Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-05-14

| Nor must IL be forgotten that there
is a vast diversity in the counties oi
our state. For that reason no fixed
rule of procedure can lie laid down
In some Counties, for instance what
we might term radical spirit pre-
| walls. Like the Athenians of old
the people are ever seeking some new
thing" To the County Superintend-
ent of such County who has an ad.
venturous spirit the Lines are fallen
in pleasant places" The opportunity
is given him of digging in new fields
and treading out untried paths. If in
addition, this Superintendent has the
confidence of the people he may even
put through some measures they do
not want. We suppose of course that
he would not advocate such feature
were it not for the public good Still
such tactics may not be employed too
often.
| There is still another class of Coun-
ties which is decidedly behind the
times. This goes to the other ex-
treme in being strictly conservative.
Any measure that has not been proved
in the County already. fails of sup
port. The people reason in this fash
ion: a certain plan has never been
| successful in the county before. there
| fore it will not be now That the at
tempt has never been made counts for
| nothing. AS this kind of logic bars all
| new schemes. however profitable. and
since any plan hitherto untried can
not escape being failure, the rate
| of educational progress is very slow
The County Superintendent of this
County who has true sense of pro-
portion. and realize sthat opportuni-
| ties are meant to be grasped will rise
| to the occasion, and educate the peo-
pie into accepting what is really to
their own advantage. The amount of
labor which this entails is enormous,
but all the Superintendents of the
state have doubtless realized before
this, that the wisest thing TO do is to
take the world as we find it. and make
the most of circumstances. One fact
is evident, that the County is such
present stage of development will
tale kindly to reforms that are no
longer experiments but have been
successfully tried elsewhere.
Between these two extremes there
is another County which hits the hap
py medium. In this. the people are
neither too radical nor too far behind
The times. 1t is in many ways the
easiest County in which to work since,
for the reforms you wish to carry out
there will be reasonable amount OF
support.
In all nf thnca claccno lc
on the County Superintendent He
must be man of peace, but peace
with backbone Notwithstanding 1t
is easier to lead the people than to
drive them. Lasting improvement or
reform has never been accomplished
by drastic measures. Before you can
get good schools you must induce the
people to want good schools; more
than that you must know yourself. in
order to teach them, what good
schools are; arouse local pride; make
the people feel that it rests with them
to make their County schools equai
to any in the state; convince them
that the schools must keep up with
the times; show them that enterpris-
ing citizens Will not live where there
are inferior schools, Call their at.
tention to the fact that in addition to
good teachers, schools must be well
equipped to bring forth good work
ask them, ARE your children any less
worthy than the children of Denver
or Pueblo" If we can not give them
as fine buildings or possibly quite as
good teachers as these city systems,
lot mi,
no more than our duty. In school ap-
pliances the new things that are so
helpful in the school room, cost no
more and often less than the old,
Perhaps the worst enemy the County
Superintendent has TO fight is ignor-
ance. Face him boldly. however, and
the dread of his appearance vanishes.
When we attempt to discuss the
question in regard to the cooperation
of the School Director with the of,
ficials of the City schools, there are
number Of points to be considered.
The town or city superintendent has
! usually no difficulty In securing the
| cooperation of the town board In
| our County schools the case is diff
ferent. Some of the rural school di-
rectors will cooperate heartily with
| the County Superintendent but as
| rule the general attitude Is indiffer
| ence. Perhaps you may be acquainted
with some directors who attend to
| their business as the spirit moves
weather permitting-and ex-
pect the County Superintendent to do
| the same They do not seem to think
it matters what the latter may do pro.
vided he visits the schools once dur,
ing the term, In short the. interest
of most directors begins and ends in
their own district.
AS already stated ignorance enters
into this lack VI true insight into
| school affairs. Nor do / use the term
ignorance in the sense of reproach.
At the present stage of human devel,
opment we may not hope te be spe.
ciflcally informed ON every subject. or
excel equally In our knowledge of all
the trades and professions. Such was
evidently not the universal plan.
To succeed in our chosen calling we
must be specially trained. Thu. tend.
| eucy of the times forres Tho tndIvidual