Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1912-03-12
LAW IS BOON TO
SCHOOLS.
Continued from Page One.)

that the vital difference between
these schools is that the work of the
teachers in the town schools was
well supervised, while the rural
school teachers were left entirely
alone with their work, with the ex-
ception of one or two visits each
year from the county superintendent.
In some counties the county super
intendent has to look after the work
of from $50 to It's rural teachers,
as well as an immense amount of
office work. At the same time
town of $500 inhabitants employs a
city superintendent, a principal for
each building, and in the larger towns
in addition to these a supervisor for
drawing, one for music, one for man
ual training, and one for domestic
lscience-in brief, a supervisor for
every special line of work. For the
regular grade work of the schools
the average, in addition to city
superintendent, was one supervisor
for every sixteen teachers.
For example the city of Salem is
paying $5S40 for supervisors. not
counting special supervisor in
drawing and one in music. The
county, prior to the time this law
was passed. had only one supervisor
for all the rural schools of the
county. Similar Illustrations were
cited by members from all parts of /
the state. The sentiment of both
houses was strongly in favor of the |
bill. There were only FIVE votes
against 1t in the Senate and thirteen
in the House.
What Law Provides.
Briefly, the law provides that all
counties having more than sixty dis
tricts shall be divided into supervis-
ory districts of not less than twenty
or more than fifty school districts.
The county superintendent acts as
supervisor FOR one of the districts as
well as having general charge of all
of the schools of the county. The
other supervisors are appointed by
county educational board which
serves without pay and is composed
Of the county superintendent and
four members appointed by him.
1T is very gratifying to the State S
Department that we shall be able to {
'eport to the Legislature that the S
'ill which they passed for the better @
nent of the rural schools is working 4
uccessfully, and to the satisfaction
II the school patrons For the
members OF the county educational
oard the county superintendent has
n each case appointed men and A
'omen OF high standing. who are Is
uecessiul in their own work. and ?
re especially interested I'm the public n
'hoois They TN turn have appoint c
q supervisors who are successful p
'achers and are conscientiouslv Civ
'g an their time TO their work.
The supervisor visits each school
least once I'm six weeks. He helms
he teacher carry out the state course
study aids her by suggesting new
icthods and stimulates the work OF
he pupils ln addition % this work.
e joins with county superintendent
helping 60 establish better school,
liant in each district For this
'ar some of the good thInrs ac-
'mplishcd are better sanitary condi-
'ns throughout good walks leading
outouldings properly lighted and
en- ventilated school buildings. The (
.pervisor has also aided en- the cam
,ign for school decorations. and IN \
effort 10 arouse an ambition
aoug the patrons OF each district
make their school district the best
the COUNTY e
Polk Has Bcncdlte,I. L
10 is safe 90 say that IN Polk conn 4
more has been accomplished under I &
Is law than On any other county in
2 state. considering the fact thaf
has only one supervise. Under
law. Polk county Is entitled 10 \
o supervisors besides the county
perintendent but the wo-k Is Being