Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1888-05-19

these are cut down to smaller limits
and gentler tone.
Some of our contributors upon this
subject misapprehend the JOURNALS
remarks last week. There was ro
reflection upon trustees or principal
elect IN personal sense. The action
taken involved the public interest.
1t was hastily taken-before the
. trustees could possibly ascertain who
was the best man to fill the position
which they decreed Mr.. Buckley
should vacate.
The JOURNAL had in store the
suggestion that our trustees should
advertise in one or two Baltimore
papers, or some widely circulated
educational paper, for applications
for the principalship of our school.
From among the dozens of candidates
that such an appeal would have
brought the man with the best Gre
dentials could have been chosen, and
we would have secured a school equal
to the best.
1t was also reserved to say to our
trustees-take hand in the selection
also of the principals assistants.
The law, it is true, reposes the pre-
rogative of election in the school
commissioners, but the trustees could
make themselves felt very decisively.
Then, next year, when the new prin-
clpal has become acquainted with
the records Of our county teachers.
take him into your deliberations
when YOU form his cabiHet. This
plan would not only secure for us IL
good school, but it would at once
raise the standard of merit through
out the county. Other places would
do the same, and when the county
could not provide workers up to the
mark they would import those who
are. In year or two the dronCs
would be IDLE, in exile, or dead.
At the same time the trustees
would be helping the school board
in the management of their great
pIblic trust, involving in II vital
sense the present and future welfare
Of thousands of children, to-
Drop personal considerations and
influences;
Discourage speculative drives on
the school fund;
Take no account of board and
lodging conyeniences, and to-
Stop making loyalty to the board of
school commissioners test of en-
ployment.
Men and women should be employ
ed solely upon their individual merit
and particular adaptabllity to the
wants Of the places they are to fill.
No recommendation ought to be in
Huential enough to place an in
competent teacher under competent
pay.
Let commissioners, examiner, trus-
tees and teachers-all and each make
no calculation of how much there is
in the pile for them or their friends
to get without work.
Let fitness, not convenience and
other economical considerations, de-
termnne every appointment, and
Let every man and woman remain
independent enough of all boards to
stand or fall upon his or her own
qualifications.
The first step in system looking
exclusively to the legitimate benefit
of all concerned should be taken in
the coming examination. All ChO
desire to teach should be eraDined-
unless, in case of principals, ere
dentials showing higher grade than
is actually required here, are un-
questioned and unquestionable.
The next step is to devise method,
i, possible, which will make the
examined unknown to the examiner.
Absolute fairness, aye, unimpeach-
able impartiality requires this. TO
! the examiner the teacher should be
wholly anonymous.
This article has gone beyond the
original design. From belated ad
vice to the trustees it has drifted into
suggestion to the higher powers,
which, adopted, will put them in the
path to a success which, compared
with the past, will be so phenomenal
that taxpayers will no longer be,
grudge all that our schools cost.
The Phlllisrlnes are tOning down,
and the signs Of the times indicate a
period not long hence when all the