The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-08-17
THE new sUrER1NrENDENr.
Professor Barnard Arrives-His Educa-
tionaI Views.

Professor Barnard Arrives-His Educa-
tionai Views.
Mr.. Frank ]. Barnard, the new superin-
tendent OF the public schools of Seattle, ar
rived in the city Friday morning. Yester-
day he visited some of the principal school
buildings and afterward expressed himself
to a PosT-ISTELLIGEScER reporter as de-
lighted with their beauty and adaptability
to educational purposes. He also spoke OF
the enterprise and intelligence OF the MEM
bers of the board of education.
In talking with the reporter, he said:
81 can only speak in general way at pres
ent. As yet have not made any investi-
CATION of the status of the schools in the
CITY, and had ! done so l could not have
secured data sufficient to determine upon
a uniform policy. Everything is modified
by circumstances, you know, and concern-
ing these circumstances in which human
will is factor one cannot make a prior
conclusions"
In speaking of discipline he said: II like
well-disciplined, orderly schools. but think
tue hes results in that line are obtained
through that personal magnets m or per-
sonal influence of good, conscientious
teacher. / can remember teachers of mine
whose appreciation was everything to me,
an incentive to work and study, and while
in well-systematlzed and organized schools
the discipline becomes in a measure me-
chanical, still individual cases need indi-
vidual dispensations. / haven't even
glanced at your course of study as yet. but
in general way you might call me pra
tical man. Perhaps may be old-fashioned,
but / believe that, first, all education
should tend in a direct, answering line
toward the making of the best
possible citizens for the community.
This is accomplished by practical work in
the primpary grades and good. careful in
structions in all the common branches.
Special attention should be given in those
grades to good writing and clear, pure En-
glish expressions OF thoughts. II boy or
girl for any reason is taken from school in
his or her primary work. all the instruction
received there should be of practical value
in the common affairs OF their after lives
good spelling, q clear understanding of
what they read in the current daily news
papers, and the ability to pen a letter
neatly.
''In the upper grades and in the high
schools think the ordinary school curric-
ulum quite practical. am not q man
susceptible TO the contagion of 'educa-
tional fads,' yet if ! ever had one it is
the manual training school craze. but l
have seen 1t worked out in Eastern
schools, and though the great success of it
in those schools was due to the personality
of the teachers, think it might be prac-
tically successful in any well-organized
school, ! believe in teachingsthe boys and
girls to respect good, honest labor; besides,
believe the professions are crowded. and
that many boy with mechanical turn of
mind is forced into the professions. This
manual training commenced in the high
schools should DE continued in the colleges
and universities. OF course / would not
make the matter of manual training COM
pulsory. But this is a side issue, and am
talking only in general way.
II believe in q close personal relation be-
tween superintendent and teachers. feel
sanguine about my future work in
Seattle"