Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-29
public School Superintendent.


The LEAECHRoNICLE takes a
lively interest in our public schools,
and every man ought to exercise a
deep feeling in the prosperity of the
educational enterprise of the country.
We should not be satisfied with any
system or methods that are not pro-
gressive. This question is now
uppermost, and from the fact that
the County court will be called upon
on the first Monday in January to
elect county school superintendent,
define his duties and fix the salary,
we have atken.some trouble to inves-
tigate the system and methods of our
city schools and those of some
other States and must admit that our
views have somewhat changed on
this subject.
1t is a fact that comparatively few
men are we'll qualified to discharge
the duties of a superintendent as the
Office should be filled. The superin-
tendent should be a teacher himself
of the highest order, not simply
qualified for teaching children, but
for teaching teachers-old men and
women. He should be an industrious,
studious man, a systematic man, a
constant reader, an observer of meth
DDS and arts in teaching, keeping
posted on all the important
changes and advanced methods of
teaching SO as to be able to interest
teachers in the work. These qualifi-
cations are not often found in the
teachers Of our county schools They
have not the opportunity of mixing
with leading educators or of studing
the question by comparison with
other schools so as to gain this infor-
nation, and then it isnot expected
that the County court can possibly
know anything of the qualifications
of the various candidates who may
offer for this position.
In the States of Georgia and South
Carolina, the superintendent of the
city schools is also the superintendent
of the county schools. His business
is to teach the teachers. He does not
travel over the county, but the teach
ers are all required to meet him once
per month and illustrate their man
ner of teaching and gather whatever
improved methods that may come
up, and in this way the teachers are
greatly benefited, their ambition eX
cited, their intellects frightened and
they return to their work for the next
month greatly inYigorated. Under
this system the teachers are compelled
to work, else they will appear in the
teachers meeting dull, stupid and
indolent, sure to tell on them to their
disadvantage. These teachers meet
ings are held on pay day, and that
inspires and stimulates teachers to
be prompt in attendance. The
county superintendent, under the
present system in Tennessee, would
hardly be able to visit all the schools
twice round during a five months
session, ami would scarcely be able
to impress teachers with new meth
DDS as in monthly teachers meet
ing, where all teachers are given eX-
amples and are striving to excel. This
is the system observed by Prof. Ora
ham in the city schools. The teach
ers are required to meet him every
other Saturday, twice per month,
for instruction and exercises in teach
ing.
Now, if this question can be
adopted without a violation of the
law, and the city school directors
will agree to it, Prof. Graham might
possibly be employed, at small adj
ditiOnal cost, to examine teachers
and hold monthly institutes, requir-
ing the teachers of the county to
meet with him and his teachers once
a month, on pay Saturdays. Then
the county would be sure of a first
c'ass, experienced superintendent at
saving of several hundred dollars
and make a great Improvement ON
our present system. Moreover, the
teachers would be benefited by COM
ing in contact with the city teachers,
OF whom more is required than of
the country teachers, and the county
will make decided progress in its
educational enterprise.