The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-03-23

brief while for Mr.. Browning and mem
bers of his board Excluding all their
other witnesses) for hurried rebuttal,
However, at this juncture in the drift
of procedure the conviction was strong
that the web-work of the plaintiff CON
tention had!been too imperfectly woven,
and their allegations had been so strip
ped of support, as to make further
testimony unnecessary. Soon after the
hour of four the court adjourned, hold
ing decision for subsequent announce
| ment as above stated,
| To the indiscrimite observer the testi-
mony taken indicated that the prime
charge against the superintendent is an
ged'violation of the law as to school
visitations. Has any superintendent of
Garrett strictly complied with this pro-
vision of the law? With schools so
sparsely distributed not only over a
mountainous but the most extensive
territory of any county in the state;
with roads. INSTRUCTED a large part of
the winter and difficult to traverse, can
a superintendent make the prescribed
visits without injurious neglect to more
needful duties? The question has been
weighed and examined often in the his
tory of the school Act More than
twenty years back, while a member of
the school board, this writer perpleXed
by the task confronting this law, met
State Superintendent Newell in Cum
berland and,talked this matter over full
ly with him. NV memery is that Prof.
Newell deliberately stated that, at that
time, not one county of the State could
faithfully observe this requirement of
the School Act, and he advised the best
performance conditions would permit,
visiting particularly the schools most
needing official supervision. The COM
plant next in gravity it appeared was
an alleged assumption by Browning Of
the function of the entire board. Now
the'Opinion prevails, | am sure, that a
superintendent is member of the board
without the right to vote. Does it not
strike the thoughtful man as reasonable
and judicious tor well regulated board
to freely discuss and consider with its
superintendent measures and designs
to public usefulness? In fact, seek
ing wise and businesslike solution, why
not consult with any one capable of
supplying desired information? And, is
it an eXtravagant Indulgence to infer
that the trainers of the School Act in
tended that the mass of work should
devolve on the superintendent as they
provided for him an ample salary while
they specified mere pittance to defraY
the actual cost to the members?
Agitations of this order are to be
viewed less as evidence of incompetency
then as natural out comes even from
the precinct organization to the highest
station of State affairs. In a period of
grave doubt and consuming depression
during the war of the Revolusion, ig-
noble plots were whispered from con-
clave to conclave for the removal of
General Washington-the central star
in the armament of our glory and the
elevation of the Prescriptions General
Gates to supreme command. At Get
tysburg, it is thought. General Long
street was more than willing to see
General Lee involved in a decisive de-
feat, with the hope the government at
Richmond would act upon the example
of the government at Washington, in
deposing afdefeated chief, and in that
| way, Longstreet being next in rank,
would rise to the head of the armies
But There is a divinity that shapes
our ends, rough hew them as we will. "
And we are ever finding that divinity
frustrating all such designs, clearing
the atmosphere and extending the range
of vision.
This writer has been. more than a
casual observer of Mr.. Browning dur
ing the incumbency of his position, see
ing him constantly in his going out and
in while discharging the varying duties
imposed by the Office, and with single
exception, regards him, educationally
and individually, equal to any one of
his predecessors. His administration
of school affairs has been temperate,
progressive and successful. In the for
nation, embodiment and conduct of his
Teachers Institutes and conventions he
has eXcelled all former superintendent
and marked for Garrett an advancement
for the increase of knowledge with a
modernization of instructive methods.
To these assemblages of teachers he has
brought specialists and instructors,
some of them, of the best attachments
and the most matured conceptions
found either in the field of development
or in the walks of learning. RELLIM.
Road Conditions Leading Into Oak
land Should be Improved.
To the Editor of The Republican:
President McCrea, of the Pennsyl.