The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-13
Jhr Nlrssenger.
sTHE IDEAL SUPERINTENDENT

Mr. T. b. Parker, secretary and
treasurer of the state Ali
ance. has sent out a circular in regard
to the office of superintendent of pub
lie instruction. There is doubtless
something ehind it that causes the
discussion of the qualities and gifts
supposed to be necessary in the filling
OF such an important position In whose
Interest, if any, il is issued, does not
appear. The keynote is found in the
conclusion-for the democratic state
convention to fail to elect a candidate,
and to leave the selection with the
Teachers Assembly. There is some
thing in Mr.. arker contention. Re-
ferring to the class of teachers who
attend teachers assembly he says:
Their familiarity with the methods
and work of the educators of the state,
especially fit them for making the Sc
lection, as all will admit that he should
come from their ranks. The mar who
would be unwilling to take his chances
before the Teachers Assembly for su-
peTintendent of public instruction,
may think more of getting the office
than he does of the children of the
state. We need no such man as that
tn direct our public schools. the
teachers would make the selection with
q view only to fitness and qualification
goes without saying; for there are no
more loyal people to the best inter
ests of the state han those who are
engaged in educational work. Ii
desirable the state convention
could restrict the selection to the men
of h TEACHERS Assembly who are ac-
lively engaged in educational work in
the state"
The suggestion is probably too late
tn have the effect desired upon the
delegates. Several years ago-ten per-
haps-we recall that We discussed the
Ideal Superintendent" We treated at
some length. AS we recall it, it was
~particularly dwelt upon that he should
at least within himself have the fol-
lowing gifts: He should be a scholar,
ripe and broad. He should be a Skill
ed. disciplined teacher. He should be
an orator. He should be practical,
ready, efficient. He should have high
character, and personal magnetism
and gracious, winning manners. Per-
haps there were other points urged.
We remember we said hat ne should
be- so scholarly that he could enter any
school room in the state and under
stand the lessons. We said ne shOuld
he such a thorough teacher he could
take any class in university, college
ar high school and handle it as an ex-
pert He should be a practiced speak
er, a man of true ~eloquence that he
might spend at least three months in
the year addressing the people upon
the vast Importance of education, and
~rousin them to an educational re-
vIvaI rom Currituck to Cherokee. He
could not cover more than d third of
the state in a yea perhaps. but in
three years he could speak in all.
Armed With statistics of illiteracy. he
could shame the people in'o more de-
vofion L education, and get every
body to unite in a campaign to take
North C1roIina from the low position
# holds in the scale of education in
the American union. North Carolina
occupies the ~discreditable place of tail
end-the z in the alphabet of states.
Two other things the Ideal Superin-
nden should be-he should be a
Christian and a practiced writer OF
gifts
Mr.. Parker has some salutary re-
marks On the superintendent He
says:
III is of more Importance to the
youth OF oar state and through them
to us, than any office that will be fill
ed at the coming election and should
have careful consideration from the
best and most Tactical thinkers in the
state
a majority of the children are de-
pendent upon the public schools for
their education and as the Superin-
tendent is at the head of the public
school system, his influence will be
felt in every public school in the state,
which brings him in touch with our
children; therefore, the necessity or
having the most practical up-to-date
man possible for the place should be
to every one interested in the
education of the masses. He should
he a man who would put his best et-
farts-his life into the work. One who
realizes its Importance and magnitude
and has the executive ability TO put
his plans into operation. y man who
can LOOK into the future and see the
possibilities of the now unpublished
minds Of the boys and girls OF North
Carolina and who can unfold to them
the beauties and possibilities OF an ed
ication and kindle in their breasts a
desire for and determination to pos
SesS one"