The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-07-27
A CITY SCHOOL SYSTEM.

cussed IN educational gatherings and hat
not lnfrequently been considered by citi
zens deeply interested in the education
of their children. That Capitalization i
desirable has been taken for granted. that
1t is feasible has always been doubted
and that the principals OF the schools
| have been among the obstructionIsts has
sometimes gained belief, though on the
| whole / am convinced that the question
has never been given the thought that ii
| demands. Now as one school board has
been instructed to look into this matter,
as the question has been brought forward
in formal manner and as the attitude
OF teachers may not be understood /
| feel that, as the principal of the most ex-
! perience III this city, l should openly de-
| clare myself. l shall discuss the ques-
| ton as | see it and will begin with the
statement that L am in favor of any sys-
TEN Of Capitalization that will give us
better results than we can attain under
our present district system, and that /
am in avowed opposition to city system
demanded simply because it prevails else
where. A proper organization would
give US ward schools taught by the best
available teachers and super1ntended by
principals who by their own teaching
would add strength to the corps. These
schools would prepare pupils for a dis
tlnct high school which should be taught
10y several teachers each as well qualified
as any Of our local principals now are.
Over all these teachers there would be
principal or city uperintendent,h himself
thorough school man, whose duty 1t
should be to instruct some classes in the
high school and to assist, examine and
license teachers for the various schools
of the city. This would be a system
worth having. Ii is the system Of Mil
waukee and several large cities of this
country. An imperfect imitation of 1t
prevails IN many small cities and yields
most lamentable results There are most
excellent local schools here and there III
places that never heard of the plan; while
Dr. Rice has shown that large cities work
ing under an ideally perfect organiza-
ton of this kind furnish numerous ex-
amples of most wretched schools. There
fore, If any one supposes that there is
any special educational virtue in this pc
culiar organization he will soon become
undeccived if he examines the facts. The
school sentiment of any community and
the character and ability of the teachers
are what make the schools. If these are
OF the right tone the school will be good
IN spite of any system and no mere ma
chlnery can be important. The schools
of our city are not SO good that we can
afford to say we have done enough, but
know whereof | speak when [ say that
neither our teachers nor our graduates
need humbly bow to those of Sheboygan,
Oshkosh or Fond du Lac where the city
system has long prevailed. In fact | am
firmly convinced that under.present con-
ditions a small high school IN one Of our
school districts is in better situation to
do thorough work than is a large high
school IL many places having the city
system. As it is here, the assistants in
high school work are only one or two.
The principal, who should have the most
ability and the best education is thus
forced, as he should. be, to do the very
heaviest of the teaching. Pupils then
get most of Their advanced instruction
from what should be the most compe-
tent instructor. If this Instructor does
not do the most difficult work and do it
better than his assistants he should be
asked to step out or exchange places
with one of his subordinates. There
should be no sham in high school work.
But in most cities of this state the prin-
cipal does little teaching, or only small
part Of the whole because the classes are
too large and numerous. The work is
therefore left to undergrad and usually
transltory assistants. This is condi-
ton, and not a theory. There are ex-
of teaching force therefore, is far from
being the invariable accompaniment of
the city system. That strength is found
where that system does not prevail, as
witness the Ryan District" in Appleton
which is still with Manitowoc so far as
organization goes. The school referred
to employs several men in its high school
and does not look for cheap service. If
1t would adopt the policy of hiring as its
principals persons thoroughly devoted to
the profession of teaching it would soon
rank among the best high schools In this
country.
We sometimes hear it urged even in the
columns Of The Pilot that this centraliz-
ing step should be taken in the interests
of economy. There is nothing in this
argument, and no person having the
good of the schools at heart will ever take
1t seriously. ] have tried in the brief
space allowed me to present the ques-
ton as teacher sees it. [ am in favor
of change if it meets the conditions
given above; but | would reiterate the
statement that the teachers when of the
right kind and properly supported by
public opinion will make good schools
under any system. Our people are well
disposed, Our school boards are made
up of intelligent, educated men. they are
clothed with sufficient authority and if
they can secure able earnest teachers de-
voted to their calling we can afford to
work under our present system until the
best change can be made which | shall
most heartily welcome. In the mean
time let parents send their children regu-
laTly to school, and leave them there IN
til they complete the course of study.
Schools are suffering from irregularity