The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-06-21

IA tAIO ~ A4SC0 DS1bES LILO SCIHDOl
committees do not exactly correspond to
our popularity elected school boards, it
may be Of interest to give little sketch
OF what the duties of school board
member really are. Even In England
people are often amusingly vague on the
subject, and seem to imagine that at
tendance at the public meeting of tbs
board held every Thursday afternoon,
with an occasional participation in tbs
debate, represents the main portion Of
ones functions. As matter of fact, the
best part of both ones time and ones
energy Is daily absorbed by the board,
and / have found myself obliged to re-
hnQuish by degrees not only large num-
Der Of my political and lecturing engage
ments, but also a considerable proper
ton Of my social duties as well
The really arduous part of ones
school board duties undoubtedly consists
of attendance at committees. The whole
work of the board Is divided up among
various committees, which meet either
weekly or fortnightly ia the numerous
looms provided for the purpose in the
large and handsome school board Offices
overlooking the Thames Entertainment.
Every member is supposed to sit on three
OF these committees, and he is given his
choice as to which three he may prefer.
1 selected for my share the works COM
mlttee, which has charge of all the
building plans and contracts, and which
lately has suffered SO much abuse for the
sins Of its predecessors in Office, the
finance and the school management
committee This latter, however, to
which is entrusted all stxictly educa-
TonaI questions, "a well as the appoint
ment OF teachers, is divided up into
numerous subcommittee, such as the
drawing and pupil teachers, the promo
ton and the physical exercise sub-com-
mittees, ON all Of which | sit, and the
Heedlework subcommittee, Of which |
am chairwoman So do not think l
shall be guilty of exaggeration if say
that on an average fifteen hours week,
or three hours day, exclusive Of Satur-
days and Sundays, are devoted to COM
mitteework alone. Sometimes, when
there is a Sudden rush of work, may
spend the whole day from 10 o'clock till
s o'clock at the board offices, passing
from one committee room TO another,
and filing up edd moments by signing
some OF the innumerable checks which
tho clerk of the finance committee al
ways has ON hand forany member whom
he may chance to find at liberty.
Then there are the school inspections, a
very important and specially interest
ing p2rtot ones hoard duties. Inmy own
division Of West Lambeth am response
bic for the personal supervision of nine
schools, S,ad as they 6se scattered over a
considerable area, and are all very far
away from nay own home in Kensing-
ton, 1t Is not easy to manage the thorough
inspection OF more than one school in
the course Of a morning. So one or two
mornings q week are none too much to
devote TO this department. and to the
cultivation Of friendly relations with the
masters and mistresses. Very often, if
they are III want OF advice or inforIna-
ton, the head teachers ask me TO call.
AT other times drop il unexpectedly in
order 60 see for myself that everything
Is going on smoothly.
The head master eagerly explains that
he is positively entitled to an extra as
sistant, willis the head mistress may be |
equally anxious TO get rid of one she has
already got, and when arrive at the in |
fants' department am told long story
of how the drainage of the playground is |
out of order, and the small infants wet
their boots by parsistently playing in the |
pools of water which are left by every /
shower of rain. Many of these little |
grievances, which, If they had to pass /
through the various channels of official .
red tape might take several weeks TO |
Tectify, csn he settled at once by an or
der from the divisional member, and so |
ones appearance at a school is usually 4
hailed by smiling faces Then. too, 1t is
very encouraging for the teachers 70 feel |
that their efforts TO help on the children
are really appreciated. and if class of
boys has Just lesr-'t a nav SONG. or if the
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