The age-herald., 1901-06-23

do but little if anything in this line. He has some other dufles of a negative kind in reviewing the action of trustees, either by approving contracts with teachers or the location Of schools, or by way of appeal By custom his duties of this kind are expected to be only formal merely office work pertaining to the accounts and finances of schools, teachers or townships In short, his duties and ser vices under our statutes at least as de- fined by custom, are those of pay-mas- ter, and the title of paymaster of the public schools would be much more ex- pressve and appropriate than that of county superintendent of education. Hence his qualifications should be those of a bookkeeper rather than of an edu- eator; to these should be added a wise discretion that would restrain him from Interfering with the management of the public schools any more than necessary, or that would prompt a "sautary neg lect". Such seems to be the conception of the county superintendent and his qualifications under our statutes.
 4 Either the misleading title of county superintendent of education should be abolished, or the duties and qualifications of the office should be made to conform to the title. The latter Is what is needed. To do this the same duties that are re- quired of the state superintendent as of the schools of the state should be re- quired of the county superintendent as to the schools of the county. In giving him the general supervision of the schools of the county the statute should expressly state his duties and powers. For instance if he visits a school and finds a third grade teacher attempting to teach sec ond or first-grade subjects, or a teacher of any grade with a house overflowing with small children but with one or two larger pupils in Latin, rhetoric. and other studies not mentioned In the school law, and these few pupils monopolizing one-half the teachers time or more; or if he finds in a school children under age or belonging to other schools, or town ships: or If the weather Is wet and cold and he finds no fire, windows without lights and doors without shutters; or If he finds children without books with too many books or the wrong books; or If he finds the teacher without programme, method, or discipline; or if he finds a trustee without books of record or mak- ing no entries or making an unsuccessful attempt at this work-in these and the like cases, he should be expressly enn- powered and required by law, and should be qualified by nature, education, and eX- perience, to apply proper remedy.
 5. Like the state superintendent, the county superintendent should devote ms time to the care and improvement of the public schools in the county He should visit annually and oftener if practicable, every township in the county for the pur- pose of inspecting the schools and their management, for examining the accounts of trustees and for diffusing as widely as possible, by personal address and per sonal communication information as to the importance of public schools and the best method for their management. He should not only organize teachers insti- tutes, but he should be required and qualified to conduct them with efficiency. He should see that the school laws of the state and the regulations of the ed- ucational department are complied with in the county. Such are the general pow CTS and duties that our statutes should cast upon this official and such are I..5 powers and duties in those states that have made any considerable progress in public education. The legal qualifications of an official with such powers and du- ties should be of a high order and CO., extensive with his powers and duties. It Is generally admitted that every solicitor and every judge of court of record should be learned in the law. Medical ex- aminers are required to be learned doc tors of medicine.
 supervising architect must be an ex- pert in his profession. Even a section boss on a railroad must know how to do the work of the hands under him. Surely the superintendent of schools should be an expert teacher of experience.
 6. Let us draw comparison from church management. Most of us have home acquaintance with the organiza-