Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-01-09
oar Common schools.

e@+- e4NAOAt
been entertained and disseminated, it
seems necessary to set forth in order,
somewhat of an account of the move
ment now making throughout the State
in behalf of the district schools.
Having been intimately connected with
the present movement since the begin
ming, may be able TO give an accurate
idea of its nature and purpose.
The experience of all civilized nations,
that have attempted a system of popular
instruction, teaches us that professional
training and adequate, systematic, and in
teIligent supervision are ecer more necessa-
~ for the successful training and proper
education of our children than for manU-
featuring and other business enterprises,
all of which employ skilled supervision.
In visiting the schools of the Old
World and those of the more progressive
States of our country, thinking men have
been able to see that our eooat Of sys-
tenn is much more expensive and yet more
meager in its results and far less safisfac-
tory than their well tried systems sustain
ing ample professional supervision.
The experience of all men in all kinds
of business where numbers are mployed, :,
is that skilled and capable direction is
essential to success. Human hands are
employed with nothing so delicate, so in
tricate, so difficult to comprehend as the
human mind.
The discipline and development of the
human soul, created in the image of its
Maker, the care of the body, and the
training of the immortal mind, rise so
transeendingly in importance that even
an angel might hesitate before an under
taking so far-reaching in its consequences.
Yet in the great State of Ohio every year
find thousands OF young men and women
still in their teens, themselves unframed
(beyond q knowledge of the common
branches) with no knowledge of the art
of teaching, unaided, undirected, with
out intelligent counsel, cropping their way
through maze of mistakes. In these
unskilled hands rest the destinies of
thousands of our children. Can the
eternal welfare of these little ones be
weighed in the balance against few dol
lars? If man of wide experience, large
hearted, quick to assist and ready to coun-
sci, could be employed in every Township
the investment would be wise. AS this
would be expensive, let us do the next
best thing and haYe one for each County.
Our State School Commissioners for
some years past have laid this subject
before the people in their Annual Re
ports. The subject is fully discussed by
Mr.. Smart in the Twenty Second Annual
Report, and Mr.. Harvey speaks of its. ne
cessity and value in the Twenty-first.
La the history of educational progress,
we find that few leading thinkers and
workers have been left to bear the burden
of progress, and only by untiring and
self-saerifcing efforts have they been able
to move the slow body polite.
In the steady onward march of Educa-
| ton, the teachers of Ohio would not be
true to their trust did they not rise ap
and demand of our Legislature that. by
the enactment of suitable laws they put
our schools on a footing equal to the best.
The Legislation for the past twenty
! five years has GH been in favor of the
Graded Schools. 1t would be difficult to
point to a single enactment Gn that time)
whereby the country schools have been
materially benefited. Let our Legisla-
ture give the district schools equal facili-
ties with those of the towns and cities and
they will even surpass the cities and vii
lagos in the excellence of their work.
The most Industrious and intelligent
classes of our peaple. are found in the
country. The retirement and freedom
from excitement, and especially exciting
literature, give pupils in the country very
decided advantages over town and city
pupils. Therefore, I believe that with
equal facilities pupils in the country will
do more work and do it better.
Will the people demand these equal
privileges, or will they sit idly down and
let their opportunity go by unimproved
Steadily have the people of Ohio been
awakening to knowledge ofthe fact thai
the attention of our Legislature must bt
called to the improvement of the ungrad-
ed schools.
At the last meeting of the State Teach
ers' Association, there was organized an
ungraded school section, which should
include all friends of Education anc
should be seperate in its organization
from the Teachers Association.
Educational Mass Meetings have beel
held in nearly all the Congressional Dis
tricts, and petitions for County Supervis
ion are being signed by thousands through
out the State. The first District meetin
was held at Medina at this meeting a res
olution was introduced favoring the plal
urged by Hon. Mr.. Smart, of,making tn
powers and duties of Township Board
similar to those of Village Boards. How
ever this resolution has not gone beyon
that meeting, and is no part whatever c
: the State movement favoring County SU
peryision.
OBJECTIONS ANSWERED.
have heard but two objections urged
'eWe can manage our schools bette
ourselves
It is not proposed to change the contr
or management of the schools. The
= will remain in the hands of Boards of E.
ueation and Directors at present.
The Superintendent will be an advisor
4. officer, acting under the direction of
County Board composed of members fro
~ each Township. His powers will
limited, and prescribed by these Board
twill be his duty to visit and exami
all the schools, to hold County Institute
no for the better training of teachers, to no
township teachers meetings, to lay o
- courses of study, to systemize the work
the teachers, to give advice and assistan
wherever needed, to expound the schC
laws, to examine teachers, to keep t
;. various Boards of Education posted in
= matters pertaining to the welfare a
progress of the schools, to adjust diffic
. ties arising between teachers and paren
and teachers and boards, etc. The p
negatives of local directors and boar
need not be curtailed one iota. Howev