Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-23
ISEEKSAB|GMAN
FOR SCHOOL HEAD
Joseph w. catharine Outlines
Qualities Desired in New
Superintendent Here
WOULD PAY MORE MONEY

A longer tenure Of Office and n cor, =
sldcrably larger salary are among the
concessions asked by Joseph w. Gath =
8rine, member of the Board of Educa
bcn. to attract man of the proper
canore FOR the post Of superintendent
In return Mr.. Catharine wants the
hegest man in the country. the best
educator and the strongest ndministra :
tor. zone. to nut Philadelphia ION the
map educationally.
Mr.. Catharine Is member of the
special committee To select suDerin =
tendsnt to succeed DR.. John p. CARRIER.
me most important things TO my
mind. said Mr.. .Catharine. "1ic with :
IN the province Of the Board of Educa :
ton that is to increase the tenure of
once to q much longer period and 70
ADVANCE the salary paid the head Of the
Under the provisions Of the school
code; the tenure of Office Of the T'hila
aeiphie superintendent of schools may
discretion Of the board.
AS IT now stands. the superintend :
ent is elected in this. city for a term
or one year. He may also be removed
Dy action Of the board. il he fails to
meet thn requirements of his post.
Il believe, in fact have advocated II
ana VIII continue to do so. that the ten :
nre OF office for the most should be in =
creased from one to four years.
AS It now stands a superintendent
mas hardly taken Office and gotten well
under way before his term Is almost
up and he is confronted with the ordea'
OF being on trial for his Office again
" course. the board most often re-
h,,N kI.A a "a a. 4.
yearly spccter from looming up from
time TO time and affecting his initia
office. -,
Salary Much Too Low
IF he had a four year term, that is
II he had to face the possible chance OF
losing his position but once in four
years, he would have moro freedom
in conducting his office and could pro
coed with more confidence and assur
anc". could plan on n bigger scale and
generally discharge his administrative
duties more effectively.
Tho new man should also receive
n first class salary. As IL is now, the
salary Of the city's school superintend
cnt il but 10000 n year. which Is the
lowest salary paid by any of the Iarg,
cities of the country for the post.
1--WE want the biggest man in the
country for this most important posi-
tion, SO we must expect TO pay a salary
commensurate with our requirements.
Contrast the salary paid here with
that Of several other cities for instance
Chicago has been paying S1S, 900 a year
Cleveland pays S15.OO0. Pittsburgh
$4,000: New York. $4,000, and there
are others.
II believe that the salary of the new
man should range from $4,000 to
$4,000 per year.
1--WE are searching the country for
available men. We have gone north
south. east and west, to all quarters OF
the country. We have found roughly
some ten or n dozen men who would
meet the high requirements we demand
of our new school head.
Several Phladelphians have been
mentioned for the honor. including Cal :
vim o. Althouse. DR.. Parke Schoch.
principal of the West Philadelphia
High School for Girls, and DR.. George
Dccht. assistant state superintendent Of
schools. Personally have no candi
date for the office. and it doesn't matter
much to nFe Whether he comes from the
the city for him. The main thing Is
that he must be man Of the highest
possible calibcr.
1.-The man for the post should be such
an important and convincing factor in
school matters that when any big edu =
cational movement or conference is Ia
be held here he will be instantly sought
out as a man whose opinions are worth
hearing.
among other things, the candidates
whom we should scek-the kind Of a