The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-02-06
FOR RURAL SCHOOLS
INSPECTORS WANTED FOR COIN
TRY DISTRICTS AS WELL AS
HIGH SCHOOLS
WOULD BUILD UP THE SYSTEM
Would Remove County Superintend-
ents From Embarrassment of PO-
iticaI Pressure-Biu May
Be Introduced Again.

At the last session of the legislature
a bill was introduced providing for the
! appointment. of semi-graded and rural
school inspectors. to hold the same DO
sition in relation to seim-graded and
| rural schools as the high school and
graded school inspectors at present hold
to the high and graded schools. Gov.
Van SAINT was heartily in favor of that
bill, and it was approved by State Su-
perintendent Olsen and other educators
But it failed Since that tine the idea
has been agitated considerably in the ed
ucational circles of the state. and the
more it has been discussed. the more It
has grown in favor. If general Iegisla-
ton should be introduced at the present
session it is likely that the bill in cues
ton, with slight amendments, will be
put in.
At the present time there is practical
~ no authority over the rural schools.
The high school board maintains super
vision over the high and graded schools,
and there are inspectors for these
schools who perform a valuable Service
by visiting every school in the state and
keeping a record of the work done, etc,
The The rural schools are, practically by
themselves, however, without the assist
ance OF any such board.
Speaking on this subject. one of the
leading county superintendents of the
state says:
The undeniabIe fact to which our al
tention should be directed is this. that
the rural schools are by no means as
good as they ought to be; that they do
not compare with the city schools and
that they are not keeping pace with the
educational progress of the times
sincerely believe that the cause Of
TINS condition may be traced to the fact
that the city schools have outstripped
the rural schools in educational progress
and to the fact that our state legislature
has almost ignored the rural schools Of
state w hnr
ally with the high schools, normal school
and the university
l would advocate the appointment or
election of two inspectors of rural
schools, whose duty it would be to go
into any part of the state at any time
and inspect the schools that come under
their charge.
These inspectors should be given the
power to refuse state and to any district
inspected by themselves or to any dis
trlct where conditions not warrantng
the giving OF the aid are known to ex-
ISL, Notwithstanding the Endorsement Of
the county superintendent. The moral
influence of such officers with such pow
er Will do more to stimulate county su-
perintendents and school officers than
can be hoped for by the most sanguine
oucn an oIncer can and would be a
power III the hands of all county super
lntendents. A very large per cent Of the
Schools now receiving state aid are not
equipped as they should be- neither is
the teaching in many Of them up to an
cADSlLeliL Stdnudfd In many cases the
county superintendent is unable to brine.
his schools up to the standard in equip-
ment and teaching that he would have
them from the mere fact that his office
is in politics and he cannot afford to
ahenate q whole strict to secure a bet
ter condition of things demanding the
expenditure of a few dollars It Is I'M
fair to blame the county superintendent
for failure to stand up against THE po-
litIcal pressure. They are simply human.
There is considerable doubt Of the
ability of one or two inspectors to COW
er the entire field. but is is argued that
it would be a starter. and if the. re-
suits justified it the force could be in
creased