Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-03-06
SCHOOL HEAD WOULD
CURB 'PRODIGAL' SYSTEM HERE
Superintendent Martin Outlines Revolutionary Plan
Which He Says Would Improve Conditions
and Save S157,000 Year

A saving Of S1,57O,0O0 In ten years. or
sl57. 900 yearly, a greatly increased ell
cheney In supervision of the public
schools and II resultant uniformity Of
educational standards throughout the
school system is the hope held
out to the taxpayers OF Philadelphia in
revolutionary scheme of school super
vision advanced by a. S, Martin, super
intendent OF schools, Norrstown, Pa.
The three general types Of supervision
now I'm use in this country are reviewed
by Mr. Martin in this months School
Board Journal under the tltic OF
"wastc in supervision" lie terms
them compromise "ProdigaI ana
Economy"
Philadelphia. though not mentioned
by name and With u slight change IN
the figures, was chosen as tho example
OF "Prodlgal," it has been learned.
Superyision of public schools in this
city now costs approximately S0onooo
yearly, according to Board OF uucatlon
figures This sum is composed OF S9oOo
To one superintendent, $22,5O to iive as
soclate superintendents, s36,OOO for nine
district superintendents and $5O0'ooo Tor
200 supervising principals
Mr.. Martin advocates the elimination
of all supervising principals. replacing
them with teaching principals. lie aiso
designates the associate ana district
sh,nerintepdents as wasteful and unhec-
esarv In their place he would appoint
forty "particularly qualified agents OF
the superintendent." Thus reducing the
superyisory forces from 2l5 to Al.
EXECUTIVES AS TEACHERS
The new executive principals would
remain at their present Schools Du'
would devote their time to teaching
Thus goo skilled teachers would Dc
added to the system with no added COST
All matters Of discipline would be at
tended to by them after school hours'
Eyes though there were no reduction III
the salaries of these principals. the
saving effected would amount TO s24o''
600 on this item, he estimates
Each OF the forty assistants TO the
superintcndent would receive $500 a
wear and the superintendent $4,000
The cost of this supervision would bt
sl5O.OOO, or 1000 more than the pres
ent cost of the supcrintendent's depart
ment Deducting this from the s240, 00(
saved on the principals. net saving
of $157,000 n year. or $1,57O,OOO in ter
years. would result.
A closer supervision of the schools
would follow, he says. The tendency
of supervising principals and associate
and district superintendents to becom,
mere compllers of statistics would b,
checked and the system knit into one
compact whole. In place of 215 educa
tional standards there would be an ap
proach toward a single standard for al
schools. he says. Under most advers,
circumstances there could be only forty
standards.
PHILADELPHIA "PRODIGAL"
with Philadelphia a the exampl,
chosen for "prodigal" Mr.. Martin says
"Prodigal represents a highly differen
tiated paper system of supervision. II
employs a superintendent over all the
| schools, six associate superintendents
twelve district superintendents and two
hundred supervising principals who de
| vote all their time to supervision Gar,
expected to do so). None of the schoo
units have more than fifty divisions mol
fewer than twelve divisions.
inspection OF this system of 450i
teachers reveals remarkable possibilities
| Teachers Of one large unit informed tn,
writer that their work had not been in
spected by the superintendent. any asso
ciate superintendent or any district su
perintendent during the entire schoo
term. In fact. they did not expect an,
visits from these supervisors. 1t wa
ascertained that the only source of pro
fessional inspiration and direction wa
the supervising principal. who usual.
visited their schools for short periods o
time once or twice month"
True, the course OF study came from
the department of superintendent, bu
there was no evidence that its operation
was checked up by any individual excep
the supervising principal. The promotion
of teachers and the consequent increas
of salaries is supposed to have for il
basis the independent judgment of Z.
district superintendent and that of tn