The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-05-21
KEEP OUT POLITICS
DUTIES AND QUALIFICATION OF
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT
or SCHOOLS DEFINED.
-
Address BY Superintendent S. E. Gott
Before Southern Illinois Teach
ers Association--Nalu-
able Suggestions.
illinois Instructor)

| Idea that the county superintendent >
visit Is one to be dreaded, and that
he goes about as roaring lion seek
ling whom he may deyour.
1t is to be regretted that such
thought should go unchecked. The
blame rests not wholly upon the
teachers and pupils, but often upon
the county superintendent himself.
| The writer well remembers the feel
| ing that used to come over us when
ever the county superintendent made
his annual or semi-annual visits to
our school-and his visits then were
Las sure as death, for his salary largely
| depended upon the number OF days
lspent in this way. However. since
| that time, all has been changed. The
county superintendent receives q
straight salary now. and consequently
many schools that once knew him,
know him no more forever, This
should not be, But to return to the
subject, when tine superintendent hove
| in sight, the proverbial pin could
| aasily have been heard to drop. To
| make q long story short, we were
| scared out Of our wits, and while we
strived to do our best work, we failed
o do average work. We regarded him
| Utmost as a supernatural being. His
| mission seemed to be to find out, not
aow much we knew, but how little.
| The fundamental purpose Of this
visit is to aid or assist teachers in
the management Of their respective
schools: to ascertain the condition Of
| he school property. examine the rec
ords. watch the conduct of the pupils
ind observe the ability Of the teacher
o discipline and instruct. But he
ails to perform his full duty ii he neg
fleets to counsel or advise, and such
counsel and advice should never be
| given, except in private. His visits
should be to encourage, not to criti-
| rise. He should always be truthful IN
| MIS- remarks. He should not tell one
| school that it is the best in the coun'
| Ey, and then make the same assertion
1t every other school he visits.
A county superintendent has nc
more important duty to perform than
that Of visiting schools. He can rem
Ter his best service in this particular
line among his poorest schools and
with his most inexperienced teachers
His assistance in these schools and
| among such class of teachers will be
/ more effective than In the best schools
Ind with his more proficient teachers
/ BY a wise exercise Of his official dis
discretion he may often determine
rival questions, which, if neglected
esult in serious injury to the educa
ionaI interests of school district
Bateman says, THE chief duties o.
he county superintendent are not tt
sell school lands and apportion schoo
| moneys, but to visit schools; to study
their methds Of instruction, discipline
and government; to advise and assts
school officers and teachers; to con
duct a teachers institute, to aid an'
encourage the formation Of othe
teachers meetings. and to assist il
their management In the Performance
Of these duties he shall FAITHFUL
carry out the advice of the superir
endent Of public instruction
THE idea that this work can b
properly done by any county superb
,endent, in connection with any othe
, profession or employment, Is absurd
> he mere business and financial ma
ters connected with the schools ma
be attended to by a person engaged !
other pursuits, but to speak of thi
j is school supervision would be
strong perversion Of language" N
politician should ever be elected t
this office. Any county superintendent
who visits schools merely for the pu
pose Of building up his poiitlct
fences in the school districts, for hi
tnext term is not worthy the nam
. This, as we all know, is too often TIL
case. The sooner the people reali7
! that the schools were made for th
! Ipupils, and not for politicians an
] grafters the better, The good Of ii
= schools should ever be uppermost
= The mind OF the conscientious superb
i tendent
vi by observing the methods Of teac
!. ng and discipline in the warrior
II schools, lie can often determine, be
n Ter than by examination who are h
0 best teachers; and this informatic
L will be of much service to him In
suing certificates as 1t often happier
that teacher who makes a POI
grade in an examination, has bett,
Isuccess In the school room than OF
whose qualifications are much bette
If the county superintendent be
man Of good character and habits
and no other should ever be elected
this office--he has many opportuniti'
to exert a good influence over q
teachers and pupils with whom
comes in contact. Lifelong impre
sons on the minds Of pupils can
tmndp If the superintendent be