The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1921-05-25
To the Public


: gether pertinent at the present
time. In making these statements
disclaim any motive other than
to present to the good people Of
Idaho Springs few generalized
conclusions based upon my three
years of intimate association with
the school here. AS superintend-
ent of your schools, as we'll as a
citizen who is deeply interested in
the welfare of our young people, l
put forth the following incontesta
BILE premises:
l. Good public schools are in
valuable assets 10 a city The
material things which mark pro
gressive community-clean streets,
attractive buildings, wholesome
surroundings-are vitality essential.
But no argument is needed to sup
port the statement that, after all is
said, it is the people, it is the
children, which ma ke commu-
nifty, and the strongest factor in
attracting in and retaining a de-
sirable citizenry is good schools.
2. The public schools do not
exist for purposes of exploitation.
Nepotism, incompetency, log-roll-
ing, wire-pulling can be nothing
but inimical to effective school
work.
3. The functions of the board
of education are legislative in char
acter; those of the superintendent
a,e administrative and executive
1t is fallacious from business
standpoint, il is suicidal from the
educational standpoint, to engage
a specialist to administer the school
affairs of the community and then
hamper his movements and dis
count his efforts. Not the least
of the boards duties is to get out
of the way and avoid cluttering up
the paths of progress.
A. Good teachers make good
schools. The development of a
professional spiritamong the teach
ers is necessity. There can be
nothing of the sort in Idaho
Springs with an almost complete
turnover of teachers every year
Those essential qualities of a good
teacher-loyalty to schools and
: community, cooperative effort, in
: brief. the ability to do team work
can not be developed on an in
secure tenure of position. We
$ must get good teachers and then
IT retain them. This can not be done
+ by following a niggardly policy.
g The public must come to the con-
yiction that adequate support is
imperative. 1t is poor business
sense, if nothing worse, to train
) teachers in our schools, and ther
! when they have arrived at the
point of efficiency have them leave
us for more attractive positions.
4. 5. The schools belong 10 the
A. public. They are bigger and more
Important than any man or grouI
: OF men. The public should fee
free at all times to exert all th,
: beneficial influence of constructive
| criticism. Our little city ranks
| high in educational affairs. Re
Gently our high school was placed
on the accredited list of schools b,
| the North Central Association O
| Colleges and Secondary Schools
| Last year only thirty cities in tn,
state were thus honored. Let u
| move forward on progressive lines
Let us have the support of al
| awakened and intelligent publ
| opinion. Let us have better schools
| taught by better teachers and re-
ceiving better support, and in thi
| way contribute very materially t,
| a larger and better Idaho Springs
| Pursuant to call Of 3uperin-
tendent Clark issued on Monday
the teachers reported for duty thi
] morning except Principal McCul
a ley, who went fishing. Grade
e We're given to all pupils except il
the high school, where McCulley'
l a hspnnl. md fhn n lann,.n., c,e LIZ. ~,