Connecticut western news., 1908-02-27
SHARON MAY HAVE
 SUPERVISING AGENT
TO sUPERlNTEND THE SCHOOL s

Rev. MT. Page, Acting School Visitor,
 Believe Such Course Would Bring
 About Beneficial ResuIt-Addi-
 tional Cost to Towns is Little and
 the Advantages are Many-Letter
 From North Canaan Minister.
 Rev. w. E. Page. secretary ot the Sharon School Board and acting visitor of Sharon school writes THE NEWS as follows
 Editor THE NEWS:
 It has been proposed that that the School Board of Sharon petition the State Board of Education to appoint a / supervising agent, whose business it would be to superintend the schools of town. It has been suggested that, be- fore the matter is decided, 1t would be well to learn what has been accomplish cd in other places, under such an ar engagement.
 Il H0 WIl1CIs WuO, 6WO yCnlc dSO, uAOA not favor such plan but has changed his mind, was visiting in Avon in Oct ober, 1907, and asked 8 prominent citizen of that town what he thought of state superintendency. He said that 1t was proving blessing to the teachers and to the scholars. And a few days ago, the writer received the enclosed communica- ton from the Rev. E. o. Gillette, of Ca naan. with permission to send it to the printer: e..' Dear MT. Page:
 am glad to reply to your request for information concerning the working of the superintendency in our town. Upon the passage of the law of 1903 our school board applied for superintendent under the provisions of that law and I think I can say that after our experience of several years there Is no question about the advantages of the arrangement. The additional cost to the town is very little and the benefits arc very marked.
 Trained supervision has come to be re- garded as of great importance in any we'll ordered system of education and is required in some states, as in Massa- chusetts. If the separate schools in town had no relationship to each other or to common high school and if each teacher were thoroughly trained, there would be less need of trained superin- tendent; but there would still be a valn- able service that could be rendered, namely, progressive leadership. A drained superintendent is familiar with the work being done in other places, is studying the educational advances, and can bring suggestion and inspiration to even the most competent teacher.
 But onr schools are part of a system and there is need that they be brought up to the requirements. Only trained superintendent can thoroughly standard ize the schools, and under the Connec- ticnt law the smallest town can have the benefit of this competent leadership. An objection that is sometimes made, was made here at the beginning, is that the work could be done by some resi- dent of the town. Of course a town is fortunate which has a resident trained for such service. But why not get the State Board to appoint such a one for the position under the law and thus se- cure four times the compensation? But if the State Board would not appoint such person would it not be evidence of lack of sufficient special training for the service? Teaching is profession in itself and demands professional train ing for thorough competency. In towns where some of the teachers have had no such advantages it is of great impor- tance that they should have the help, 7 the leadership, and the supervision of some one with the requisite professional training and experience.
 The more rural schools there are in town the more necessary does such supervision become; and such schools arc the ones which profit most by an ar- rangement under the law of 1903.
 Of course the more time superintend- ent gives to the work the better; but, though the time given to the work here is short, the results certainly compel the approval of all those who are familiar with the school situation in our town During the first year of it's trial here there was noticeable a new interest on the part of the teachers, new esprit de corps Some new policies are being worked out and there has been 8 steady unifying of the schools of the town: I xxyOr11d heartily recommend the scheme and think that by so doing am voicing the general opinion.
 Yours sincerely.
 Edwin Q. Gillette.