The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-03-15

1. Definite assignment of work to
be accomplished.
2. Apportionment OF time to each
subject.
3. Offering suggestions to teachers,
through meetings, principals, and WIS.,
itation.
A. Requiring certain results.
5. Knowing what those results are,
and In using that knowledge in secur-
ing better results.
The above system of supervision has
in vogue in the Fargo schools for
the past seven years, andsit is sub
stantially the same system OF super
vision as announced in a book just off
the press, written by a leading educat-
of the country who has made ex-
tensive research in elementary educa-
ton, as being superior. This author
states that as a result of careful tests
$4,000 children, in twenty-one cities,
in spelling; 5000, in seven cities, in
and $500, in nine cities, in
language, those cities having the above
plan Of supervision excelled in results.
He also states that the controlling ele-
ment in the plan of supervision, above
outlined, is requiring results and in
knowing what the results are.
The foregoing is a very general and
simple statement of one feature of or
ganization and management; but we
believe that it is clear, and that it
bespeaks that knowledge and control
which lie at h basis of all admins
trative efficiency. The work of super
vision, as above outlined, is carried on
through printed instructions, through
the annual meeting, principals con-
ferences, teachers meetings by build
ings, and personal interviews with
teachers.
We believe that modern organization
and management of shops, factories.
mercantile establishments. universities
and large school systems, is efficient
to the degree that the systematic ear
rying out of the aims Of the enterprises
are administered through the heads Of
departments. The principals of our
buildings are selected on the basis of
wide and successful experience and
administrative ability, and through
them many details Of school manage
ment, which means managing subjects
as we'll as children, are worked out, as
contemplated in rule 7, page IS, Rules
and Regulations of the board of educa-
ton, which is as follows: "'They (the
principals( shall frequently advise
with the superintendent concerning
the best interests of their schools, and
shall study the problems of school man
agement that are presented in their
S1EOS allu oSSh W NSNSlOP Z w
the point of highest efficiency" All
Of the buildings of the city have been
organized as contemplated in the
above rule with good effect.
To illustrate just how the matter
works out, we will cite a single, sim
pie illustration. Seven years ago the
ability of pupils in arithmetic was be-
low standard, and the following policy
was adopted: J.. Daily drills in rapid
oa1a,,1aRto~, o Dnn.~5 o~n a-i%t
metic. 3. Required written arithme-
tic. This policy was elaborated in
mode of presentation and subject mat
ter, presented by the superintendent in
principals conference and in building
meetings, and became the programme
in that subject in every room of the city
where arithmetic is taught. The re-
suits + partly reflected in a letter
received some time ago at the super
intendent's office. which runs Is fol-
lows:
"supt. W. E. Hoover, Fargo. N.
d. Dear Sir: Superintendent
Blair, of Hibbing, called here yes
terday, and in the course of con-
versation spoke very enthusiast
tically of the work in arithmetic
as he observed it conducted in
your schools, particularly in the,
matter of accuracy n speed in
calculation in the intermediate
grades. Have you any special
method or text? If you have an
extra copy Of your outline or
course in the subject, ] would be
much pleased to get it. Very truly,
F. Sperry, Supt., Mankato, Mimi.
Superintendents Blair and Sperry
are leading school men of Minnesota,
superintendent Blair visited for sew
eral days in Fargo schools.
Rule Three.
"He (the superintendent shall visit
the different schools as often as his
duties shall permit, give personal at
tention to the classification of pupils
in accordance with the prescribed
course of study, prescribe and super
wise examinations of all pupils for
promotion, transfer from one depart
ment to another, note the method OF
government, instructions used by each
teacher, and give such instructions
aid and encouragement to teachers
and pupils as circumstances may Jug
gest. He shall keep a record of the
individual standing of each pupil in the
public schools, which shall be open tc
the inspection of the board of educa-
ton. 1t shall be his duty, assisted by
the teachers, to assign pupils, on en-
tering, to their appropriate schools
and he shall be empowered to transfer
pupils from one building to another as
he deems best"
We find, upon examining the records
in the superintendent Office, that ev-
cry duty indicated in the foregoing
rule, that is a matter for record, has
been performed for the past seven
years; and in addition to the super
visory duties indicated in Rule Z,
above quoted, we find as a matter OF
record that the superintendent in the
years 1910-11 and 1911-12, made 1901
visits to individual teachers. The rec
ord shows the name of the teacher
visited, the date of the visit, the hour
of the day and the length of the visit
all verified by the teachers monthly
report, ranging in length from ten
minutes to n and one-half hours.
Rule Fourteen.
"He shall call a meeting of the
teachers al least once in each school
month and the teachers in the same
departments, as he shall deem advis-
able"
We find as a matter of record that
during the year 1911-12 there were
fifteen teachers meetings held by the
superintendent in person, including
general meetings, principals confer
ences and meetings of all teachers in
their respective buildings, but not in
Guiding the meetings conducted by
principals. We find also that there
have been four meetings held this
year, at which all teachers were pres
ent, the last one being the regular
monthly meeting of the Fargo Teach
ers' club, at which was considered the
question of playground activities.
Visiting Other Schools.
We know that during the past seven
- -..- -.-- -.
and observed the larger school sys-
TENS of this state, twenty-five of the