The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-11-02
Our Schools.


Learning that Professor Alexander Hogg
superintendent of Fort Worth schools, was
in our city last evening, a HERALD reporter
sought him and put the following series o.
questions;
Reporter-'Professor the friends OF pub
lie instruction are glad that you have re-
turned to your profession"
Professor-"I do not know that l can be
said to have returned, since / have regu'
lsrly contributed to educational journals
nave attended the various educational as
sociations. state and national; have become
associate editor of the Texas Journal OF
Education; have lectured, by appointment
of the state board Of education, the COVER,
nor b ing chairman, to the teachers and
students Of the summer Normal institute,
and all since my separation from the Bryan
Agricultural college. Really, / believe
| have done more for the school interests
generally of the state within the past two
years than previously"
R~ep.-"There seems to be objections to
the present public school law; what do
you think should be done?"
Prof.-"It is difficult TO determine just
what should be done, but there. is needed
first a change in the constitution OF the
state before anything can be done. At pres
ent the department of public instruction is
a mere side Issue or the appendage TO the
executive secretary of state and comp
troller. 1t is managed by these depart
ments acting as a state board of education.
The chief state-schoo officer, who should
have as much power and as much authority
in the department Of public instruction as
the governor in the executive department,
is a mere secretary of the state board OF
education,' and can just d%o-execute what
these departments may, in their leisure,
conceive should be done, and further, may
see fit 10 have the secretary do"
Rep.-"How came Texas TO adopt such a
SYSTEM Is It common to have a secretary
simply for this department.,
ProI-'Two other states in the Union
have such a school Observation-Disclosures
and Connecticut; three, Rhode Island, Ohio
and Georgia, have a state commission OF
public schools all the rest of the states
gave 'superintendents Of public instruc-
tion.' The powers Of the commissioner
are similar and Of as wide a scope as that Of
superintendent. ] would suggest for Texas
that the department Of public instruction
should be under the control and manage
ment Of n
ooNpussIoNER or PUBLIC INSTRUCTION
and two associates. / think the word COM
missioner the proper title for this officer.
The committing 70 his charge Is the gen.
eric idea. IL Is a trust-a guardianship-
and couples along with IL the further idea
Of suggesting to the law-making-power the
WAYS and means for the successful admins
trnfion ofthis branch OF the state govern
The word superintendent does not
convey Just the duties Of this officer-its sup
poses the system all perfected and the
ways and means in hand, leaving
simulv the execution or supervision
in the hands Of the superintendent.
The term general manager, borrowed
from the railroad and and other corpora
has been suggested By a vnter-Eith
and county superintendents
added. This nomenclature is merely i'm.
and locks really what Il intended
% be conveyed"
Rep-W Why do yon name two ssso-
.iates
Pr5f-HBecause Texas IL very large, and,
the work Of the commission differs
rerv widely from The duties and labOI5
ven IN governor. The commissioner has
int 70 formulate bis plans, and then 70 see
haf the pe0ple-fhe entire peOple-are
esched. % infuse the spirit q public in
truci0n, the necessity Of and the results
o1ouIng The system In every nook and
of this vast empire. PersJns har1ng
with the governor eek him,
"a r. % TIE capital Interests, either
o. p~ers0nel. drav them % the
rrcrff~e manion. The incentives Opernte
~ GferenEr. The commissioner % pub
r furtitufons desires % dissemiDste what
= rr~ri1ers aurhIir blessing TIE educa-
Ior ora1 The Children BE mus - thst
% ra-erfa re fathers and TIRE mCtbeE
- - prIirffrnef o. this subieI- Iwol
o. r~rmuirfnrrrs shoul1 arFaE -the
r~f nffress Tie pecrle. wtle one
4 r~rrrrt csicl fgrcs should be
rr4tnrnT n t1e o1ca I wcu1 a. =
- 4 c1rrlT r~uEni@ioner, nn1 ~ ~
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