The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1917-01-25
THE GREATEST NEED OF A
COUNTY-AN EFFICIENT SU-
PERINTENDENT OF
SCHOOLS

First. he must be honest: honest
not only in its legal, but in its full,
complete and only moral sense.
2nd. The superintendent must alb
solutely divorce politics from his adj
ministration. Intellectual enlight-
eminent can never become the prop
erty Of the people so long as 1t is
bounded by the narrow personal and
political preiudices Of their leader.
Relatives must not be favored. We
have need OF officers who will Sc
lect all assistants and employees
needed in the school work, not with
regard to their family. sectarian, or
political connection. but solely from
consideration Of the personal fit
ness of the applicant.
3rd. He must know and enforce
the school law. No county can ex-
poet an efficient school admnistra-
ton unless its Superintendent per-
sonally knows and obeys the law, is
competent to instruct his teachers
and trustees in their legal duties,
and sees that the whole law be COM
piled with implicitly.
18th. No candidate has the right
To seek this office who will not give
his entire time and energy TO the
performance of its duties and the
| furthering of school interests. The
position demands the full time AMI
activity Of a competent, efficient Of
fetal. Either the Superintendent or
an assistant should he present i'm the
office during the entire week and
have available for public examina-
ton all records and data concerning
school work. The office itself should
he so furnished and kept as to at
tract the visitation Of friends OF edu-
cation.
5th. The good county superinten-
dent will visit and know intimately
the conditions, work, and problems
! of every school in the county. He
will compel the maintenance Of SAM
tary conditions, will rebuke and rem
edy negligence on the part Of teach
ers. will see that school property is
not abused. will encourage the cleo
ton of progressive trustees, will IA
vor consolidation wherever feasible
and advisable, and give especial at
tentiOn to the strict enforcement OF
the compulsory attendance and child
labor laws.
9th. The county superintendent
must be a person Of unquestionable
business ability, fitted to competent
~ and effectively conduct the finan-
cial affairs connected with the office.
eth. He should appoint as county
examiners the two most competent,
best qualified persons available, ire
spective Of personal interest.
9Th. The superintendent must be
q teacher of successful experience.
9th. He must be original and pro-
gressive. No person can prove ac-
ceptable in such work unless he has
constructive ability.
10th. He must properly care for
and enlarge the teachers library.
nth. A teaching corps OF the
highest standard must be insisted
upon. Indifference, laziness, pro-
family, immortality, vulgarity, and
incompetence can never inspire the
youth of any county. The educa'
tional training, experience, and eff
cheney of teacher should be recog'
nized by a salary consideration.
10th. He must have ideals. The
ultimate aim of every county super
intendent must be 10 so use the
revenue Of his office, so TO direct
the energy Of his work, and so de-
velop the spirit Of the county as "a
lift the entire people TO an ever en-
larging conception Of their duty as
citizens and an ever increasing con-
seriousness Of the vital, fundamental
service OF education.