The sun., 1900-08-23
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.

To the Editor of TIE sun.
! would like to suggest d flerent plan
Tor the lnstallment OF city superintend-
ent OF public instruction, from that
adopted by the present school board. of
Wilmington. The applicants should be
examined before a special committee
and the examination should be thorough
lasting not less than one week, ofseveral
hours day. 1t is extremely inconsist-
ent and thoroughly anomalous to select
for SO important position, teacher or
superintendent of public instruction
through mere complimentary or official
testimonials, when the teachers of the
lower grades are required to pass ex-
aminations before the respective boards
which employ them. You "suppose or
have good reason to think" that appli-
cants seeking for superior position
must necessarily be above the mediocre
and it would be compromise of dignity
and libel on their attainments to ask
much less, compel them to be examined
in the highest grades of learning. There
is growing tendency to slight the true
value Of such appointments and fall back
on supposition. Its Importance appears
to induce carelessness. In my experience
with school directors | have found many
who will not employ teachers who are
graduates of the normal schools, without
subiectiug them to an examination be-
fore the board. This ls caused by many
Of the teachers entering, as it were into
the back door of the normal school with
very ordinary education aud passing
ont OF the front door, in short space of
time, with a certificate "for life" with
their hair white with wisdom, but their
countenances glowing with youth and
free from the wrinkles and hard lines
which the anexieties OF life superinduce.
Yes, they grow mentally rusty with the
fact before them, that there is no further
need 20 bother about knowledge as
the certificate is knowledge and
"know edge is power ior it is
as good as gold or silver at any time. L
once attended school commencement at
North Wales, Montgomery county, and
heard the president of the Board OF State
| School Directors speak on the qualifica-
ton of teachers. He was averse to the
present method of making teachers
through the normal schools. He said: Il
have Just received missive from a re-
cent graduate, who desires that | should
get her position, and where there
should be capitals there ara small letters,
and vice versa. The syntax is bad, the
orthography is ridiculous and suppose
the orthoepv is the same"
This gentleman tried to impress upon
the school board the Importance OF COM
pelling all applicants to be examined for
positions in the educational department,
from the highest to the lowest. The more
important the position the greater the
responsibility, and the more rigid should
re the examination. Certificates from
the normal schools should be rated but
three years, and if the teachers are what
the certificates represent, they wonld be
700 glad to display their abilities instead
> # trying to shun an examination as q
! fiery ordeal.
The fact of their doing this proves an
inability that our people who have to
shoG lder the expenses should stop this
growing carelessness in this department..
he institutions OF learning in Pennsyl-
vania exceed those of Delaware in num-
Der but not in quality, and the material
r smanating from the former la not more
superior than that Of the latter. That is,
:. Delaware should through her settlers
and institutions of learning, produce as
:; good stuff as can be found in the Penn
Sylvania market.
It is discouta ring to DeaTares aspir-
4 ing pedagogues who have been taught
4 l.ongfeloW's ''Psalm of Lie" and the
immortal Excelsior" to hear that
:. Caesar would be honorable but for
this" Give him chance at an examin-
alton and then daie to say "a man Is
never without order save in his own
j country"
- - Yours,
SCu0oI MRAM.