The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-10-06

but by what other teachers working under similar circumstances is ac- complaining. The supervisor Of priin- ary schools is enabled by seeing large number of teachers to judge what should be accomplished and to report these results to the superintendent of schools The work of the supervisor or primary schools is not simply to criti- else, it is to encourage, help and inspire teachers upon helpful cooperation through her leadership. In the prim- ary supervisors we have had we have been fortunte. Each of the women has had more than ordinary ability in this direction. I believe it is but simple truth to say that teachers could De named in our staff who are judged much stronger teachers to-day than they could be, because of the effort or the supervisor of primary schools in working with them.
 The question might arise why the su- pervising principals could not do this work. That question is easily answer ed F'irst-The supervising principal has many duties to perform other than observing the work of teachers. Most of them teach one hour a day; all sell ous cases of discipline are referred to the supervising principal. The matter of promotions and tests requires great deal of the school time. Supervising principals must look after the attend- ance of pupils in their respective dis tricts. This one thing alone, in sys- tenn like our, where compulsory laws are enforced, requires much time and cannot be delegated to others. Much time is taken up in interviews with pa rents which are very desirable. lie must look after contagious diseases and see that children are not in school who have been exposed to contagious dlS- eases. In many districts supervising principals provide clothes and shoes for indigent pupils. The recording of text books and supplies and caring for the same takes great deal of time. In the Welch district, for instance, there are approximately 15,0O0 books, the property of the district for which the principal is responsible. In other words, the supervising principal is responsible for the work in his part of the Alty school district, and there are many lit- tie details which he must take care Of. It must also be borne in mind that the supervisor of primary school does not go into the grammar schools. Each supervising principal has from nine to twenty grammar school teachers ard generally in two or more buildings. Ten years ago each principal had twenty six teachers all told; five years ago twenty six teachers. Because the number of oi, a1 from twelve to ten, each supervising principal has thirty-seven teachers on an average to look after. As has been said above, it is impossible for the sli- perintendent to devote a great deal of time to supervision. Under the existing plan each supervising principal is as sisted in his work by the supervisor Of primary schools, who goes into the prl- mary schools of his district. This dots not mean that the supervising principal does not look after the primary schools, but it means that he is assisted in looking after these schools If the pri- mary supervisor did not exist the schools could not be sufficiently looked after, because there would be more work for the supervising principals to look after than they could look after intalli- gently Now, the exnerience of other cities must be taken into consideration here In other New England cities the principal who supervises, supervises in one building only, Here in New Haven they have from two to seven buildings to lock after. Very rare indeed is the city where the principal has more than twenty to twenty-five teachers under his charge Here in New Haven he has thirty seven. The abolishment of the office of supervisor of primary schools would mean if our schools were prop erly looked after, the addition to cur staff of supervising principals. More over, the expense to New Haven would be greater.
 What is said of the supervisor ot primary schools and her relation to the supervising principals is partly true of the supervisor of penmanship. The supervisor of penmanship takes care of the penmanship of the schools virtually. He relieves the supervising principals from looking after the pen manship in detail. This is true of the supervisors of sewing, music and draw ing Unless the number of teachers in the districts s largely reduced, the supervising principals must have more