Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-30
to give our best energies towards securing the
largest attendance possible.


Superintendent Richal ds then read the third
paper, 'How shall schools be inspected with a
view to best results?' He said:
AT the outset | Elust inform you that l have
no original theories concerning the lubjeot of
school supervision. It has always been my aim
to submit all seemingly reasonable suggestions
to the crucial tests of the school room, and the
more study the nature OF my work the more l
am convinced that upon the faithfulness and
Judgment with which L exercise my powers and
duties depend to great degree tn, thorough
ness and efficiency of the schools under my
charge. [ always feel q personal responsibility
in the work Of every teacher, their failures [
must share well as their successes; therefore
| am extremely carefal not TO allow q teacher TO
engage q school that think is united for her
ability. 1t ia true often deceived in regard to
the adaptabiiiiy of beginners, but with those
who heve Taught. do not allow any ones rec
ommendation to tamper with my opinion. 1 do
not wish to be understood as saying that I will
not give my consent to school bosr!s' hiring
teachers who in my opinion are not adapted for
their school, hut that when l am consulted, if l
do not give my consent at once, the applicant IS
not generally engaged. Many a time l have
withheld second grade certificates from teachers
until I could find schools for which they were
especially adapted. For instance, [ have several
schools made up of children that talk another
language at their homes. This class of schools
are generally easily managed, but in order to
thoroughly interest them, SO that thu children
will not stay OUT every other week to attend a
paIochial school, We must have teacher who
can command their Confidence. He must be
ablste use such language as viii translate the
book ztgthe pupils. 1t Is notihe teacher who
can answer The most questions at the examine
ton that is best qualified to teach i x
30 much as introduction. The selection
OF proper persons to teach is a cry
but it is by no means the Important one. The
, great question is, how does he manage the
schools through. his ieutenants-the teachers!
What docs ne do so that the work of, say 1U0
teachers, may be done tremendously and sys-
| tematica!ly, and still be udor his control. One
| mans great panacea is examinations; ant Their
| says they must follow certain methods, they
| must drill the pupils to reproduce certain forms
| through the memory; another holds, ''that once
seeing is letter than being told ten tines" SO
he goes through the manipulation of object
teaching, especially when visitors are present.
Thus we have all the varieties of The
! theories and of the arts of teaching
| brought into the educational kaleidoscope.
admit that all these theories have something
to CON. mend them, but the only successful
| teacher, is he who studies each pupils indiyid
uality, SO as to be able to make that pupil al
originator, an inventor of ideas as it we're, ant
not photograph to reproduce sounds, wher
, the living soul that originated those sounds
| may be, perhaps, lying in his grave. : x
First. There must be course of study.
AS this subject comes up for discus
| for not going into details here, farther than t.
define course of study. We are confronted a
| the outset with the fact that many pupils ar
| unequally advanced in The different branches
Some do not pursue at all some of the studio
pursued by others.
The course of study mist originate with TIL
| superintendent.
Each to: cher must be the Judge for herself a
| to the amount of work that each class can &C
complish, the superintendent's oversight simpl,
demands that all the energies of the pupil are s.
| directed as will enable him to divide his tim
| protitably. Owing to the frequent change g
teachers it becomes self evident that the super
intendent should lay cut the plan in outline s.
tlat the work nay go on systematically ever
| with a new teacher. There should be no re
peating. / do not care so much as t.
how much time it may require for the recita
| ton, but to prepare e. lesso1 requires time sys
|! tematically devoted to it.
Then there should be a record kept, showing
| fully the work performed during thu term
which is to be left in the register for the o.
| the teacher who follows. With these outline
the superintendent viii be able to inspect tn,
work of his teachers with some definite aim ar
object in view x
My plan of inspection of late years has been
not e. enter the school room until received b.
the teacher, with such formality as woul'
| be observed when calling upon peopl
| at their homes; never sitting, however
without recognizing the school as part of tn
family. As a rule 1 prefer not to conduct tn
Rotations, though in some cases do SO.
| Now what does the scholar knew about tba
lesson? absolutely nothing. Nothing has beef
learned that will be of any aid in future inves
legations, unless it be soma of the rules and de
! finitions.
Teachers in Faribault county do not now re
cite tie lessone, and give no aid III the recita
ton, unless there are none Others in the elias
who can aid. If there is failure let it be Al
nest enc. 1t is really dis
honest to do wrk il
the recitation, that belongs to the scholars to de
1t is deception in it's worst form.
| First The teacher deceives himself, a1d ther
| the scholars deluded into the idea that the.
| are progressing, when in reality the teacher i
| the only one receiving any benefit from tn
| drill.
CRITICISMS
| Prof. Shepard heartily endorsed the idea tina
| there should be more attention given in thu
preparation OF lessons. There is a radical de
| feet in our teaching. The success of a teacher
| and in its preparation. The special work OF the
! teacher should be to train the pupil to menta
study at the desk.
| Prof. Allen said the want OF ability on thu
| part OF some who attend the normal schools
| from the country, to give attention to anything
| for any length Of time is aarr.ing. He wal
| surprised at this lack of independence O.
| thought. Pupils have not been trained to babit
of continuous tho ght in Rotations. He recitet
| instances where scholars were required to re
peat in their own languagea story told in which
| they were greatly excelled by scholars in thu
| primary department.
| aSpt. Rollevson gave the manner OF difereD
superintendent when entering the school room
Supt Blake, of Ramsey, referring to the re
marks of Prof. Allen, endorsed the view ex
pressed. He had found it to be correct tn,
| best results are often found with primar,
| classes.
1 Supt. Shields said it was advisable to visi
| schools, and invite the trustees and parents t.
accompany you. He held evening sessions il
that way.
! Supt. Smith was much interested in the ques
ton but could only give his own views. Ht
believed in making a hobby of one thing enc
working it up. For instance penmanship on
time and another time language.
! Supt. Cowing gave his plan of visiting
school. He entered quietly, noted all surround
ings and manner of teaching; made suggestions
with pencil and paper, and on leaving gavt
| them to the teacher,
! The question of printing the state superin
| tendent's report coming up, it was ordercl
HI L., ,,1,,