The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1890-02-27

A School Board.


The subject of School Supervision, is
an important one and should receive, as
trust it is receiving, the most mature
and careful consideration by the citizens
OF Skowhegan. The amount of money
annually expended for school purposes,
in Skowhegan, Is too large 10 be wasted
aud the interests OF education are too i'm
portant to be eglected. II our schools
are not As good as the best, it is not for
the lack of money, for hardly any town
In the state Is more liberal In that re-
-pect.
1t cannot be the want of houses. for
the school houses in Skowhegan will
compare favorably with those of any
town In the state. We have bright schol-
ars, and teachers who are reasonably eff
dcient, and yet, 1t is generally believed,
and perhaps admitted. that the scholars
are not making the improvement that
they should, and that the schools are not
so useful as they might be.
Where Is the defect Is the question.
The Board of Trade is striving with the
question and 1t seems to be pretty well
settled, that the weakness is in the sys-
tenn of supervision.
Committee men are not even expected
to neglect their own business 10 look af-
ter schools, hence they make supervision
sort OF knitting work. to be taken up
when they have nothing else To do, and
1t lacks efficiency. That system may
work well in small towns, where there
are no graded schools. But in Skowhe-
gan more than three quarters OF the
scholars attend the graded schools. And
II Is there where the trouble Is
We have tried the Supervisor system,
and the weakness there seems to be thst
no man wants, and Is hardly able, TO
grapple alone, with all the dfli ulties and
fight alone and unsupported, all the bat
ties which wise and faithful supervision
Is very likely to necessitate. There is
one other system that has the prestige Of
general success in cities aud the larger
towns. 1t is that of Supervisor with
School Board behind him, a sort Of cAhi-
net 10 counsel and advise him and give
force and authority to whatever he may
do
But some one will ask. where is the
law for eecting such a board Doubt
less it will be an easy matter 10 get blu
through the next Legislature authorizing
Skowhegan to elect School Board Bot
VIC W dul W tIttl pit AZ tlf llttA AlhlN ~
Meeting perhaps. There Is an old aiage
that where there Is will there is a
way"
SO in this case, 1t Is entirely compe-
tent for the town TO elect Superlntend-
ing School Committee Of three. II Is
also competent for the town TO elect
three advisory members to that commit
tee, and make the six the School Board
| nf rho Tho In l.. > /.
legal Supervisor, Under the provisions
of Section 10 Of Chapt II of the Rev
Statutes, the s. S. Committee may ell
ect one of their number Supervisor II
no one of the committee want that place
and the School Board should fnd some
suitable person outside Of the committee
whom it might think best TO employ, any
one of the Sup. S. Committee may resign
and take his place on the advisory side Of
the Board, and thus create vacancy Ia
the committee which the other two eau
legally Ill, with the to be supervisor. and
then under the provisions of law before
cited make him Supervisor
| Then the town viii have a legal Super
visor who can legally do all the duties II
the onlee, and a School Board OF ak
presumably good men with whom he can
confer and counsel, and by whom he will
be supported and strengthened In all try
Ing emergencies. There can be no oh
lection 10 the School Board on account
of thu expense, Some OF the best men
In town-men deeply interested In tho
cause OF common school education and
who have the best interest of our schools
near at heart, assure us that they will
serve on the Board, II elected, gratuitous.
~ and without any expense TO the town,
and they are to be elected with that un-
derstanding-
The reason for electing Sup. s. Com
mittee, instead OF a Supervisor and then
the advisory School Board Ia, that the
pre- sent Supervisor utterly refuses re-
election, and no one else has been found
with the requisite qualifications who will
accept Of The otfloe Therefore it is pro-
posej authorize til. oohpof bOaid 10
employ, II they can, at a reasonable sal
airy, some suitable person, who, II sue
cessful. will remain a series of years. The
best results cannot be expected from one
who takes the place simply Is a make
shift. A person should be found who is
willing to make school supervision a bus
iness and has his heart in the work. This
system OF supervision for the large towns,
has the approval OF the best educators in
the State. ORB