Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-07-11
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION.
Features of the Closing SessiOn-OHi-
GERS Elected for Next Year.

i
| The closing session of the department OF
school administration, which was held Sat
| urday in Columbia University Hail. COM
menced with the election of officers, the
| following being chosen:
| President, E. F. Bradt, Ishpeming, Mich.
| first vice president, c. B. Hubbell, New
! York; second vice president, John f.
| Hughes, Utica, n. Y; third vice president
| William S. Mack, Aurora, H.; secretary,
| William George Bruce; executive commit
| tee, P. n. Siger, chairman; Harvey H.
! Hubert. Philadelphia; Edward Weldon,
Bethlehem, Pa; c. M. Woodward. ST.
| Louis, Mo; Job Barnard, Washington, D.
c.: A. Lawrence Lowell, Boston, Mass.
This important matter having been set
| tied, an interesting paper treating of tie
| functions of professional and non-profes-
sional bodies. in the school system was read
| by Mr.. A. Lawrence Lowell of Boston.
! Mr. Lowell said that the general princi-
| pies which the relation to each other
! of professional and non professional bodies
| ought to be based are easy to describe.
AS problems become more intricate. the
| need of the expert is greater, and his prop
er functions become more extensive.
When the public instruction was limited
| to the three Rs there was little need of eX-
pert management; but today when every
| large city contains schools of many grades
| and the range of courses In each of them
has increased enormously, the need of more
professional guidance has become impera-
| tive.
The fact that school committees have
failed to keep up with the demands of the
| times in the matter of administration by
professional has apparently caused ten
dency among some reformers to go to the
opposite extreme.
The plan of school organization proposed
! by the committee of fifteen, a plan which
has been put into operation in some cities
gives the superintendent power to act in
dependently. This plan seems open to
three objections:
1. 1t eliminates almost altogether the lay
element, and leaves the expert unassisted
| by the moderating influence of men of at
| fairs.
2. The position Is one which naturally of
| fers great temptations to the politician.
3. The plan loses the benefit of a body of
| laymen to act as a buffer, and to shield
! the professional force from hostile crit
icism by assuming the responsibility for its
acts.
The true functions of professional bodies
| in the school system at the present day
would seem to lie between these two ex-
tremes. 1t would seem to be their province
to attend to all details ard matters of sec
ondary Importance, and in matters of great
er consequence to act as the motive pow er
or handspring of the organization, to take
the initiative in proposing any policy, leay-
ing to the school board the duty of decid-
ing Upon the wisdom of the suggestions
made and Of assuming the responsibility
| for them.
Inc superintendent IS expected TO be the
leader and guide of the board, and his re-
lations with 1t are made close and con-
fidential possible. He has a right to
| take part in all the debates, and the MEM
bers have right to ask him questions
In order to obtain the fullest benefit of
the experience of the teaching force 1t is
proposed to establish a school faculty to
which certain questions must be referred.
This, however, has not yet gone into effect
In its chief outlines this plan resembles
| the ordinary method of government of an
! American university, and, in fact. the plan
was originally based upon that model,
which has certainly worked well for our
| universities and may be expected to work
well also for our schools
The paper was discussed by several men,
berS.
The question of teachers salaries was
| then taken up, and it was the consensus of
| the opinion that good salaries were needed
| to secure good teachers, and that fitness
and character should be the sole requisites
| considered in their selection. 1t was de-
| termined before adjournment to make heat
| ing and ventilation topics for next year 5
meeting, and vote of thanks was EXTEND
| ed to the local committee of the N e. A.
\ for the fine manner in which it had enter
| tanned the convention.