The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-22

seekins the position of superintendent
shoh,d not re passed upon by popular
vote. Beside his, If popular cleo
ton is To decide. then the candidates
must he limited to the county, whereas
1t often happens that there is no one
in the county qalifed to MI the Office
properly. No Republican, for example,
no matter how well qualified, would
offer for the place in Democratic
county Thus We see that ther. IL
politics in the management OF the
schools: and there ought to be no p>li-
ties In 1t. The Office Is considered as
d Eerquisite of the political party hnv-
ing the majority In the county.
Alr. Joyner sad that great i'm
provement had been brought aDou. IN
| North Carolina ty having an annual
meeting of county superintendent and
making attendance mandatory. The
people read the reports and saw where
there was progress in education. ard
that That progress was In those :o,in-
ties that had progressive, qualified
sLperintcndents. This made them
want superintendents OF the sants sort
Moreover. he old fossils had to sit in
taesc meetings like bumps on the log
While the men who knew We're discuss
ing means and methods, and they be-
gan to drop out. Many of the OLD fos
sis were drcEped out by popular ac-
ton. Their incompetence was demon
struted by the reports made at these
annual meetings. Another way was
to brins; into nigh light and emphasize
tie Importance of having qualified
supcrintendcnce. The necessary thing
Is TO give good salary, so as to it.
trace the right sort of men.
DR.. Powers said that 1T was the en-
perence IN Mississippi that the people
selected better men for superintendents
than the boards had done. Public sem
timent has improved In that State, ana
there Is demand for better superln-
tendents. This body does not WANT to
say and 1t should not say, that the
people are not competent to select
proper superintendent. He said the
conference should make the sug sestion
that each State ene2, that two years
residence is not necessary for a man
to run for office. One year is long
enough. person who has been
brought into county with the view
Of making him superintendent will
require years residence to familiar
lie himself with tho schools. The can
didates should not be limited to the
State. II We are to have new ideas we
must reach out and get them wherever
they are to be found
Mr. Otis -Aslmore. superintendent of
Public Schools of Savannah, Ga. said
that one of the best ways he had found
of improving the standard OF education
as we'll as Of superintendent, was to
visit the rural schools. get the parcuts
to attend. and to give them a good
tail. on the value of education. An
aroused interest in tho school is the
hest influence for attainment of pes-
ter educational methods.
mir. Aswell said that in a parish of
Louisiana there might be 200 white
and 5000 colored children of school
age hut the attendance was NOT in
sllGli proportions, He advised that the
school fund should be apportinned in
sucn county not upon the basis OF the
n''mhor OF children of the school age,
but on that of attendance. In this way
those seeking an education would he
better provided for.
This remark showed the discussion
drifting away from the question Of
sunerlntendence. but AIR. Aswetl
brought It hack with an illustrations
Tic said that the State school boards,
hndinst the superintendent In certain
parish Incompetent, removed him..
There was insthe parish an immediate
"uthlrst Of popular indignation, Meet
lnss We're held, and The board Was im-
rcrtuned to resclnd It's action. In tha
meantime, the new superintendent took
charge and in a years time so thor
oush'y improved the schools that the
same people who had protested against
MS appointment are his most enthu-
sastc supporters, A good superin-
tendenb said Mr. Aswel, IL mission
ary, II we wont TO make speedy pro-