The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1894-01-04

uperintendency is failure in the sense
that results are by no means what it is
pro per they should be under system re-
quiring Intelligent supervision and power
OF enforcing salutary advice. Any system
of supervision OF a private enterprise
which could justify its continuance
no better ID progressive results than the
county superintendency can, would at
once be abandoned, or the enterprise
would succumb to Encouragement.
Although there have been many valu.
able features of common school work mi
tlated and put in perfunctory practice
within the last fifteen years, the facts
will bear out the assertion that the CON-
mon schools of the state to-day will not
average better than they did twenty years
ago. The failure OF patching up" to
effect results which are inherent in the
theory OF our common schools should be
indIsputable proof of something radically
wrong IN the administrative feature of
the system. But we persist III an at
tempt to remedy the functional derange-
ment by applying quack remedies to the
surface eruptions and then wonder why
healing does not instantly follow.
1t Is not politics but lack of education
al qualifications which ails the superin-
tendency. 1t can stand more politics,
but 1t is now weak with incompetency
There is where The corrective is needed
1t Is by no means the purpose to intimate
that the county superintendent of Wis
cons1n, generally, are weak. But many
OF them are, and all are undergrad. The
best OF them may be compelled to give
way to some STRIPPING in intellect whose
experience is as circumscrlbed as his pur-
pose is shallow. There is no protection
for brains when the field of competition
Is open to pretense; IN this matter The
Pilot is protectlonist
Incompetent supervision is by no means
the only Ill from which our schools suffer,
but 1t is one of the ills susceptible of
legislative remedy. The creation of
healthy school sentiment must come
through the slow process of education.
But the Intelligent superintendent is an
important factor in this work. If he be
earnest and active he is an inspiration to
the young and stimulates healthy feeling
throughout the community. His coun-
sci has the potency of creative force. He
organizes and makes effective. elements
of progress which are latent in the midi
vldual. We can not over-estimate the
intiuence of such a man in building up
sentiment favorable to education as well
as in providing means to give effect to
that sentiment
Our late legislature. the members OF
which IN the main, are ineligible, happily,
to futher service in that body by reason
of Uncle Sans jealousy of the divided
attention of his servants, refused to pre-
scribe an educational qualification for
uperintendents. To do so would make
their appointment necessary, as the legis-
lature las no power to fix qualifications
for elective offices. The legislature made
this pretext for Strengthening the bill,
claiming that the peoples right to choose
their servants should not thus be abro.
gated. 1t was only few years ago chat
an amendment to the constitution relat-
ing to educational matters was submitted
to the people and overwhelmingly de-
feated by the action of the cities, solely
because 1t made obligatory the selection
or city superintendent by vote of the
electors. The amendment submitted had
many good features, but these did not
make amends, in the estimation of city
people, for the evils attendant upon the
election by popular vote of city superin-
tendents,-the glorious privilege which
the legislature was SO strenuous in con-
serving for the people outside of cities.
Less competent people for the super
intendency would be chosen in spring
elections than under the present system. |
The other candidates usually exercise
some Judgment in the selection of can
didates for this position, if they have ma
terial to choose from. 1t would he a |
backward step to change the time, but 1t
is a change the leglslaturei is apt to make, |
and one which it will be urged to make
simply because 1t will postpone for a |
time legislation requiring an educational
qualification.
1t may be that the next election will |
give us Legislature which will not start
like scared horse from suggestions on
school matters offered by public school
men who have some knowledge of what
they spesk. The bill submitted to the
legislature of 1898 fixing an educational
qualification for county school superin-
tendents was antagonized by several de-
schools of the state, and
members were instructed by patrons and
teachers Of these schools to vote against
1t, and the instructions were followed.