The morning journal-courier., 1908-06-12
Friday, June 12, 1908.
THE SCHOOL BOARD.


 Tn discussing through the columns of the Teachers Journal the organlza- tion of the board of education, Mir. Hackett of the Hillhouse High school. says some things of importance and some things of no importance at all, which is perhaps the inevitable con- sequence of tackling the subject at all. It is very important subject and 1t Is of the greatest moment in dIscussn,s 1t that there should be eliminated any particular view, which springs from one's disappointment in the conduct of any one particular board. Fortun- ately the school organization of New Haven is old enough and has passed through sufficient number of practi- cal experiences to make final judg- ment more or less conclusive.
 Manifestly no one can dissent from Mir. Hackett's contention that only those should be appointed to the school board who are in the freer~ sympathy with the objects and aims of the school system. While that Is an automatic contention 1t Is sugges- tive in its relation to the next con tention made by MT. Hackett, that so far as possible the school commits sioners should be parents, who have either come into daily contact with ~the results and problems of the sys- teh1, or who are at the present time having that experience. There Is nothing academic about the views of parent on school matters. What he knows he knows from the closest and and this is so true in its bearing upon the proposal to select commissioners so far as possible, from among par ents, that one turns naturally to the consideration of mother upon the board as well as collection of fath- CTS Childless women are not the best judges of how to rear children. nor are childless men the best judges of the needs of child's education. To this extent MT. Hackett's views are worth commenting.
 We are not sure of the practical advantage of having each grammar school district represented upon the board with two commissioners at large to represent the advanced schools. 1t is rather plausible than convincing. It would seem as if the present organ ization was sufficient, provided the greatest care is exercised by the ap- pointing power to select men who have thorough appreciation of school needs, both with regard to the the problem. The responsibility comes down finally to men, and there is no reason that we can see why a particular district, provided for in the law, could be depended upon to fur nish more capable man than is now furnished by the city at large. AS for the popular election of school commissioners The Journal-Courier has already expressed It's disapproba- ton of that plan based on long ob- servation and practical experience. In the old days when school commission CTS were elected, the management of the schools was saturated with politi- cal intrigue. A return to that con- dition, which would inevitably follow the revival of popular elections, would be to turn ones back upon expert ence. The suggestion should not be tolerated. even though the present board should undertake to ride rough shod over the plain wishes of the people of the city.
 
 CTS should be employed during efflc- lent service, instead of as now from year to year, is a good one. The teachers ought not to be asked to suf- fer the insecurity of service whicf follows naturally from annual ap. pointments They would all do theii best work If they knew that faithfu and efficient service meant continu. ance in their employment. In tho meantime the general discussion which has been going on over schoo matters for the past year, will in the long run be found to have been 6 good thing for the schools and those on charge of them.