The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-23

| Doctor had written books on School
Economy, Methods of instruction,
| Culture of Education, etc, etc, had
also been Principal of Normal
| School and superintendent of Public
| instruction, and was able to properly
estimate the honor and dignity at
| tached to the Office of School direc-
| tor He'rightly contended that the
directors are the guardians of our
children physically, educationally
and morally.
And he was right in this matter
! Whenever you find a Board of Direc-
| tors fully awake to it's responsible
! ties, you invariably notice suitable
! accommodations for the physical
comfort of pupils, ample provision
for their intellectual advancement
and a spirit of educational progress,
! pervading the whole neighborhood.
few years ago the matter of pay
! for directors was vigorously agitated
1t was strenuously claimed by many
that in order to get prompt, efficient
| service from directors, a fair COM
pensation in money for services rem
! dered should be provided. On the
! other hand, by a still greater num-
|
! ing of money consideration for SER
vices would have a tendency to re-
place noble and altruistic men by sell
fish ones, whose zeal in the cause of
education would be measured entirely
by the amount of pecuniary compen-
sation offered Many good reasons
can be given why directors should
be paid for their time and expense
but l am inclined rather to the other
view of the question.
IL any considerable salary went
with the Office of director we should
expect to find more mercenafy men
on school boards. The opportunity
of letting contracts for supplies or
to traffic in the appointment of
teachers for money, in some sections
of our state, has induced men of the
lowest instincts and deficient in
scholastic attainment, to seek the Of
flee of director. What might we not
expect where the Office itself carried
with it a salary? We believe our leg
islatures have gone as far toward
compensating directors as is consis-
| tent with the best interests of our
schools.
The Office of school director ought
to appeal only to men of noble in
stincts, true patriotism and highest
altruism. Men of character who are
! glad to give their time and talents
| for the educational welfare of the
youth of their state and nation.
At one time it was charged that
in at least one school district in
| Wayne county, teachers were obliged
to agree to pay one, or sometimes,
two months salary direct to a syndi-
cate of directors in order to secure
| the appointment. | scarcely know
which portion of such a board of di-
rectors deserves the greater con-
demnation; the portion that accepts
bribes or that portion that counten-
| ance such Illegal conduct by refrain
| ing from making an open exposure
of it. Newspapers have frequently
| given accounts of IT, illegal practice
in some of the mining districts of
! Pennsylvania, but who would have
suspected such venality in more en-
| lightened and rural communities. To
exact such spoil from applicants for
schools, is nothing short of robbery;
and any man who stoops to the prac-
tice, should be dealt with most sum-
marily to the very limits of the law
! and his illegal conduct should receive
the widest publicity and condign
punishment.
No man is fit to hold the office of
school director who cannot appre-
ciate the Importance of the position.
His own debt of gratitude to the pub
| lie schools, his responsibility to So
ciety and the nations welfare ought
to rest upon him with such increas-
ing weight as to win his greatest eff
forts in the furtherance of educa-
tion.
No thought of money considera-
ton, or other mercenary motive,
should influence his course, but with
broad intelligent views of his duty
and privilege, he should do his Off
cial work, looking for recompense in
the increased efficiency and happiness
which he can bring to the future citi-
zenS of his state and nation.
Directors should be practical men.
Many of the duties devolving on the
Board of Directors relate to the tenn
poral well-being of the pupil.
Procuring cheap and necessary
fuel, building and repairing school
! houses, architectural construction of
school buildings and grounds to Sc
cure the largest accommodation con-
! SlSlChI Win plOpOlllOh anu bg IlLlS-
try; the keeping of the budget of ex-
pense within the taxing limitations;
enforcing regular attendance of pu-
pills and persuading or compelling de-
| linquent parents to observe the school
law; payment of teachers at stated
periods without compelling such
teachers to travel monthly around a
whole township to secure an order
and its approval for their salaries;
and upholding an honest and ener-
getic teacher in the matter of disci-
pline of incorrigible students, or in
an effort to conciliate pugnacious
parents; all these matters call for
| capable and willing directors.
Endless indeed would be the emu
meration of the several duties to
which a wide-awake board of direc-
tors is expected to give its official at
| tention.
However important may be the
/ temporal duties above named or sug-
gested, still more important is it that
| directors shall have a clear appre-
hension of the general scheme of
education, its aim, and purpose, and