The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1904-02-25


am informed that the
adoption Of County Supervision Of
Schools will be voted on n she ap-
preaching Annual School Meetings
Ia your county. II 90, permit me
to call attention 70 the paramount
question Tor your county.
Without exception, counties hay-
ing superyisions. employ better teach
ers, have better equipments, better
interest among the children. more
prompt and regular attendance.
FortY-five cities employ iifty-four
educational experts who give then
snsire time TO supervision Of iheii
schools. Twelve counties employ
superintendenss. Nearly 100 towns
have principals giving, on m aver
age, one-fourth Of their time TO 81
pervision. This means that half Of
the schools Of The state have good
school organization. The mral
schools Of your county need such at
tention as only an efficient superin-
sendent can give by devoiing ell bis
time TO them. No one claims thar
all ineficiency may de eliminated.
all differences overcome OK All waste
stopped by such an officer; but il IS
certain that a fairly good supsrin-
tendent can ,mproye conditions
very much.
For the purpose of determining as
far as possible the eff, cts of super
vision on the strictly rural schools IL
twelve counties that have adopted il
the following comparisons have been
carefully made with twelve counties
not having supervision. Those Sc
iecsed are equal IN wealth and pop
ulntion Of those having supervision
when all town schools are eliminated
as they have been. The only other
element that affects these having su-
pervisiou is their proximity 10 towns
and cities having excellent school
systems. THIS is an additional ar
gumcnt in favor Of supervision.
The rural districts Of the twelve
counties having supervision enroll
ISL per cent Of the children eapmer-
sied therein and each child enrolled
attends an average Of 90 days; in
the twelve not having supervision,
the eBrOIlmens is only "a per cent
and each child average only 81 days
in attendance. There are 1907 M.
raj districts in the counties having
supervision and io4s OF them havs
libraries averaging in value Ss7.io.
There are 1888 such districts in the
other couniies and only 7y7 OF them
have libraries averaging in vaius
Sst.IS. The average annual salA-
~ OF rural teachers IN the one 4
sa9S.so (S4z.so per monthl and IN
the other only says IS (s7 80 pei
month";, These figures speak lOl
themselves.
Good results arc not accomplished
eniirely by inspection OF schools, a
valuable a. this may be. A les
minutes glance al a school may dc
,ermme the strong or weak points o
a teacher. The superintendent nce'
not stop in the school room TO dis
cuss melhods and management wit
the teacher. Ile holds JOINT meet
ings OF teachers 10 the townships o
Saturdays loF this purpose. Il
plans with teachers and directors :
. round the hresides and gathers iher
in groups .. convanient times an
places for consideration OF isapos
/, liant points. lie will constant
stimulate by bearing good uding
from township 10 township, lroa
district TO district. BY proper ~
dueemeRss, he can encourage d
best Young men and women TO e.
gage in teaching and to cOnhnue !
It. On the other hand, he can 6
inmate The ineilieient.
Yours Respectfully,
w. +. CARRNeroS,
State Supt Public Schools.