Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-12-07
PARIS, MAINE, TUESDAY, DECEMBER Z 1880.
EMPLOYMENT OF TEACHERS.

SYNOPSIS OF PAPER READ BEFORE THE
MAINE STATE PEDAGOGICAL SOCIETY BY
Hon. w. J. CoRTHELL, OF GoRHAM NOR
NAL SCHOOL.
Some Of the weaknesses of our school
system cannot be cured. They are in the
social condition of the State; the sparse
ness Of population; the lack Of employment
in the rural towns. Other weaknesses are
intrenched in the prejudices of the people
and can be only cured by the influence OF
time and generations OF agitation. Some
defects may be cured Mt once Among
these Is Is the present system OF employing
teachers. The present system Is faulty in
two respects First, 1t Is not business-like,
and second. it does not secure the best
teachers, but on the contrary, results often,
In putting poor teachers into the schools
when better teachers could be had for the
same cost.
IL Is not business like; because il does
not vest the power To employ the workers
in the persons who are held responsible for
the success OF the enterprise. The com
mittee are held by law, and by the public
sentiment Of the town, responsible for the
success OF the schools. The district
agents hire the teachers. This separation
or power and responsibility has been found
fatal In every business affair where IL has
been attempted. II works as fatally In
schools.
The present system lacks business COM
nonsense in that IL does not vest the pow
or TO employ those who are to do the work,
In, 0 10, ,.f
The committee are generally the men, best
skilled In school work In the town, who
can be got TO take the place. The commit
tee usually know the schools; the peculiar
wants of each the nature of the work to
be done; the method TO be employed In the
work, and the fitness or untltncss OF the
persons Offering TO do the work. The
agents as rule do not know these things.
They are frequently good business men, but
as rule they know little OF schools.
Again. IL is not business like that one
person should hire the worker, and anoth
er person be the judge OF his qualifications.
The result Is rivalry between the two par
ties, quarrels in the district, the ruin of
the schools and waste of the school money,
or the yielding OF the committee and in
competent teachers and so wasted money.
Secondly, the present system does not
secure the best teachers To be had. II
fails 10 do this because the agents do not
know the best teachers. They have no
means OF knowing. Their business has not
brought them 10 such acquaintance. They
do not know what constitutes really good
school either as 10 appliances, methods or
principles This Is no dlsparagement OF
the agents. They lay no claim 10 such
special knowledge as would qualify them
To select the best teachers. Hence they
must very often mistake when they are
really desirous 10 secure the best teachers.
But the circumstances OF their election
prove that they are very often moved by
personal motives. Mr.. A. by agreement Is
To be agent this year Miss A. Is to teach
and board at home; the school money goes
TO the A. family this year. Next year the
b. family are the recipients; then the c.
family, and so round In all this there Is
not the least reference TO the good OF the
school. In one large district the question
of agent turned on the question which
OF the two rival stores should furnish
school supplies. The schools meanwhile
were farce. In another, the man elected
agent had promised the schools before his
election, 10 certain teachers, incompetent
in every respect, in order TO secure the
votes OF the friends of such teachers for
himself One agent puts in an incompe
tent teacher because he attends the agents
church. Another rejects qualified aud ex-
pericnced teachers their father has voted
on the wrong side, and puts into the
schools unqualified ones because their
fathers voted rs the agent did.
These are examples OF the way in which
the teachers are selected. Any one con-
versant with schools will multiply them
from his own knowledge.
The remedy: Let the law be changed,
vesting the power TO hire the teachers and
fix their pay in the committee. Let the
agents remain TO care for the school prop
erty and the flnances OF the district. Will
not the committee act from personal mo-
tives? Not to so great degree. They
are responsible directly for the success OF
the school. They are body OF three or
more, and the teachers should in all cases
be chosen by unanimous vote.
Experience proves the vast advantage OF
this method, as in all the towns In the
State making the greatest advance in
schools, the employment of teachers is now
vested in the committee.
Again A few years since the law was
changed giving this power TO the commit
tees. Every one conyersant with the
schools, declares that on the whole better
teachers were employed and better schools
had that year than ever before.
There was some friction as there always
will be at first in any new method, but the
result that year showed that it is safe to
say that after the plan should become set
tied, and working harmonously as it would
in few years, the efficiency ofthe schools
with the same expenditure of money, would
be increased twenty-five per cent.