Morris tribune., 1892-10-05
Our Next County Suaperin~
tend0nt.
HANCOCK, Mimi, Oct. 3, 1882

school or valparaiso, 1ut', E'llSuiedl
and experienced teacher, a thorough
scholar, and a genial and accomplished
gentlomau, he will bring to the office
all the elements and features Of sue
cess that are necessary to place our
schools on footing with the very
best in the state.
The present condition OF affairs
makes this, indeed, "a contamination
devoutly to be Wished
The Office of county superintend-
ent is much moro important one
than many of us are willing to admit.
We make great deal of noise over
the election of all other county officers,
but we seem to look upon this one as
a sort of necessary evil" and are
willing to hand over the position to
any one who will be found poor
enough "to do it reverence"
To very limited extent, only, is
education science. The cognate
branches of psychology, physiology,
morals, etc, upon which it rests, are
yet too unsettled and variable to adj
NIT of anything like exact scientific
classification. 1t is largely then an
art; and, like all other arts that are
not evolved from their corresponding
sciences, it is altogether empirical.
We have, however, through the eXer
tons and experiences of eminent edu-
Gators, made discoveries and formu
lated methods, that are proving them
selves entirely worthy of our approval
Normal schools a4d competent IN
structors, through books, lectures,
and other avenues, are the ways and
means" by which these methods are
disseminated. From this view of
things, then, we can readily see the
urgent and absolute necessity ofplac-
ing man at the head of our educa-
tional affairs who is thoroughly COM
petent to direct, control, and stimulate
the schools and teachers of our
county.
There is no officer whose duties re-
coil with such intimate relations upon
the people as this one; and an officer
whose election should be so complete
ly disassociated from politics. Good
schools are too universally "the hope
of our country" to be placed at the
mercy of party ascendancy, and com
PEELED to accept as their guardians and
advisors, who have nothing more to
recommend them than that their party
was triumphant. The superintend-
ent's politics do not concern us so
much as his ability. In all other
county offices, when the business on
hand is transacted to the satisfaction
of the parties concerned, we feel as if
our relations with them have ceased
until we are compelled to visit them
again; and if it should be so arranged
that we have no such business rela-
tons, then, the management of affairs
in that direction, gives us but ordin-
airy concern. It is not so with the
Office of county superintendent. If
he be competent man, he is always
connected with us, because his infu-
ence is constantly operating through
the teacher and pupils, and reverting
upon parents and other friends of ed
-ucation, in the shape of higher train
ing and more proficient schools. Abil-
ity in a superintendent is among the
first things that should be secured in
a system of education.
1t is unfortunate that larger num-
Der of our teachers have not the adj
vantages of normal training; still
numbers of them are every day giving
proof that, under efficient manage,
ment, they would develop into much
better instructors than the frigid cal
culations and arbitrary percentages Of
written examinations would imply
Applications often fail to give such
answers to a list of questions as may
coincide with the superintendent
knowledge of these subjects, and, fol
this "unexcusable blunder," the
scalpel is mercilessly applied. and
the aspirant is trimmed down to fit 6
certain grade, and then turned out
and labeled with an array of per cents
that are about as fair an index of q
lady's ability as a boys shadow is of
his height. Such superintendent as
those are good deal like geometrical
line,-they have length without
breadth.
The action of the state in disbursine
Summer Training Schools Throughout
the counties has already borne excel
lent results, although, as yet, these
schools have been only experiments
If we recognize all this progress in {
period of a few weeks, what must b.
the value of an instructor of Mr.
Welch's ability to body Of teacher
with whom he is co-laborer and ad
visor during his whole term of super
intendency? Manifestly, it must b.
great. The election of Mr.. Welcl
means better teachers and bette
schools, and the teachers of thu
county would most certainly rejoice
to see him installed into that posi-
ton. We would respectfully REMIND