The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-01-22
PROBLEM OF COUNTY
j. SUPERVISION.

i. SUPERVISION.
BY 4. q. EGBERs, County Superintendent
NOTE:-Tho following is the paper which
Mr. Egbers had prepared for the annual
meeting OF the Stats Teachers Association,
at Boise last December. but which. owing to
HIS inability to attend. was not presented
1t Is publislsed here. ny permission and con-
tains much valuable Information and sugges-
tions, of In tcrcst to all educators.
The problem of County Supervision
is one OF those problems for which
there is no absolute solution. In
some particulars each county 10 Idaho
would require different solution for
this complex problem. However,
there are many conditions common to
all counties alike, and our aim should
he 50 far as possible to improve, unity
and harmOnize our system of cOanty
supervision. 1t should be our aim
to bring about such changes ONLY,
as are likely to be conducive to more
effectual and thorough supervision.
In my brief preparation Of this
subject, have found it difficult to
properly develop the various topics
which to me seem worthy Of our con-
sideration. The Problem of County
Supervision is a very broad subject,
and your valuable time will permit
only brief consideration Of some OF
its phases.
| trust fully appreciate the fact
that it is often an easy matter to
criticise, or take exceptions to plans,
methods, systems, or laws originated
by Others; and that may not commit
the offense of indulging in adverse
criticism without at leas: proposing
some plan for improvement.
l wish te suggest what to me would
seem an improvement over the pres
ent plan Of supplying textbooks.
do not wish to be understood as
being opposed to uniformity IN the
use OF text Looks, or to the present
system OF adopting them; simply as
opposed but to the system of supply
ing them to the users. The present
plan necessitates a large amount oil
clerical work on the part of county
superintendent. which bears nc
relation whatever to the work Of sup.
ervision, and therefore serves only as
a direct hindrance to thorough super.
vision.
Another serious objection to the
present plan is, that it Is question
Of considerable time in ordering and
transporting books from point SC
far distant as Chicago, each time &
Dist. happens to be in need of few
books, aud Districts have to wait two
weeks or more even when books ar,
ordered sent by mail.
Still another serious objection il
the added cost Of shipping the book
in small quantities. AS each orde
from each separate school Dstrc
must he divided between from two t.
seven or eight book companies, th
packages arc necessarily small, an,
are therefore almost invariabl
; shipped by mail. This adds over 8
per cent to the cost Of the book
!, simply for transportation. For ex
ample, the postage on arithmetic
amounts to 33 l3 per cent of thei
. cost; on readers % per cent; on geoq
. raphies 33 I3 per cent; on spelleI
SO l-3 per cent; on phvsiologies 33 L.
per cent; and on civil governmen,
33 l-3 per cent.
- A plan which to me seems worth
:. of commendation, and which l ha,
known to he used in other states,
for the Textbook Commission I
enter into a contract with book con
. panies for lowest wholesale prices {
which the books are to be furnishe
, to dealers. Then FIX retail prices 1
:. which hooks would be supplied |
local dealers TO the users. In tn
way the the. objections mentione
ia connection with the present syste
would be overcome. That is. Count
!, superintendenes would be relieved
the burden Of ordering books, ar
keeping textbook account wit
each school district in his count
:. Second, books could be supplied d
- - rectly and promptly by local deale
!. to the users. Third, the cost Of u
:. books would be reduced, besid
= bringing patronage and small prof
IS without danger of loss, to local dcs
hers.
In 100 ID. lots. per cent OF I
cost of the books would pay I