The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-03-01
SCHOOL SUPERVISION.
Address of Geo. w. Harbarger, at
the Teachers Institute, Jack
son, O., Dec. 80, 1887.

the T6achorS lnSG1GuG6, jack
son, O., Dec. 80, 1887.
Mr. PREsIDENT-In discussing this subject at
our Institute last winter, was made painfully
| aware of the fact that it is extremely dangerous
| to criticise the work of the city schools, and
| wish now to say that my remarks touching their
| character and efficiency, were intended in a
general way to apply to the workings and re-
suits of the city system, without particular ref
| erence to the schools of Jackson. Your Super
intendent and principal came direct from the
| ranks of the county teachers. They are prod
| ucts of the common schools of our own county,
and whatever of success they may have attained
is DUE in part at least, to their training in the
rural districts, for there the foundation of char
| acter and scholarship was laid. knew your
Superintendent when he was a country teach
| er, an your Principal, unfortunately perhaps,
| was pupil of mine, and L am glad to learn of
| their success in conducting the schools of this
growing, busy city. certainly have no preju-
dice against, or nl-feeliug toward, the teachers
of Jackson, or any other town, not even Wells
| ton.
Upon the question of county or township su-
| pervision of schools, much has been said by the
| advocates Of the measure, but the people of the
rural districts, who most directly interested,
| have not been heard from, and it is not intend
| ed that they shall be given opportunity to
| express themselves in relation to the matter
| The school journals of the State the organs
| of the professors, principals and high school
| teachers of the cities, and will not print line
| which embodies a sentiment of opposition to
| this, their pet scheme. The State School Com
| missioner also, in his annual report, takes ex-
| traordinary care to suppress that is not favora-
| BILE to supervision, while every word of ap-
proval of the measure is hailed with Joy, and
readily finds a place in the columns of our edu-
| cational monthlies, as well as in the School
Commissioners report.
The man who championed the Albaugh bill
in the House last winter, has been given q clerk
| ship in the School Com missioner's Office.
Whether his advocacy of bill had anything to
| do with his appointment. we can only guess.
For the last twenty years, almost every State
School Commissioner, in his turn, has given su-
| pervision whirl. ]. J. Burns, during his bril-
| liant official career, canvassed great portion
of the State in the interest of the measure, and
| pending the final vote on the Albaugh bill, last
winter, Prof. Eli T. Tappan, the present incum
| bent, was Jealous worker in the lobby of the
of the House, made an elaborate argument in
| favor of its passage before the Senate Commit
Tee, and at this very hour, he is making special
effort in behalf of supervision. Unless the peo-
pie of the country awake, and impress the Leg
islature with of the necessity Of cautious
and guarded action, supervision will come in
all its boasted magnifcence, before the ides of
March.
In order to prove that the people ofsthe coun-
try take no interest in their schools, you will be
cited to the fact that very few voters attend
the spring election of School Director.
Prof Tappan has collected, and will present to
the General Assembly, list of the electors vot-
ing in the various sub districts throughout the
st te, at the last election, and will attempt to
prove by these figures the universal apathy of
people. he nj "a he
management of the schools out of their hands,
and recognizing them, SO as to provide for
pa Id system of supervision, similar to that now
in force in the cities.
He forgets, perhaps has never known, that
heated canvass and full vote only occur when
things in the district are crossways, and a flight
Is on" while quiet election and light vote
prove that the schools are being properly and
satisfactorily managed.
What are the motives which prompt these
would be leading educators of the State to such
wonderful activity? Have they brought up the
city schools to such degree of perfection that
nothing remains to be done at home, or have
they forgotten the reward promised tine atten-
tive student of his own business? Have they
perfected their songs and drills Can their pu-
pills handle theirslates and snatch their sponges
In concert? Can they march in good order at
the tap of the drum if percha nee, the fire alarm
be turned in? Have they rung all the changes
on object lessons. phonetics, and the numerous
other hobbies that have so long and so sorely
afflicted their system, that that they now have
leisure to attend to the wants of the ungraded
schools?
Yes, after having kicked the Bible and the
speljing-book out of their schools, they come to
US, with tears in their eyes, and the odor of
hypocrisy about their garments, and plead for
the adoption of their system and their methods
into our schools. They would have us believe
that they are prompted by spirit of pure ben
evidence, and are devoting their time, money
and influence to this measure, because of the
intense love they bear US Alas who will care
for the poor Country Jake, when these philan-
thropists are gone?
Is it probably that men whose time is so val
liable that they must have a hundred dollars
for talking few hours at the Teachers Insti-
tute, are willing to sacrifice SO much for our
good? Are these men, many of whom favor
law limiting the number of Institute workers
to the select few who hold State certificates, en-
tirely unselfish and free from motives of per-
sonal interest? Can there be such a thing as
supervision for revenue only? Is it not time
that the Ransom school bill providing fol- coun-
ty supervision, was purposely so constructed as
that no one except classical graduate could be
elected TO the Office ?
My fellow country teacher, do not solace your
self with the IDEA that these Lightweight more
they say, are not competent to teach, and are
certainly unfit to supervise the educational in
terests of a township or county. "Your name
Is Dennis, and "No Irish need apply"
A Judge and an Irishman once stopped at a |
hotel where they could not be accommodated |
with separate beds, and were obliged to sleep |
together. On retiring for the night. the Judge |
said, Pat, you'd have been long time in the |
old country before you would have slept with a |
Yis - said of SGar, hop u1a1Id
have been long tonne in.the ould country be- |
fore yez would have been a Judge" So, be not !
you may have to stay long time In |
Ohio, before you get to be a County Superinten-
dent. In order that you may get some idea of |
the esteem in which you are held, and how your
work is appreciated I quote from the Decem-
ber number OF the Normal Exponent:
The dead level of teaching ability in regions
Is simply awfuL. The most abomina6Ls incompetent
each school in successive but never
each school twice. These tramps wear out one town.
ship after another Until they gray. A little
yanizaton of the schools in that township would lop
them off in year-and hence these 1t is touch
ing to witness the holy zeal by these teach
Ing, gray-headed tramps against organizations or
anything that will expose them.'
Possibly the author of this TRADE is inspired
BY his recollection of what the country districts
were thirty or forty years ago. when he was
pupil or teacher-hardly teacher either, for 1t
Is not likely that the writer of such balderdash
ever was allowed to teach school in any coun-
ry, in any age of the world.
The teacher described in this paragraph is
myth, and only exists in the warped imagina-
ion of the writer. All our teachers are not Pes
ilozzis, nor Ogdens, even, but a class, no bet
er citizens abound anywhere, and The "dead
evel of teaching ability" will compare favora-
,ly with the dead level'' of ability in any 9TH
Il profession business. Admitting that we
lave in every county few weak teachers, is it
air TO measure the ability of the grand army of
aithf uI men and women by these unfortunate
pecimens?