Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-03-09

educational element OF the city, in
Guiding President Adams and some
members of the university faculty and
their wives. EN-Gov, Peck occupied
the seat of Assemblyman lsangc ON
the democratic side. Supt Harvey
spoke in an earnest strain In favor OF
the measure now before the two
houses to do away with the office OF
county superintendent and the sub
stitutton in its place ot district in
spertors TO be appointed by board
Of commissioners In opening he said
he would be dcreliCt IN his duties II
he did not take cognizaneo of the de-
mand for the bettorment of the COM
mon schools, He called attention to
the magnitude ot this department of
the educational structure of the state
Last year, he said there we're 36S, 600
pupils in the common schools In Wis
vonsin, taught by $500 teachers, under
- superntendonts, The sum OF S,11l,-
0O0 was expended for these schools
schools To the highest standard Of en-
crllence is at once apparent when II
is remembered that % per cent. of the
children never get beyond the common
schools The development of the state
and other departments of education
demands growth in the common
schools also, Two things are noces-
Sary TO this the securing Of the best
teachers, and effective supervision of
them The charges against the pres
cnt system, he said are that II fails
to furnish thoroughly qualified teach
els, and the great work now dovolv-
ing upon the average superintendent
,JrecmdoS elective supervision on AIS
part he tact that the office OF SUI
rcrintcndcnt is now a bone OF polit-
zeal contention often brings about
dcplurahle results Fear ol defeat At
The polls cump"is the superintendent
To often grant certificates to inCom.
examinations and reading papers
makes possible only about two visits
a ycal 10 The schools and the lutillty
ul hall-hour time ut each visit Ia
most palpabIe. All the superintendent
can do rs to give the teacher hints,
ana hc can never como back to see
these hints are acted upon.
Supt Harvey said his bill was no
sudden measure. fad or theory. II was
outlined before the state teachers AS
| ISOLATION IN 1890 and adopted and mp
proved by that body, II was intro
duccd IN "A previous legislature
IN substantially ITS present
| form but was Killed.
| The bill provides for the abolishment
of the ONCE of county superintendent
and the appointment of district In
sprCtors insto nd. There are now ~
superintendent districts in the state
with about 13 schools to each, The
bill provides for ll5 supervisory dis
tricts. The inspectors are to be resi-
dents Of their districts and to possess
the same affiliations that county
superintendent now must have The
appointment lies in the hands of a
board OF eleven members consesting uf
the professor of pedagogy In the un4-
versity, the three members OF the state
board OF examiners and the seven nor
NAL school institute conductors. The
members Of this board are to receive
no salary but IS day for two days a
year while In session. A secretary at
a salary OF $1,000 II year IL provided for
the board. All actions Of the board
must be non partisan. The terms OF
the inspectors are to begin with the
opening of the school year The sa,-
AIRY OF the inspectors Is placed al
81 900 year with 81 a year for each
school in the districts, which makes
about 81 300 for each one.
he measure, the superintendent
said, was no political scheme on his
part or that OF anyone else. He thor
oughly answered the charge that the
measure would work I'm the interests
OF the book publishers and ridicnled
1t. The charge that the bill would
take another per0gatiyc from the peo-
pie was also taken up This prcroga-
tive, he said has been taken away
from the people OF the cities, but there
! il no grumbling on that account. On
the other hand the city schools are ad-
mittedly far ahead OF the country
schools. lie made the assertion that
the office OF superintendent required a
| better man than does that Of the high
school principal. Its demands are
| broader and more varied while equal
professional skill and executive capa-
| city are required
In closing he discussed the question
Of legislative duty, holding that the
legislature had no right to vote taxes
for raising money to be FILTERED away
by inefficient methods. There was no
African In the woodpile. he said, be-
hind the bill. But behind II, he said.
were the endorsements Of the national
and state teachers association, the in
terests Of the 100000 children In the
common schools, and the demands OF
thousands OF men who ask more anx-
iousiy what kind fsnperintendents are
being elected than TO what party do
they belong.
~ ~ csaa... - 49,