The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-17
School Superintendents
 and Their Selection.
Editor The Advertiser:

Editor The Advertiser:
 You remember Heine's appeal for chari- ty towards each others infirmities, and his comparison of this sick world to a hospital where the consumptive jeers the paralytic, the fever patient laughs at the chronic rheumatic, and each deform- ed creature ridicules the crookedness of others like afflicted-and-now and then, the lunatic or madman tears off every curtain and cover. and reveals with crazy screams the whole pitiful array, of ills and sufferings? I do not recall the language. nor the page; but, the impress sion was the same as that always made when the Gospel laws of love and justice are read. When l told you of one fragrant symptom of disease at the root of our school system. did violence to my own instincts. When I repress many incidents and circumstances known to me which i'm peach as recreant our lack of law to re- quire fitness or superintehdents, it is be- cause State pride cries out, and woman's heart and conscience counsel forbearance. have told you there is disease, nay, rot tenness in our system. Now beg you to show where the remedy lies. A bloodless scurgery, wise and unfiinching. is the law to be invoked. Its presence and It's ef- hciency are in the regulations of other States which I herewith submit. The number of page is set down in order that verification may be easy to any one who will examine The Digest of public school laws.
 In asking for legislation In Alabama, I do not recount her shameful record, which affronts her teachers and imperils her children; but must respectfully in vite the attention of all who love our commonwealth, to these extracts from the county superintendency laws of her sister States.
 Every law framed by the Educational Department of Alabama on this subject and presented to our successive legis- latures. as well as those petitioned for by the women of Alabama have been turned down-to the discredit of the majority, and the injury of the State. We hope the Educational Committee of the Ala bama Assembly of 1903 and also every legislator will be right-though all of them may not be presidents"-and pos terity will say of each: He hath done what he could to wipe out former in- difference to the women of the State, and cruelty to the children. A happy Christmas will follow next year. if. in January when our Assembly meets, they make this new year happy. not with empty salutation to each other but with that genuine good will to man which Is at the heart of all wise laws. Good will to man finds it's tenderest expression in justice to children. He whose day we celebrate set a little child in the midst of the worlds laws and the worlds love
 The digest quoted is a part of the report of Commissioner of Education for 1898.
 In Maine the duties of Township Su- perintendents are clearly set forth in the laws of what he shall do," that none but educated men could discharge those duties. and the reports required of them could be made only by men familiar with the art of teaching. brought down to the present date. D. 1065.
 selected by the District School Board. p. 1070.
 In Vermont the Board of School Di- rectors appoints Superintendents. D. 1074
 In Massachusetts Superintendents are elected by a committee composed of the chairman and secretaries of the different school committees of each district. p. 107s
 Rhode Island has for each district one or more school trustees, elected by the people, and his duties as defined by law make 1t impossible for ignorant men to fill the positions. p. 109o.
 In Connecticut each district may have, under certain conditions, committee of three on School Superintendency or a Board of Education of three or nine who shall have the general superintendence of schools, and while these members are