Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-04-09
and then there would be no experimenting

and then there would be no experimenting
committee.
Mr.. Harris could see no reason for this
sudden necessity for city superintendent
He had been for twelve years member
| of the board and had never before heard
complaints of the onerous duties of the
| experimenting committee. If these gen.
tlemen think themselves overtaxed it
might be we'll to put in their places some
of us little fellows who are now kept in
the background. If these gentlemen are
unwilling to perform the duties of their
Office they should not have the honors, nor
should they vote to take money out of the
peoples pockets to pay 81, 500 a year to a
city superintendent to do the work they
were elected to do; nor should they filch
from taxpayers thousands of dollars more
for building fine school houses that are
not needed. Mr.. Harris did not believe
that the Office of city superintendent
would be worth two cents to the schools
of Lancaster or ever was worth two cents
elsewhere. If adopted the system
will prove barren of good to
the masses who do not stand in need of
high education to fit them for their walk
in life and who should not be taxed for the
purpose of giving great education to
others. If others want great education
let them pay for it. Mr.. Harris expressed
himself as not only opposed to the city
superintendency but also to the county
superintendency, as they are both worth
less appendages to the common school
system; but since the county superintend-
ency has been thrust upon the people by
state law let him attend to the duties
which it is now proposed to devolve on a
city superintendent. Notwithstanding
what had been said about the inferiOrity of
our schools he believed them to be as good
as any others; and he hoped that as we
had already plunged our hands into the
peoples pockets for $50, 900 with which to
build new school-houses, we would now
stop.
MIR. Slaymaker suggested that Mr.. liar
ris underrated the duties of the school
} committees because he had neglected to
perform those which had been imposed
upon him.
MIR. Brosius said the Importance OF the
matter now under consideration could not
be over-estimated and that it is right and
proper that there should be full and intelli
gent discussion of it. That correct con-
clusion might be reached to discuss it intel
ligently it was necessary that there should
be premises, common ground, upon
which all could stand He thought that a
fundamental principle to which all would
agree was that we should aim to secure
the highest attainable proficiency in our
schools. If the adoption of the resolution
before the convention will produce that re-
suit, it should adopted 1t the election of
a city superintendent will increase the
efficiency of our schools, let us elect him.
That this will be the result, Mr.. Brosius
had no doubt. a close supervision over the
schools is as necessary as it is in any other
organized work. This proposition admits
of no contradiction. 1t is necessary in
every department of labor. Organization
alone produces the highest attainable sue
cess III every profession, in every trade, in
every enterprise. To illustrate, look at
our watch factory, our cotton factories and
other enterprises. They all have efficient
superintendents to oversee and look after
all the details OF the business, to correct
mistakes, to prevent neglect, to suppress
abuses. So with our schools. If there
arc defects in them, as we know there are,
shall not they be corrected? In different
schools there are different modes of teach
ing pursued, different rules of discipline
and other irregularities, showing the want
of directing mind. While the superin-
tending committees and other committees
OF the board have done much for the
Schools it requires single head-a super
intendent-tO take charge of all the schools
and establish a uniform plan. Mr.. Bro
sius, at considerable length, answered Mr.
Eberly's objection, that if once the city
experimenting be adopted it could not
be abolished, saying that the highest
oShool "uCIollty Ill Cuc SIitc ndu pro-
nounced it to be optional with the boards
of directors to elect or not at their option.
MIR. BrOsius concluded his remarks by
reading a list of the cities and boroushs
in the state-some twenty-fi in number
that had adopted the system of the city
superintendency.
Mr.McComsey thought that what had been
said already was sufficient and he would not
discuss the matter at any length. When
the question of electing city superintend-
ent was before the board some two years
ago, he had opposed it, and was
slow in changing his opinion He
wished now to say word in
behalf of the experimenting committee.
1t had been charged that they were un-
willing longer to perform the onerous duties
devOlving upon them and wanted some
one else to do their work. This is not the
case the truth is that after they have
given their efforts to the school they are
convinced that they have failed to secure
the best attainable results, and there
fore believe it to be the duty of
the board to adopt any measure that
| promises to increase their efficiency. We
have 5000 children to educate and we
| spend $45, 900 of the peoples money to do
it. Shall we not therefore do all that can be
! done to secure the best possible results ?