Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-08-21


that ere long when some one man il
the town or district gives his whole
time and thought to care OF the
schools. Schools under some man.
agements are run on the tsgo as yor
please" plan.
Reference was made to the way a
supervisor is provided for the hill
districts and small towns of Mass
Two or three towns club together
raise part of the supervisors salary
and the state pays the rest. In this
way good superintendent is employ
ed, who performs a labor that is worth
what it costs. 4 superintendent, as
the law now fixes his pay and his du
ties, can not thoroughly supervise the
schools, neither can the directors.
Some of the qualifications of the sue
cessful superintendent were named:
He should be a teacher of teachers;
should have a liberal education =
college education if possible; he should
keep himself informed in pedagogics;
should keep well posted in the affairs
of the town, as well as the schools;
he should be a good thinker, pro-
gressive man. He ought to be one
who has taught school and is thor
oughly posted in the details of school
work. He should visit schools often;
he should be good executive man, of
good common sense, good judgment.
He should possess good qualities of
heart, considerate, forgiving, courte-
Gus, sympathetic, honest; he should
be frank, helpful, impartial. He
should be a man of good presence,
good health-no invalids can do the
work; a man of untiring energy.
The speaker would ''turn out" if he
had his way, the superintendent or
the teacher who uses liquor Or tobac-
co, on account of the evil influence
exerted on the young. He prefers
large men physically and mentally,
not that the small man in stature is
ecessarily small in mind, but he Ia
bors under some disadvantages in his
power to control and impress others.
The superintendent should not be a
what is known in the col
lege as the ''chinner." He should not |
visit schools as spy; he should not I
be a tyrant, nor should he be merely
a statistician. He should take upon
the matter of seeing to the
grades and general
business of the schools; he should
ook after the needs and supplies o f
5he schools. Somebody must look af-
5er this matter, and he can best do it.
He should strive to assist and edu-
cate the teacher, to cultivate health
ul public sentiment in regard to the
schools.
Under the head of difficulties to be
enumerated" he mentioned poor
eachers, who somehow get employ
nent and must be tolerated or dis
missed; poor committees directors
who fail in more or less particulars; 4
# want Of interest on the part Of par
nts. The superintendent should look
fter the matters of ventilation, out
louses, closets, comfor table seating,
light. Special emphasis
vas put on the necessity Of constant
are of the condition of privies. The
peaker believes that the average
upl sees and learns more of the vices c
f the world in the clubhouse than
e gathers from all other sources. IF
he parents really understood how :
errible some of these places are there
81
ut for things; know all about the af-
airs of the school. e
The school directors, or committee,
ave superior authority on some mat ,
ers, as for instance, hiring teachers, !
ooking after the repairs of school V
uildings, but the superintendent
ught to be the important man. His y
dvice in the selection of teachers !
nould be considered. The best good
f the children should be the para
lount idea. The superintendent should =
lggest and attend teachers meet /
lgs; should consult with his teachers !"
nd help the best he is able he
lould also help and encourage pu-
lis; should stimulate an ambition in
lem to become first class scholars Is
} attend higher schools. He should a a
and between the school authorities ST
nd the people, and study every known q,
Iethod to create such an interest in
le schools on the part of all as to
AXE them efficient and valuable.
Mr. Edson's suggestions to school
rectors were equally practical and
sefui. IN
th
The address given Tuesday evening af
as one of much interest and OF great