The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-01

cases of Bad Bloods. Over 5000 volun-
tary testimonials of cure by taking Bo-
tanic Blood Balm.
people of Clarendon county did. Why
should the Legislature every session be
petitioned for more money or. for better
supervision? They don't use what they
have, to an advantage. law was passed
with the view of placing more efficient
superintendent over the county schools
The last superintendent mentioned above
was elected in accordance with the law,
yet he was much inferior to the first one
mentioned who in no wise fulfilled the
legal requirements. The different coun-
ties are not serious over the public
school question. Then why waste time
parleying over the matter? TIE. Legisla
ture of North Carolina is, and has BEEN
serious over this question: but the Leg
islature does not manage the schools
This is the work of the different coun-
ties and only few land much honor be
to themD have ever considered this ques-
ton seriously. There is not a business
establishment in North Carolina with a
capital stock of $4,000 that would think
OF conducting business on such plan
to secure 5000 man to supervise the
work. Yet here is business of much
greater importance, one that concerns
1871 children and a $3.50 or 4 $500 man
is chosen for the work. 1t is not the
salary paid especially that should receive
the scorn and contempt of every, ri ghteous
citizen. but it is the fact that so little
Importance is attached to the office that
the counties are satisfied with no more
and no better work The average super
intendent is well paid for what work he
does. Think of the farmers, doctors,
lawyers, practical teachers" preachers
and all sorts and conditions of men who
do little statistical work for the county
schools and are paid as, and called, coun-
ty superintendent of public instructions.
What should be the work of this office ?
To assist. in organizing and classifying
the schools, to provide through the board
suitable and attractive school rooms that
the children may be elevated instead of
debased, to instruct the teachers in the
best methods of teaching instead of
drawing many colored map of the coun-
ty once a year for the amusement of the
children, and especially to personally
supervise the teaching, and to know by
actual observation what work is done in
school, whether the teacher is rambling
through 35 recitations a day. as Miss
May was doing, or whether she has her
work properly classified, and to see that
the practice exhibited in the teachers in
stitute is actually done in the schools or
else dispense with the Institutes, but
this work will never be done for $3.50 or
$3.50 a year Why, a large per cent of
these so-called superintendent, could
not actually secure a position as teacher
in a first class high school, yet the bust
ness of this officer is to instruct and
supervise teachers. Until he does this,
the term superintendent is travesty and
a msnomer. and the average county in
North Carolina is simply playing at school
dispensing a little charity to some wor-
thy young men or women who are i'm
properly called teachers What does the
superintendent do to solve the bread and
butter question: Does he till the soil
Then he is a farmer, and not a superin-
tendent, for this part of his work is just
little extra. Is he a lawyer? a doctor
a preacher? Then. do not call him SUI
perintendent; for looking after schools
and teachers is not his business. Notice
this contrast:
The county public school
Number of schools. ia
Number of children :. :. 10 ,191
Number of teachers :. =. 80. ia
amount expended annually :. ;. .$15 ,2Sf
THE superintendent 5000 man9
The city public school
Number of schools :. -.
Number of children :. :. -. 96i
Number of teachers :. :. =. 49,. Il
Amount expended annually :. ST, 100
(The superintendent a $1,000 man.
Now in the name of common sense
what peculiar process of mental acrobatics
does it require to justify one in the face
of the other? In what way is $500 man
sufficient for ia schools and 1871 chill
dren, when in another case it requires a
81 200 man for two schools and 964 chill
dren? In one case the schools and chill
dren are scattered over a whole county:
in the second compact together in a
town. Then in the second there is his
work and trouble and expense; and if q
$500 man is suitable for one of the two
situations, the second is the one. The
towns though say that teaching is a
science and should receive skill and ex-
perience. The county, behind as usual
says most any old thing will do, education
is not of much Importance any way 1t
seems that the entire system is out OF
JOINT somewhere
The good people of Clarendon county
became aroused to the situation. Their
first awakening came when it was brought
out publicly that young men who pass
through the school age, and for few
months each year for eight years at
tend the public school, yet at the close
of their career it is found that there is
only hands breadth in difference be-
tween this class and the class that can
neither read nor write. In fact, so close
together are the two in ability and Gull