The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1900-06-09

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Woman's club Of Birmingham and that
Of Montgomery have each given a schol-
arship at the state university annex.
There is a growing disposition on the
part of the clubs to devote more stten-
ton to the study Of educational meth
ode; and we would urge greater elias
ITCHY in the programs and prescribed
courses Of study, 80 that time and OPP
portunity may be allowed for the dis
cussion of this subject.
We have also cause for encourage
ment in the attitude of the leading edu-
Gators and mel of thought throughout
the state toward these efforts.
One OF the most discouraging features
in the system is the lack of qualification
required Of all school officials, 80 that
we are in the absurd position of def
nitely fixing the duties OF an Office,
without requiring fitness therefor on the
part of the incumbent.
The trustees of township, which, in
our plan, ia the unit, have the right and
duty of distributing the school funds,
the power to elect teachers, to grant
transfers, and. in fact, complete control
over the township schools. The law re-.
q1ires no qualification Of them, except
that they must be freeholders and
householders OF the township. 1t is not
even required Of them that they be able
to read or write, and it is fact that in
some townships the school trustees can
not read or write, yet such men have
almost absolute control Of the township
schools.
The county superintendent is elected
by the people in majority of the coun-
ties; in some he is appointed by the
state superintendent. His duties. as
the name implies, are to see thst teach
ers do their duty, that right methods
are employed in teaching. and to in-
struct teachers in proper methods; to
hold institutes for the training Of teach.
ers; to take the school census. and,
until the session Of the last legislature,
it was also his duty to examine teachers
and grant certificates. No qualification
is fixed for this position beyond An
ability to make an official bond. Much
has already been said and written about
the county superintendent, and We are
reliably informed that the agitation first
arose in the Woman's club Of Birming-
ham.
The state superintendent is elected
by the people, and bis duties are. as the
name implies, to superintend the schools
of the state. In his case also, no quail
fications are fixed by law. Any man
who can secure the votes and make the
bond may hold the office; yet he has
charge Of the education Of 100000 child
rem in the state.
Until recently the law fixed almost no
qualification for the teachers; there was
a statute requiring the examination Of
teachers, but there was no standard by
which their capacity to teach or conduct
a school could be determined, and it is
said that in recent years there have
been teachers in Alabama who could
not read or write. 1t is little wonder
that the law requiring examinations Of
teachers, left for enforcement in the
hands of such officials above referred to,
should become dead letter.
The last legislature remedied this by
creating state board Of examiners. and
now no teacher can teach in public
school except graduates from the nor
NAL schools. This exemption is the