The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1880-12-04
The Relations Of the People, Trustees and
Teachers with the Public Schools.
Delivered before the Teaehers' AssOefn-
lion OF Carroll County, Nd, by Bnniel
T. MeSwfney. November 40, 1ss0. Pub
ltshed by Request Of the Association.

Delivered before the Teaehern' AasOcfn
aeswiasS aso sesemSye;r S"snly; 10 syo ~ GSls Fs
ltshed by Request Of the Association.
| do not come before you TO obtrude anl
particular hobby, but do claim your at
teution as an humble citizen and servant
of the State, investigating the condition.
OF his vocation for the just performance o.
the duties which deyolye upon him.
There arc enough responsibilities resting
upon those conditions to justify every in
dividual 10 expressing an opinion, aud Ia
warrant that he shall receive respectful at
tention.
1t is my habit to eliminate from the
topics discussed at our meetings such as
at the time, impress me as worthy ol
moro extended thought aud that full uu.
dorstanding which is necessary towards
securing the attainment Of the purposes to
which my calling is devoted. Such have
endeavored to give to some of the topics
introduced at our last institute.
/ look upon that institute as one far 10
advance of its predecessors in the impor-
tanee Of the matters iscussed-matters
at all times interesting to every individual
in the community, and some Of them here
worthy Of profound consideration, because
they have been affirmed or denied by those
whom we hold in esteem, and because the !
touch the moral sensibililies of large Dor.
tion of our people, who believe they un-
dcrlic our institutions, augment our TEN.
poral welfare and open the path to future
felicity.
As the initial of my thoughts on those
subjects | will speak few words of the
relations bearing upon the schools, knowl.
edge Of which seems to me to be neces.
sary adjunct to the requirements of a
teacher.
First, then, Of the relation of the people,
but in an administrative sense only.
1t is the prevailing impression Of citi-
zens who send their children to the public
schools, that they hold the same relations
with them as formerly, when they we're de-
nominated Subscription Schools and
from the conversation and acts Of many
teachers under the present system, am
led to believe that they labor under the
same grave mistake.
The present school system is not Of the
people, taken as individuals, but Of the
people taken in the aggregate as the State,
deriving its authority and obtaining its
support not from the individual, but from
the aggregation of individuals. In other
words the soil Of the State supports the
schools.
This aggregation has built school houses,
organized schools, established agencies,
and protects and governs and binds the
whole by one common law. The county
is the unit Of the organization--the dis.
trict fractional convenience. The dis
trict school house with its appurtenanccs,
rules Of government, methods of teaching
and curriculum, is removed from the peo.
pie and entrusted by law to other agencies.
SO thoroughly divorced is the school from
the individual that he has not even direct
voice in the election or appointment Of the
agencies.
When he accepts for his child the edu.
cation rendered by the State, he accepts il
with all the restraints imposed by the law
He may not dictate what it shall learn OF
what knowledge it shall dispense with; he
must procure the text books ordered by
the controlling authority; he must evel
bear in mind that his child is educated
that il may become an intelligent member
Of great commonwealth; aiding in III
prosperity by being franchised to assist il
its government, and not for any privat,
purpose or particular vocation. He can
not, through any supposed grievance, trans
fer his child from one school to another
without consent Of the proper authority
and then only, under the law, as a matte
OF convenience Of residence Even tn,
community directly benefited by the erec
tion Of school house in their midst, al
though they may have given freely o.
their means toward its erection, cannot di
vert it from the purposes prescribed by tn,
law without permission Of the controlling
power. 10 fact there can be no grievaue,
under this system of education which vii
warrant the interposition of the individua
with the school or any of the established
agencies unless through the law.
THE RELATION OF TRUSTEES.
OF the simple duties of this honornbl
Office but little need be said They ar
charged with the care of the houses an,
lands, the furniture, apparatus and othe
school property; with the necessary repair
under certain restrictions; with the exemI
tion of pupils from payment of book fees
with the appointment Of teachers, aud wit
general supervision over their respectiv
schools, and it is in their understandin
Of this term, supervision, lies in grca
measure the display Of their intelligene
and the success Of the school,
The word supervise may be taken i
more than one sense. Webster says I
supervise is TO oversee for direction.
this Interpretation be given to the law
would it be compatible with the interes
of the school? If the trustees are to di
rect the school what is the business Of III
teacher ? shall not dwell upon thi
meaning Of the word as applied TO III
common school system, because think j
would be at variance with the intent @
the law, Yet how many trustees are ther
who think they areappoipted to give direC
tion both in the matter to teach and the mau
ner Of teaching. |, myself, know severa
instances. Webster gives another de6ni
tion-To inspect, which seems to me +
be nearer the intent Of the law, for inspcC
tion does not necessarily include direction
As trustees have the power both to appoiu
and TO dismiss teachers, and as they cat
not appoint any but those certified by III
examiner to be duly qualified, there woul
appear TO be no necessity for direction.
may be asked then, "To what does thl
supervision extend" To the opening an
closing hours of school, the attendance {
the teacher the manner Of punishmer
(ifany, the cleanliness fthe school hous
the necessity for repairs, the zeal Of II
teacher, and to the progress made By II
children, which every one holding the D,
sition Of trustee should be able 10 an q
preeiable measure TO comprehend.