The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1890-03-22
COUNTY SUPERVISION OF SCHOOLS.

Many experienced teachers and school
men have for long time thought that
an efficient system Of county supervision
would tend to cure many of the defects
of the school system and thus secure
better results.
The most important agent In the
school work IL the teacher, and there
fore we will first consider him. Under
the present system, the teachers come
from everywhere, with every degree
and kind OF education, from all kinds
of schools. Only q small proportion
start into the work with any definite
conception of what they are 10 do Snd
of how they are TO do IL. The leading
idea in their minds is, they must make
their pupils learn lessons from books,
aud from books only, and then make
them repeat those lessons from memo
ry.
The work Of the schools 10 to prepare
the young for the business OF lite and
all will admit that life Is condition,
not theory. The schools ought to
train the pupils to think, to think deep
ly aud conuectedly, so that they may
be ready to grapple successfully with
the various combinations of circum
stances that will confront them In the
world. The teacher of thinkers must
he thinker himself and not macl lue
wound up to go 40 many hours and
then be wound up again. Now then,
how are teachers 10 be uade thought
fui, how are they to be improvedi IL
circumstances have not allo ed them
to gn to schools whose special task Is
to prepare teachers, what is to be done
The best plan that has so tar been
suggested is to put them under the
superintendent OF competent person,
one who will bring to the task, energy,
capacity, and character, one who has
the work at heart and is able and will.
ing to produce the best results possible
with the means at hand.
A superintendent ought to be critic,
but not iault.finder, practical
teacher who understands the matter
from all sides, u man not arbitrary or
degmatic, but liberal aud broad mind
cd.
The writer will try to outline the
work falling within the sphere OF q
county superintendent for a single
week. On Monday morning he visits
q school not having previously sent
notice TO the teacher. He enters the
school room and takes position least
conspicuous. He observes closely the
work, and when recess comes he speaks
TO the teacher, If be, the superintendent,
has noticed anything needing correc-
ton or deserving commendation.
At dinner time, he consults, II neces-
ssry, with the teacher again, and then
INVITES himself to dinner at the house
of the district clerk. II the clerk desires
or needs any instruction in regard to
his duties or his books, the superinten-
dent Is there to furnish 1t. After din
ner, he goes back to the school and
continues his inspection, but If he does
not deem 1t requisite to 60 back to the
same school he can spend the afternoon
In another school and then 20 to the
house of the clerk of that district to
spend the night and to confer abou,
school affairs.
At each of several schools he car
give notice that on q certain night, say
Wednesday or Thursday night, he viii
discuss school matters, and he can re-
quest the pupils to invite the atten-
dance of their parents. In this way
the superintendent will be able to NEE
a great many of the people and to tall
and counsel with them fully anC
profitably.
On Saturday the superintendent
ought to be IN his Office, prepared t
examine applicants for certificates ant
to consult on all school business
Another way In which the superinten
dent could make himself useful woul'
be in looking after the school money
! which ought to 60 into the schoc
funds, to see that they are not diverte
to other purposes. He could In thi
way save much.
The superintendent ought to be
man that will not be puffed up with
sense of his own Importance an
authority, man that will not terroriz
teachers 30 that in bis presence the
will be reduced to state Of helplea
ness. BE ought TO be man that wi
inspire confidence and make all cor
cerned IN the school work feel tn,
he has come to help them, not to SEQ
them, to do them good, not harm.
The matter of finding and electiug
proper superintendent is In the hanC
Of the people, and II they will be care
ful, there 10 no reason why q suitab
person cannot be found.
Ii. however, they elect o man tn
thinks he can draw more money tro
that office than from any other bu
iuess, and whose only object will be
/ get the money, then the, whole thir
will be q failure. The writer firm
} believes that II the people will put In
the office q man thoroughly aware
his duties aud obligations and read
to fulfill them, a man adaptable al
anxious to find or suggest good plan
,, methods. and points of teaching, al
) capable of carrying into all the schoo
whatsoever OF good he may discover
, any school; il they elect such ma
they will find In him the hardest wor
} ed Of all county officials and one wi
will amply repay to the best interes
!, of the people all and more than all tn
, the Office costs.
) WIN. f. BAHLMANN,
Ex.County Commissioner of Johns
County, Mo-, and Superintendent
Public Schools, Independence, Mo.