Nebraska advertiser., 1880-02-05
BY our County Superintendent.

5 BY our County Superintendent.
! Alta convention Of Superintendent
held at Lincoln the 9th ult., of
which Philip Crother was Secretary,
the Superintendent of Nemahs, read
a paper, which contains suggestions
worthy the profound consideration of
everybody having interest in good
schools, as follows:
1.-The means of obtaining full
and correct reports from school
officers - the more it is pondered,
the more difficult it appears to
be to arrive at a satisfactory con-
clusion. In the large majority of dis
tricts no compensation is directly
made to school officers, consequently
responsibility is lightly felt. In a
number of districts in the State,
among colonies of foreign-born citi-
zens, officers are elected who are un-
able to write or speak English. In
large number of districts no provision
is made for keeping permanent rec
ord of school district business. Again
We are told that some directors are
careless and thoughtless, though as
for Nemaha County, in this respect,
we have very few instances. To re-
move the foregoing. which seem to
| be the heaviest drawbacks to obtain
ing full and correct reports; in the |
| first instance a limited money COM |
pensation for actual service, in our |
opinion would be a powerful help, !
though we are willing to admit that
the prospect of speedily obtaining /
that help is not very fattering. In
the next place we move an amend
ment to the school law: THAT no
person shall be eligible TO the office
of School Director who is unable to
read and write the English language.
Also let County Superintendent,
through the public press. by lectures,
by the assistance of teachers, and by
every available means impress upon
all concerned the absolute importance
of satisfactory reports. Simple and
plain blanks are a great assistance;
but in this regard we have but one
recommendation to make concerning
the form of the annual report blank,
and that is that the debtor and credi-
tor footings of the financial part of it,
be. placed on the same level, side by
side, of course. Let the district in
debtedness and the amount named in
the Treasurer's bond, come beneath |
the middle line of the debtor and
credit account. This recommenda- |
ton is derived from the advice of
many school officers, so we deem It {
of practical import. {
We come to what we consider as 3
the most effective means, because of -,
practical availability; that lie, a we'll
Kept, detailed school district record
book. Where the district is supplied |
with suitable books for the various Of \
ticers, the data are always accessible
from which to make out a full aud :
correct report. We advise that coun-
ty superintendent obtain, about the /
close of the school year, from the
County Treasurer, the amount of
funds drawn by each district in the
past year; also to send out the annual
blanks in good season, having first
filed in, as much as possible, every ,
blank space in writing, inserting the
amount on hand as stated in the last
years. report of each district respect-
Ively. Then give notice through the
county newspaper of the fact of the g
blanks having been sent out and de-
string any director falling to receive r
the same, to notify aud nave others =
sent to him. We come finally to d
" hat strikes US, is the readiest means {
10 secure the desired end, namely a
we'll kept district record book. use O
al lawful means to impress upon
school officers the exceeding import 7
lnce of this tact; and lest you should q
forget it We will again saw that S
posted record book will n
save more money and useless regret
ing, give more business satisfaction.
save more lawsuits and idle wranp-
ing. than any other one thing in
district; besides affoTding a basis for :
4 full and correct report of the eondi-
ion of the district at any time when .
called for, So you will perhaps ex- e
,use US for saying that too much l
stress cannot be laid upon this point e
and the attention of all concerned be
called to the advisahility of providing
The district (where such has not al
ready been dnne) with a complete set
IF record books. We beg leave to say
finally that we are most alphabetically, !
and without the least shadow of a
doubt, of the opinion that
series of well kept district books, is
the most vital necessity to always and
every time obtaining a full and cor
rect report for a school district.
Most respectfully submitted. 6
PHILIP CROTHER,
Co SuDt NPmaha Co. @