The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-04-10
The SupervisOrship.

The Supervisorship.
A quiet but earnest interest in the
matter of the election of the super
visor of schools in this county is mani
fest. A singleness of purpose seems to
exist to choose this official with sole
reference to his qualifications for the
important and difficult work that will
attend the performance of his duties
during the first years of the operation
of the law. He will have work to do
that is somewhat apart from his purely
supervisory duties in examining teach
ers and keeping watch and ward over
the school-ma' Jams and masters he has
commissioned to teach. A great deal
of misapprehension respecting the new
school law exists among the people at
large. The law is not understood The
doubt and difficulty many express and
more feel is natural enough and honest
enough, but some of the trouble is born
of spirit that is not reconciled to any
change in the old order of school adj
ministration. Radical change in any
department of government produces
friction, but the course of progressive
school legislation in Vermont, more than
of other reforms, seems to be thickly
beset with difficulties real or imagin-
airy. Time and patient, judicious adj
ministration are the best lubricants.
This has been illustrated in the case of
the important tax Legislation of 1880
and 80, and we believe it will be shown
again in respect of the school law of
1888.
The first work of the supervisor will
be to enlighten the people as to the
changes actually made in the school
law of the state by the act of 1888. This
will require in the official a thorough
understanding of the law as it existed
prior to the recent enactment and a
clear knowledge of the provisions of the
new measure itself. He will need the
gift of explanation, and if he is as well
qualified as he should be, he will be
able to show that the changes actually
made in the law by the new act are in
fact few, but are very important, and eX-
list chiefly in the system of supervision
provided; that to a large extent the
voluminous measure of the last session
is codfcation of the school laws of
the state. He should have the power
of persuasion and be able TO convince
people who are disposed to be rational
that the principle of the new law is
right, and that if efficiency in the
schools is desired, if adequate returns
for the money expended on the educa-
ton of the children are to be had,
this principle must be rigidly and faith
fully applied. The creation of public
sentiment that shall insure a fair trial
of the new system is the first business,
and in the performance of this initial
work the supervisor will have leading
part. He should be selected with
special reference to this work as well
as for his experience or ability in exam
lining teachers, directing their work and
holding teachers institutes.
When the new law has become well
understood and as generally accepted
as other laws based on right principles,
person whose qualifications and expe-
rience relate more exclusively to the
business of teaching and school admin
istration may successfully perform the
duties of supervisor; but the demand
of the times is for man who can both
do this and commend the law to the
favorable consideration of the various
communities-who can create and di-
rect right public sentiment respect
ing schools and school laws. Without
such public sentiment the best school
law, or law of any kind, is dead letter