Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1911-03-31

Mr.. Rice's four years residence here
have demonstrated his character to be
unimpeachable. Mr. Guilford is more
recent arrival, but nothing derogatory
to his character has appeared. Mr..
Gullford tells US in his public letter
that he has had normal school training.
Mr.. Rice has had the benefit of both
normal school and university training,
being graduate of both.
One of the most important, probably
the most important qualification is ex-
perlence in supervising teachers and
the mature and we'll balanced judgment
that can come only from such exper-
fence. Moral character is largely in
herent, scholarship may be acquired in
! educational institution, but the ability
to properly and tactfully supervise a
hundred Or more teachers of diverse
temperament, ability, training and
habits can be developed only by ex-
perience in that line of work. A nor
NAL school may teach man good meth
| DDS, but it is apt to make him dogmatic
and impatient of methods that differ
from his. A superintendent must be
liberal, not insisting that teachers
adopt his ideas, but advising and
assisting them to develop their own
methods. Experience is necessary in
| - n ~ f,xl1
| Mr.. Rice has had long experience as
principal of high schools, which posi-
ton involves the supervision of the
other teachers, work similar to that of
county superintendent. Mr.. Guilford,
we understand, has had no experience
in supervising teachers except as prin-
cipal of the Weyerhauser graded
school, which employs only four teach
ers. There can be no question, there
fore, of MIR. Rice's advantage in this
respect.
The success of Mr.. Rice as a high
school principal is attested by the
warm recommendations from every
school where he has taught, published
in these columns last week. Inter
views with number of Rusk County
teachers indicate that he is popular
among them. Those interviewed, with
out exception, expressed high opinion
of Mr.. Rice, mentioning his active
and helpful participation in teachers
meetings. When asked regarding Mr..
Guilford the usual reply was that they
were not acquainted with him, that he
did not attend teachers meetings. 1t
seems a natural conclusion that the
man who shows his interest in educa
ton by attending and assisting in the
work Of educational gatherings is most
apt to take a deep interest in the
schools as superintendent.
1t is natural and logical to defer to
the judgment of those who have had
more experience than ourselves, and
young teachers naturally take more
kindly to suggestions from one who is
older and Of ripper experience than
themselves. We have in this county
many teachers who have been in the
work ten years or upward, and such
would be more apt to be guided by the
advice of a man of twenty years ex-
perience than by that of man only
couple of years out of school, even
though he might bring with him patent
teaching methods of the latest make
We have no wish to dictate in this
matter. We do not assume, as does
the Journal, to instruct as to how vot-
ers outside of the city of Ladysmth
shall cast their vote We simply set
down here few facts and reasons
bearing on this important matter, and
submit them for your consideration.