The morning journal-courier., 1908-05-21
Thursday, May II, zoos.
LOCAL TEACHING TALENT.

A point at issue which Is almost as
old as the public schools themselves,
has again ventured forth from It's hid
ing place. Why Is the apparent pref
erence of the school authorities, when
supervising principals are to be ap-
pointed, for outside educators at the
sacrifice of local educators, the pro-
ducts Of our own school and univer-
sity? The fact that hare are only two
New Haven men In charge of grammar
schools, one on active duty and the
other about to retire, justifes the In
qulry. even though It may not warrant
the conclusion that favoritlsm is shown
In the making of appointments. New
Haven the largest city In the state and
the seat OF the largest university IN
Connecticut and one Of the great edu-
cational seats In the world ought to be
the source from which other school dis
tricts draw their supply of teaching
talent. Manifestly that is not the case.
In an interview with local newspa-
per Superintendent Beede says: 1.-THE
first consideration in making an ap-
pointment is to get the best man, and
this has precedence over the fact that
n man may be local or not" The lam
guage Is somewhat obscure but VIC
think we understand 1t and we GER
tainly approve OF the principle set
forth. The city OF New Haven Is en-
titled to and can afford the best teach
Ing talent at its disposal, even though
the disposition of its school commits
sioners In the past has been to pro-
vide Inadequate compensation. II Is
not forgotten how last summer they
met the demands Of the teachers with
inexcueable stubbornness, only later tc
act with unsupported enthusiasm. II
would be absurd for New Haven e
limit its choice to teachers and super
vislng principals who happened t.
have a New Haven birth certificate Of
a diploma from Yale. On the othei
hand II Is not absurd to insist upor
the principle that all things belnt
equal. a New Haven man or woman
should take precedence over outsiders
1t is a theory of Yale's and a wise the
ory that II does the instructing force
good to mix in with graduates of thu
home university men who have grad
uated from other universities, but thi
does not interfere with the practica
policy of considering graduates In
friendly manner. It would be quee
should Yale virtually confess that Will
her scholars are fitted to teach else
where, they are not fitted to teacl
here. This would mix up the educa
tional babies of the land In confuse'
manner and do much to justify sus
picion as to the educational power o
the venerable institution.
When asked why so few New Have
men received appointments to loca
schools in positions Of authority, MI
Beede Is quoted as replying: "Ther
always have been but few candidate
and a great many outsiders, and j
this manner some man has been foun
who had distinguished himself In sue
way as to prove to Us that he ha
had much beneficial experience Il
grammar school work" This Is yer
far from a satisfactory answer whe
all things are considered. 1t constitute
almost q reflection upon the entire edu
cational system as we have 1t here a
New Haven. Our schools are con
fessedly the equal Of public schools /
OlItG CllleSs anu nv ANIN lJuNtl iitt
will tolerate the suggestion that othe
universities and colleges are the equa
of ours. Let it be admitted for tn
sake of argument that the present ei
fciency of the schools is due the eS
cellent work of imported talent, surel
there must be a point somewher
where their combined genius for teach
ing can be relied upon, to provide tn
kind of instruction required to turn on
good local teachers, Even If 1t is ad
mitted that in the past the trouble ha
been with an excessive employment O
local teachers because they are loce
teachers, according to the prevailin
roster the danger Of inadequate II
struction has been entirely overcome i
the employment of men from outsid
But SAYS Mr.. Beede; 1T SO happier
that local candidates are rare and tina
their line of work does not lead UP t