Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-18

, for results in teaching, while the
principal exercises general control
over his building. These duties
should be combined in one official.
Neglect Special Supervision
I'VE have already shown that our
so-called supervision in music and
drawing Is supervision in name only
and not in fact. No other subjects or
departments have special supervi-
sion, even in name. There are GER
tain lines of educational work that,
to accomplish the most satisfactory
and effective results, require super
vision and immediate direction by
specialists in those particular fields.
Among these. aside from music and
drawing, might be particularly men
toned manual training and physical
education. OF the group of fifty-six
cities before mentioned all but nine
have special supervision in manual
training and all but fifteen in physi-
cal education. Thirty-three have
There is a great tendency to-day
than ever before toward this differ
entiated supervision, some leading
educators going even so far as to ad-
vocate special supervision for each
of the princical elementary academic
subjects.
Scope of Supervision
ENcIY SySleUl Ol SCHOOio oiiOulN
also be so organized that there is
functional unity in it. There should
also be continuity throughout. To
aid in accomplishing these ends GER
tain special supervisory officials
should have to do with the entire
system. This is true particularly in
such subjects as music, drawing
manual training and physical educa-
ton. There should be one head IN
- oY,fc ond hic
responsibility should not cease at the
end of the elementary course. 1t
should extend throughout the high
school course. These links of con-
nection between the lower and high
er schools are most important.
DIR. Downes then explained that
! the first assistant principals deslg-
mated at the time they were named,
as assistants to the principals, were
chosen for the Cameron and Camp
Curtin schools, as these are the
| largest elementary schools in the city
and contain large study rooms
Later assistants were provided for the
Lincoln and Boas schools. Then
assistants were gradually provided in
all schools having large study halls
or those containing ten or more
rooms. :.
The duties of the superintendent
| were Oulllleu DIS lOllOWSs
! "The superintendent, broadly
speaking, is the general manager oil
the school system, all other protes-
sional employees being responsible to
him, and he in turn being RESPONSE
BILE to the board, In this capacity
he must concern himself with the
applications, qualifications, examln-
alton and certification of teachers
courses of study, textbooks, general
meetings of supervisors and teachers
important problems of discipline
| teachers salaries and promotions
public activities, educational meet
! ings, committee and board meetings
reports, supervision and many othel
! duties of like character. In addition
to this he should give much time
and study to new problems and mod
ern educational movements and give
to the board the benefits of this
study. His time should be devoted
practically altogether to these broad
er constructive activities; and IL any
considerable amount of his time
therefore, as is now the case, is con-
sumed in purely clerical or mechanl'
cal detail, when the work might be
done equally we'll by some subordln'
ate employe, the district would seem
to be by so much the loser.
New Plan of Organization
at is with a view to removing
these various points of weakness
that the new plan of organization
has been proposed. 1t is not the
product of impulse or of immature
decisions. On the contrary, 1t rep.
resents months of investigation ant