Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-02-23
{ correspondence.
Some Thoughts on Public schools.

CAN an inquiry from Il BROOKLYN corre-
spondent rs TO the working OF the town
system in our public schools, adding the
suggestion in substance that town super
intendents seem to be working the office
for their own and the special benefit OF
their friends.
have stretched my observation over
little territory, and made many inquiries
of competent parties from many sections
of the State and in one instance only was
there reported satisfactory, decided gen
eral improvement in the schools and
equipments.
Some reported better school houses and
poorer schools; others better schools and
poorer school houses. There are, no
doubt, many towns where the new system
works advantageousy, but in large
number OF smaller towns, it has worked
with great detriment in some particulars.
One OF the most important and distin-
gushing features OF the town system,
one which has been sought with unre-
hitting persistence by every state super
intenGcilt for quarter OF u century, is
the enlargement OF the duties OF town
superini endeut-, and the abolition of dis
trict agents.
1t VAS argued ny these eminent educa
tors that district ngeuts were generally
incompetent, selfish, and employed their
relatives 10 II large extent. They seemed
to infer [ at town superintendent, like
themse'v--, could hive but one object in
view, TT highest possible advancement
%, t,,
they Won Il rise above the petty motives
and derations that moved less sehol-
.ly III 5.
Ais or these shining authorities on
no" e. dvance the cSuse OF .ubiic edu-
cstiot II they had studied rs profoundly
in til, -chool OF humanity rs they had
'e1v' Il in self-evolved theories. they
,,H45 have escaped the faliacy OF this
I'osit IN. They would have grounded on
The conclusion that scholarship is not
nIw1H, - the true measure OF wisdom nor
III assurance and protection OF sanity
III YES; they would have found that
ho=sesty and good sense and the virtues OF
good citizenship often dwell among the
a ,preteutiouS III book knowledge, and
nat moral litteness is often over
eHado~ed by intellectual briliianCy;
they would hive found that the plain
COMMON. people, The ignorant mothers
and fathers OF future scholars and states
men, hnve d,epand abiding interest III
and affection Tor our public schools and
are slowly but surely sacrificing them
selves To lit their boys and girls to
higher planes of usefulness.
Some years ago. " hen the question Of
tran- ieetin- the legal right Of hiring the
teachers from the school agent to the
town supervisor or committee, was being
agitated, In an article in THE AMERICAN,
wrote: la my Judgment, OF the two
classes Of persons, the district agent or
committee, the agent Is more independ-
ent, and that the charge OF nepotism and
iavorltiam THAT is urged against the agent
would re applied with ten-foid force
against The town committee"
The position OF the supervisor to-day
is very much more delicate and yuner-
able.t han formerly, since under the new
law The "details of the office have been
vastly increased, and the office made
trebiy remunerative.
Two years ago our state superintendent
visited some two hundred schools i'll DIFF
terent parts OF the state, made inquiries
OF officials all over the State, and sub
mitted an interesting illustrated, critical
and statistical report OF the condition of
the schools. 1t Was n scathing exhibit
OF the worst side Of school life in Maine,
and contained few cheering observations
-
After perusing this interesting docu-
meut one was led to wonder almost that
living near the primitive conditions
of .harharism Maine has furnished SO
large proportion OF the brains of the
country and hat to-day The "bare
brown Yankee OF the ;lalne woods is
splendid}y asserting himself in Congress
as well H. leading in varions line, OF bus
mess in every state in the Union.
One OF the revelations that seemed to
startle the state uperintendcnt, as shown
in this remarkable report, though il sim
ply confirmed the gist OF our prophecy
made years ago, was that L per cent. Of
teachers employed under the town system
were near relatives OF the town superyis-
ors, and that Il per cent. were i'll some
way connected with them. This how i'll e
practically abolishes the pet argument of
these leaders III educational movements
rs to the superior disinterestedness OF the
superintendent under the town system,
and is splendid vindication of the dis
trict agents from the aspersions that have
been SO gibly ard unwittingly made in
our state school reports.
In the report referred to, the state
superintendent remarks, with a touch of
light sarcasm, that FARMERS seem to be
in great favor as superintendent of our
public schools" II farmers help educate
and tram three fourths Of the scholars,
divines, statesmen and business men of
the country, who is better fitted to man