Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-02-03
For Better School Supervision.

] - va ttttl ~ fleltC 4
supervision of Schnol~. AID prop
ably the strongest a liress We, made
ON that subject os~ the ,.aper rood
by Poesideu' George H. nmn,.
'i " ashfhg'"n aud Lee University
Below we present some ex, act
from Nj. DcnnN's address.
Il said awhile ago tl,... ,',.. .n.or.
'ntcndent is the dyuan,. II aar
educational mechanism. The vital
point IN any orgeniz,d S stem les
IN the administration. ~. RI. c,e
ME this in every other svennc os
human activity. When we er,c,
great building or con,;rur, q
great railroad. omr first step is to
I.employ an cIpert architect -, an
expert engineer. Our next step
Il To employ an expcrt foreman or
am expert Superiutcujrii 81 con
struc'i"n. l. never n.cnrS n, n.
go ;m9lo5 mere @onj l.l.w
whose Chief qualification - that he
needs a job. We are quick 10
recognize the vital necessity and
the ultimate economy of proceed
my I'm such matters upon scien
utic business basis. When ,ves..k
to prosecute an important suit at
law, or To diagnose aud correct
some serious disease Of the bosi,.
our first step l. TO employ IN tx
pert lawyer or AN expert physician.
III never occurs To IA tn employ
mere tyre whose chief qualification
Is that he desires Ia earn a Zee.
We are quick To recognize the vital
necessity and the ultimate economy
OF proceeding here al,0 4 ON scien-
titic business basis. Then let us
answer candidlN this question:
Can we afford to put SMALLER
value upon expert supervisory
service in our biggest work. thaj
tashloning human character anal
human destiny. than we are willing
To pul nron the supervision of our
buildings and our railroads. Of our
farms and our factories. at our
legal litigation and our medical
problems! II it is wise and eco.
noNical To provide expert super
vision IN constructing q bridge or
a roadway to be trodden by the
feet of men, why is il not also wise
and economical TO provide expert
supervision in constructing the
intellectual and moral fabric Of our
future citizenship and civilization!
First, | submit that there should
be definite educational and pro
fessional requirement. Without
this there can be no expert super
vision. | submit that, Just rs we
are accustomed To limit our choice,
in selecting a Judge. TO members of
the bar, So We must also agree To
limit our choice, in selecting a
school superintendent, To members
of the teaching profession. School
if it is To mean any
thing at all. must mean that we
shall bring the knowledge. the ex-
perience and the spirit of first
class teacher to the daily life of the
school.
Again, submit, as another
fundamental requirement, that the
choolsuperintcndentshoulddevot
his entire time and energy to the
upbuiIding of-the schools. | sub
NIT that this great office is not, and
ought not to be considered, side
show" performance. Paul was
philosopher when he said, This
one thing do" The great enter
prises Of the world not only require
specialization, concerning which !
have been speaking They also
require concentration, concerning
which | now desire to speak. If
you forget everything else that
am trying to say, beg that You
will at least remember that my
main contention is that expert
supervision requires specialization
on the one hand, and the concen-
tration on the other, Here is tie
foundation upon which we must
build. Other foundation can no
man lay than is here laid.
There is, as we have endeavored
to show, no expert service in any
avenue of human endeavor that
docs not involve the three require
ments we have discussed; expert
training, concentration of effort,
and ample remuneration. Every
largo enterpriSp -whafhar indpS-