Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-01-09
MONDAY. JANUARY ., 1905
The SUPERINTENDENT or PUB.
Lie INSTRUCTION.

The press IA q Of the great eiH'
cationai agencies Of the present day.
II il not too much 10 expect, then,
that il should lend its support 10 the
fullest measure To those who are IN
a more specific sense engaged IN edu.
catloual work. The New Mexico Edn.
cafional association which recently
met At Silver City discussed the needs
which confront the teachers OF The
territory and published the result OF
their deliberations In resolutions as is
their custom, Since that time, We
have observed with no little surprise
that ia several issues the New Mex
lean has devoted considerable edi.
torial space TO a general criticism Of
the teachers and their beliefs and
wishes.
Finally. in It's iss,ts of Thursday.
January 9Th, II devotes a full column
TO m attempt To Show that there II
nothing In tho contention of the Edn.
cational association that a practical
school man should he named ~ ter
risnrial superintendent Of public m
strucfion.
In response to The assertion that.
~ a doctor has always been selected
for president of The territorial ioard
~ health and n lawyer IL invariably
chosen for solicitor general. W &
practical educator should be plae / In
the sapsfin,sssdens'a chair. the Sew
Mexican says. "~Abssractly and sheo.
r~esically there may is something In
tho above contention. In reality IT.
docs not hold water.
That Is theoretically there liz
something in IL Practically theFe IL
nothing in II. The article then
launches out into q discussion of the
ability of the present incasnaeat. Hun.
Amado Chasss. which. 1t cnncsasIes lsy
saying IN proof sufficient that he "
a competent mar for the position.
For Mr.. chavas. personally. The
Optic has nothing but the greatest re-.
gard and for BIS ability, the highest
respect. We kno~ him ID be a &
tiernan 81 culture and education and
10 be thoroughly familiar with ednca.
iIonal affairs III the territory and
deeply Interested Iii their advance
mant, ws know that rhss recent met
ing Of The Educational association in
Silver City. Ia ail the deiEberai ons Of
which Mr.. chayus participated was
the only one since The association or.
ganizatinn which enjoyed The attend
ance If the superintendent through.
out, And we kn0w, also, that 81.
shayes stated to the educators as.
sembled there that he was not a
candidate for rea%ppointment - sbe
office ~ superintendent Of public in
slruction. In what We have 90 say
therefore We do NOT wish 10 I've un-
dersiood a. discussing the merits Of
any one man for the place. but exc.
Isl as discussing the abstract proposi.
iion, that A practical school man
should bH appointed 10 The office OF
superintendent Of public instruction,
and as answering the New Mex.
cans a~rraignment Of the educational
leaders of the territory.
Various statements 81 the New Msy,
lean will be taken up In order.
The fact that a man Is a teach
er and an educator does not PIE
suppose nor establish that nc has
sufficient exsrutise ability. diStre-
ton and tact TO I'LL the difficult
position In this territory
Very true But neither does /. ire.
suppose that he does not have the
necessary tact and ability which ID
thu conclusion which the New sStx.
lean appears 10 reach In the course
OF the article. Moreover = man who
has successfully filled a position az
superintendent Of schools has demon.
strated the possession Of a consider
abia degree of executive abllity sni 81
more tact than i required to rule q
city.
ut is noticeable that tn eaea 4
the hIeber educational institutions
the president % the faculty. who Il
4 professional teacher or educator
Is not aliowxsi the aetuai manage
meut exeep, Of The educational PAL