,U
Englc,so Journal Of Education.