The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1906-02-09
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
Shall the Board Of Examiners and Inspec-
tors be Retained?

] HA'AhNif NiNf W AAhA AAN tiiNoN AfNhtiA-
ners and Inspectors do 10 benefit the
public schools?"
II they can by their efforts render
more efficient our present system Of
public education and are likely to im-
prove our public schools then by all
means let them be retained at least
long enough to give them a fair trial.
But if they seem a useless expense
or appear likely 10 complicate rather
than lubricate the machinery Of
school supervision then let the Senate
refuse to ratify their appointments,
and LET the Office be abolished.
After giving the matter some care
full investigation and thought, ] have
reached the decided opinion that the
Board Of Education acted wisely i'm
erecting this new Office, and that
Examiners and Inspectors should be
retained as a most important and
helpful part Of our educational sys-
TEN, and for the following reasons:
1st. These Inspectors can render
important service by discovering and
reporting to the Board of Education
any incompetent or unfaithful super
intendents. That a few such incom-
petents should creep in under even
the most careful system Of appoint
ments was 10 be expected. But il
will never do to permit such incom-
petents to clog the progress Of the
schools Of their counties for four years.
1t is by means Of these Inspectors that
such incompetents are TO be weeded
out from the larger number Of faithful
and more or less efficient superinten-
dents
2nd. These Inspectors can be ofeven
greater service in arousing careless or
lazy superintendent TO a more etli-
cient discharge of their duties.
Even the best Of Us do our work
better when we know that our work !
Is to be inspected" and all men, es-
pecially men so underpaid for their
services as are our school superin- |
tendents, are helped by the thought
that they are to give an account Of
their work. Under the old system of
mere formal tho formidable annual |
report to the State Superintendent,
this spur to increased effort was large /
ly lacking.
3rd. Greater service still can be rem
dered to the cause Of education by
these Inspectors in the assistance and
inspiration they can give to that large
number Of Jealous and IA thful super
intendents who are striving to do their
duty in the face of many difficulties
and disc0uragemenis.
BY seconding and experimenting
the efforts ofsuch superintendent TO
arouse the people TO the vital impor-
lance Of the public schools, by aiding
in the organization Of Citizens School
Improvement Leagues, and by assist
ing in procuring more money for
building and equipping school-houses,
these Inspectors may render meal
culable aid TO the progress Of the pub
lie schools.
And it seems to me that every ear
nest and faithful superintendent
should gladly welcome such intelli-
gent assistance as well "a, court thor
ough investigation by these Inspect
ors."
4th. But more than all, perhaps
these Inspectors are needed as a Board
Of examiners to elevate the standard
Of our public school teachers and TO
make the grading Of their certificates
more nearly uniform throughout the
State.
Under the old plan a superinten-
dent in one county may give a first
grade certificate to a teacher whose
papers would scarcely entitle her TO
second grade i'm the adjoining county.
Both superintendent may be equally
in grading, but each has
his own standard Of excellence and
system Of marking. And the actual
result now throughout this State is
that a superintendent who is DESTROYS
Of seeing only first grade teachers em-
ployed in the schools Of his county
can not endorse a first grade certificate
issued by another superintendent with
any assurance that he is not lowering
the standard among his teachers and
yet to refuse TO endorse such a certif-
cate would appear an act Of discount
esy to brother superintendent and
might be an act Of injustice 20 the
teacher holding the certificate.
There can be no doubt that such a
Board of Examiners as we now have
will remedy these and other evils in
herent in the old system Of certificates
issued by hundred different county
uperintendents.
These duties Of inspectors and ex-
aminers combined will require the
whole time and best efforts Of the five
gentlemen already appointed, and if
they perform these duties well, as we
have no reason TO doubt, the money
spent will be returned a hundred fold
to the State in the increased efficiency
of the superintendent, the increased
interest Of the people in the public
schools, the increased local taxes for :
the support Of the public schools, and J
The raising and unifying Of the stand 9
ard Of the public school teachers.
J. II. DAVIS, Supt
An Old Firm Remembering and 4,
Clark.