Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-03-27
VIA OTHERS SAY ABOUT SUPERVISION.

Mr.. EDITOR; AS our people are earnestly seekine-io inform
themselves upon the merits Of the question Of County School Superyr
sion. / trust you may be able to find space to print this article. In
order to condense l will make these statements, which most OF our
are from Illinois. or have friends there, and therefore know something
of the workings of county supervision in that State. These people all
saw that Illinois has far better schools than Missouri and that supervi-
sion is the proper thing / have personal letters from the State Su-
|perinteudents of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and Colorado, all commanding
county supervision. Every county in these States has a county su-
p~erintendent.
Helen L. Grenfen, State supt. Colo, says: eThe system seems
an excellent one and supervision Indispensable"
Supt. Bayliss, of H.. says. 81 send you a circular issued by
Supt. Raab which will give you some idea of the Importance with
which the Office of county supt. is regarded as well sof its usefulness
and efficiency
Hon. w. T. Darlington of our own State, has frequently said that
the schoole of this State having supervision are so per cent better than
those without it. In his recent report / find this statement: "It is
not necessary to enter into a full discussion of the necessity Of super
vision. There is at present no possibility OF complete unihcaton and
articulation of the school work and there can be no doubt that a com
petent supervisor will be able to save the county many times his sal
airy in being able to recommendt to School Boards means of school i'm
provements. His greatest usefulness, however, would be in organic
ing, so as to reduce the waste in time and energies of the children in
their general school work.
Miss Josephine Baker, a lady of high culture and integrity, who
oncelved in Laddopia and is now county commissioner of Linn county,
in a paper read at the last State Teachers Association, says; 1.-THE
need of organized effort is recognized in every department of life.
Teachers should constitute one organized working body, from State
Supt. down to the hqmblest grade or rural teacher The teachers N
each county need to be organized for work, First. to know the needs
of each district IN the county ana by the cooperation OF patrons 70
meet these needs Second, to secure the best results to the Individual
teacher, intellectually and professionally To secure these results fire.
quent and earnest meetings must be held in districts small enough to
make each teacher feel her personal responsibility for the success or
failure of the meeting. Here. may be solved the perpexing questions
growing out of the introduction OF the uniform course OF study ques.
tions relating to reading circle work, to graduation from the rural
schools, to the purchase Of books under the present library law, to
schVo sMmntpht "u ~ wy pSt mS'"Vu u preparing sAnphst "
work for st. Louis in 1908, all Of these live questionsi the teacher
must meet them. But these local bodies must have arecognized head,
they must be Joined to every other like body and all make one. How
shall this be donei The writer can see no way except by having in
each county a capable and energetic man, who shall give his time to
planning and helping to carry out the work along each of these lines.
A supervisor who directs, inspires, and by his knowledge and enthusf
asm. brings his teachers to a realization Of the possibilities and the
responsibilities of their work. The Boards of Education, in counties
not having supervision, can do much to help their teachers, a degree
of organization may be secured, but the best results cannot be hoped
for here work can be but a partially solved problem until every coun-
y has, not three who give each some Of their time, but one who gives
all his time, all his thought to this work.
have personal letters from nearly all the county superintendent
of the State and all of them are full of enthusiasm aud encouragement,
but as they contain too much to prmt, Will only note some OF the
best things said.
supt. Bradley, Of Greene county, says Teachers and pupil.
make greater effort when they knowthe superintendent will be around.
They want a good report to be made of the school. The result has
been a better preparation on the part Of the teachers and correspond.
ingly better work Our teachers are enthusiastic workers and that
enthusiasm is impaired to the pupils, as is shown by the number en-
ltering high schools and colleges after completing the common school
course We give certificates of graduation to those who complete the
course of study and l know this IS an encouragement. Pupils look
forward to the time when they shall graduate. The county is divided
into hye districts, IN each OF which meetings OF teachers and patrons
are held monthly. Thru thess meetings we come in touch with the
Fl patrons and create a greater interest in school work.
County supt. johnson, of jackson county. says Better pre-
pared teachers with their better methods Of teaching and their keener
81 interest and feeling OF graver responsibility has carried the warfare
for closer organization into the homes of the individuals who are most
vitality interested. Parents are not slow to respond when once shown
ton is necessary and that organization cannot be perfected without
some one to direct; without some one whose duty and pleasure it is to
r attend to this it is snre to be neglected. In counties not under super.
S vision, the Board, until a year ago, was required by law to make a
course Of study Few make any pretensions to being able 1t is not
of a County Board of Education, is greatly crippled from the fact that
no one can go and assist in adjusting it TO the Schools
supt. Andrae, of st. Louis county. says; "A superintendent OF
schools is to the schools just what a superintendent in any business is
to the business
None are doing more for their schools than Supt. Miss Hattie
Sutton, Of Atetson county. Two years ago, with much opposition,
supervision was adopted by a small majority. She is bringing the
schools Of her county up to ahigh standard. She furnishes monthly
review questions in all grades to all the schools and has created great
enthusiasm in her work. Miss Sutton says: "Al that planning and
systematizng will do for any business, superintendency, if properly
conducted, win do for the rural schools, the weakest point in our pub
lie school system
Each of these nine counties has a live, energetic teacher for su.
perintendent, and the frequently expressed fear that we may get an
! incompetent superintendent is wellnigh ~groundess. The County
Court cannot orderh bis salary paid unless satisfied that he has done
his duty. If any man is afraid Of the increase Of tax, let him figure
out the rate from a tax Of 5000 on SO, 100000.
i Respectfully,
Mexico, Mo. II CRoss