Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-07-16
ADMINISTRA

ting members.
ADMINISTRATION.
The meeting for the consideration
# the subject OF administration was
presided over by G. H. Dempsey of st.
iohnsbury, the first paper on the pro-
;ram being by Supt Frank T.. Parlin
VI quincy. Mass. who presented the
subject "The Maintenance of an Eff
rient Teaching Force"
Mr.. Parlin maintained that the most
essential factor of a good school is
not fine building or an elaborate
course of study. but an efficient teach
er. There must be a mind to teach
q heart to sympathze n will to con-
troll and a friend to lead the children
into the fields of knowledge and the
paths q. Righteousness. The speaker
held that there are not enough good
teachers. to say nothing of frst-c
teachers. to NEE the demand and that
even if there were many cities and
Gowns cannot. or viii! not. pay salaries
sufficiently large to command tho
Sc i es of good teachers. And last.
!y, there is large percentage of
incompetency among superintendent
as among teachers. because there is no
magic power connected with the Of
fee which transmutes ignorance into
knowledge or failure into success.
The interest the community takes
in its schools. the attitude of the peo-
pie toward the teachers and the edu-
cational reputation Of the city have a
perceptihle influence upon the eff
ciency of the teaching force. If the
educational reputation Of a city Is
poor. good teachers do not seek en-
oloyment there. Again the efficiency
of the teaching force is much inhu-
fnced by the character OF the schopl
board. If the board consists or a
email. number Of intelligent. public
spirited persons who have the respect
md confidence Of the community. the
welfare of the children will he the
srlma consideration and an efficient
Coaching force will not only be per
United but demanded. Much also de-
o"nds upon the superintendent He
mould be the agent. executive officer
md professional advisor of the board
and must know good teacher when
ao secs her at work. The next i'm
9ortant function is tho organization
~ the teachers and assistants into n
harmonious and efficient working
body with unity Of purpose and with
put waste of energy. When the
schools and teachers are property or
EaniZed and supervised. all forces are
pulling In the same direction. Fin
s'Y' "hlle the maintenance of an eff
RENT teaching force depends upon
many conditions il depends more nm
nn the force. skill, good sense abso-
lute FAIRNESS and genuine kindness OF
the leader than upon anything else.
IDEAL AND PRACTICAL ADMINS.
TRATION.
The next paper on the program was
that presented by Supt. Stanley H.
Holmes of New Britain. Conn on
The Ideal and the Practical in School
Administration" Mr.. Holmes said that
ideas and ideals In education are com
stantly changing and that II Ia SIR.
prising that the approach toward bet-
ter things has been so very slow in
educational practice. which still falls
So short of that which Is best and
even generally accepted In educational
theory.
In the matter Of school boards. the idea
that Is now In the public mind :. tb,,
of small non-partisan board elected
at large, and unless all signs fail tha
lime is not far distant when II will he
quite generally and practically realized
Improvement in the matter Of choosing
the superintendent is to pe looked for
only as school boards exercise creator
care and discrimination In selection be-
cause or the Increasing recognition on
the part of the public and the boards
of education that the administrative Of
hcer should be an expert In his special
line who has studied carefully the
problems of education and who by
temperament Is especially ntted to direct
successfully the interests committed 10
his care 1t is possible that the teaching
force in II town may be itself 'keenly alive
to its duty TO the children and the public,
hut may be dominated by super
.ntendent Of low ideals or by boa I'd
Uf education which has little real interest
m the welfare of the schools
In the matter of bringing before the
public a plain statement of conditions
and needs in the schools, the speaker said
1t was necessary for the teaching force
to do more than content themelves with
the performance of those duties which
concern only the school room A
sentiment of responsibility and an active
interest in the management of the schools
should be cultivated in the public mind
Much is being done In this direction by
means Of school exhibits. teachers and
parents meetings. by the formation OF
educational associations, etc. In closing
the speaker said that there is no side
OF the educational question that Is
weaker at the present time than this