Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-08
HOW TO RUN A PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM
BY DIR. 4. y. SHALLOW
Associate city Superintendent of Schools Of
New York

A. the request Of the EyEN.No ,IdiSsis IyEsis
sChools0 in Now york city, has written tho
Fanzins a fpuJiIc.sc system.
VNGlE first duty Of board OF public cdu-
l. cation is to the childrcn--to provide the
best schools and the best schooling that us
community can afford aud to see TO II that
adequate money appropriations are made Tor
this PURPOSE
Theorists may advance the proposition
that IL is tho duty OF tho financial authorl-
ties Of our cities to appropriate Tor scnoo,
purposes all money asked for by school
superintcndcnts and then to allow the super
intendcnts a free hand in its expenditure.
But so far as our schools arc concerned
the rule Is that boards Of education estlmate
and initiate expenditure Of school funds and
generally have tho last word as to thclr
use This is as it should he. These demo-
cratic boards represent the people, whose
taHcs support the schools and whose ChI-
drcn attend them. Those who advocate the
granting Of absolute power l" Superh-
tcndcnt Of schools liScn his position to thal
or a manager Of great business concern
who can appoint or dismiss employees at ms
pleasure Tho advocates of such power TOT
a superintendent forget that while great
public-sChoOl system Is large business III
one sense it t. more than that. 1t IS great
public institution, set up by democracy ior
the welfare Of all, and not business con-
Ccru managed for tho benefit Of fcw. Ihcy
forget also that results cannot he measured
by the examination Of a set OF hooks ana
that the bcst judges Of the success or the
failure oC tho schools are In great part the
people themselves. who are represented ny
the board Of education.
rTrIE objective toward which all boards OF
L education and their salaried officials and
employees should work is the mental, moral
and physical improvement Of the youth or
tho country. To bring about the proper re-
suit thrcc agencies In each community must
cooperate. viz: First. financial or money
appropriatiug body. Second. \ school direct
ing or managing board. Third. An expert
superintendent and professional staft
In order to have the best cooperation In
any school system the functions OF each or
the three agencies indicated should be
clearly defined and understood The duty OF
the moucy-appropriatiug body Is 70 grant
tho board Of education a sufficient sum 10
conduct the best system OF schools that tho
community can afford. The amount granted
for schools should be in just proportion TO
what is granted for other public uses. II
boards of education make and present Schooi
budget estimates intclliECntly, boards OF cs-
innate and apportionmcnt should grant or
diuarv school expenses, such as teachers
salaries school supplies and equipment, re-
pairs to buildings. etc. without question
The granting of money for new school sites
and new buildings Is matter however
which financial board is expected TO con-
slider carefully in connection with the nnan-
ciaI and dcbt-ncurring ability OF the munlcl-
pality.
II Is not mart Of the duty of financial
hoard however to say what studies shall
hc pursued in q school system, nor should
such a board maintain agents for inspecting
the schools or scrutnizng their manage
ment Such methods lead to dual educational
control. confusion and hndrancc to cduca-
tional progress.