The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-29

aiWHYb b6eMeu auuHiaiouS t0 tho tAet the people of an entire county should permit thousands of dollafs to be spent in this business of education. the most important and far-reaching business in the world, in 50 far as 1t affects the present and future generations, with out demanding that the director of 1t all should be a man of training, expe- rience and skill in that particular. busi- ness, and should give his entire time and energy to it. We can never raise this most cultured and delicate of arts, the art of inspiring human souls, train ing human minds and shaping human character to it's proper plane of dignity. and importance in the minds of the people until we demand that the head of the work in each county shall be professionally trained man, competent in experience, scholarship and skill to direct the work.
 There is no reason. and can be no reason why these rural schools as far as supervision is concerned, should not be brought as nearly as possible to the same basis as the city school If intel ligent supervision Is commanded and required for town and city schools, much more should the country child have It.
 The country child Is entitled to teaching just as inspiring. environment just as healthfuf and comfortable. su- pervision just as efficient as the city child. so says Superintendent Olsen of Minnesota At the present he is not getting these.
 The citv schools of Alabama are noted for the scholarship. professional attainment and high character of their superintendents, who are elected strict ly upon their merits regardless of poli- tics or the accident of residence. We have professional city superintendents, who, college bred as a rule. have serv- ed their apprenticeship as teachers in the graded school. have been promoted to the superintendency of small cities and gradually advanced to the most desirable positions of the State. Young men with thorough qualifications and natural fitness may enter the field with reasonable expectation of promo ton, the prospects of advancement re- taining them and melting them to their very best efforts.
 shamefuily Unpaid.
 Meanwhile our country schools in which 81 percent of the children re- ceive their education have been left to shamefully unpaid supervision that has too often lacked scholarship, culture, experience and intelligent interest. It is surprising. however. that the county superintendency fails to attract and retain our best educators. If the city superintendents were elected only from residence. campaigning during the tur- moil of party contests and if the salary in prospect was so inadequate as to be beggarly it would be impossible to have such superintendents as have made our city schools as good as any in the Union. The plan of securing and licensing city superintendents is success. No one thinks of changing it. Wh1y ff fn "a meade nF country schools? Conditions in the country schools need better supervis- ing talent.
 Campaigns in rural communities for the education of public sentiment in school questions is doomed to only par tial success without the active leader ship of county superintendent or scholarly intellect, tact, energy. conse- crated purpose and proper ability, who can command the confidence and enlist the active cooperation of teachers, of- ficers, patrons and pupils. Upon the county superintendents must depend all those forces of the country, public and private, moral and religious that may be utilized for the advancement of educational questions of the county and for the needs of all classes Of wealth, religion and politics.
 ''The country school has the right lO IuG very DSSI SupeFInIGnQenI, one who can keep pace with the most ad- vanced educational thought who be- comes fully acquainted with the needs of his county and intelligently meets them One who from the public plat form can arouse patrons. pupils. off, cers and teachers to sense of the re- sponsibility involved in the work of educating for twentieth century life, who has the ability to organize by us- ing the means at hand. who does not stop when he reaches the circumscrib- ed perimeter of statutory duty, but seeks contact with humanity for its betterment In all possible points Who has a mission, an ideal, sees clearly. thinks to a finish, knows he is right and goes ahead.
 We cannot command in Alabama such service in the county superinten- dents without paying at least living salaries and otherwise making 1t moro attractive so as to secure our best men and placing them In special tram ing for 1t. The friends of education in Alabama should rally and I believe will rally to the support of the super vision bill now on the calendar Of both the House and the Senate.
 Compulsory Education.
 Another important measure which has passed the Senate and is on the House calendar Is a compulsory edu- cational bill. This bill is liberal, re- quiring that the child must be sent to school only two months out of the year. It Is but step, a short step, in the right direction I fail to see how anyone objects to a law for com pulsory education. Someone has said, Illiteracy has no rights; 1t Is contrary to our national ideal. Every illiterate citizen makes popular gov ernment less certain.L The theory that no child must be permitted to grow up In ignorance is eminently q correct one, for ignorance is the ally of crime and poverty.
 It Is the purpose of the school to attract away from crime and thrift lessness towards morality and thrift. Considering the difficulties against which the school has had to contend, 1t has by no means failed to prevent crime nor to promote industry and thrift. American education has set itself an ideal. higher than any nation has ever set itself, that of saving it. self from pauperism and the maudlin public charity which engenders it. Alabama has reached the point in her public school system in her march to- wards material greatness and govern mental glory that she can afford to require the education of every child
 The teachers of Alabama have year after year endorsed the proposition of taxation for school purposes by school districts. They have believed and be- leve now that the highest evidence of democracy is the GrS' given right for a man 70 tax himself for the education of his own children. Alabama has all