The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-10-08

moreover, VIII assure W 6CCloSldSIlcdl
authority desirable control over the
teaching activities of the various Sis
terhoods.
The most effective supervisory work
will be done by Community supervis-,
ors, experienced and tactful members
of the several communities, who, in
virtue of success achieved in their own
teaching, are chosen to give further
training during the school year to
those who need such training. The
supervisory staff would at the same
time be a body with which the do,
cesar authorities could consult on
matters of curriculum, text books, ex
aminations, methods, etc.
Local supervision, that, namely
which is exercised by principal over
the teachers of her building, is an eff
fective agency for the development of
high standards of leadership. Obvi-
ously, the contact between principal
and her teachers is more intimate and
more constant than that between other
supervisors and the teachers. Her
position, therefore, is favorable one,
and should be used to advantage. Not
only is she able to- know her teachers
but also is she available constantly to
give assistance where such is needed
By daily visits of some length to the
rooms of the younger and less compe-
y tent members of her staff she is able
to improve their work. Moreover the
, knowledge which is hers permits of in
telligent grade assignments. She
comes 10 know the special qualifica-
, tions of her teachers and is able to
place them with greatest profit to the
! pupils and greatest comfort and salts
, faction to themselves One teacher, for
, example, may be doing only fair work
in the Second grade; the principal in
| her supervisory capacity may recog-
5 nize in her the possibilities of a more
: successful Sixth or Seventh grade
: teacher She will make readjustments
2 accordingly to the Improvement of the
, entire school,
) Glass room supervision is the chief
) duty of a principal. 1t is the first rea-
; son for her existence. She is charged,
t indeed, with other misunderstanding
pupils, meeting parents, keeping rec
ords, maintaining discipline and gen
eral order, etc. But these various re-
5 sponsibilities aEafsquite secondary to
r that of promoting directly, through
7 constant supervision, the best academ-
ic interests of the school. Now, if a
l principal is to have success in a super
! visOry capacity, she must be free from
: the regular work of class room. 1t is
: utterly impossible to discharge the
I duties of supervisor and at the same
2 time teach one of the grades in the
= building. Should she attempt to be
S teacher and supervisor, she will be
neither Every school of eight rooms
i or more should have a free principal
e This, for reasons of supervision alone
: not to mention a dozen other matters
n relative to school management which
e call for her attention.
i The schools of the diocese are great
l. ly in need of more free principals. In
l. the cities especially we have a number
of schools of eight rooms and more
whose principals are teaching regular
d ly. Little or no supervision work is be
y ing done, and the results are of lower
). order than they would otherwise be
d During the past year the Superintend
r ent has been able to convince some
: of the pastors of the necessity of free
Il principals, and in few cases efforts
e have already been made to procure
them. Until, however, there are more
d teachers available, little improvement
g in the situation can be expected. In
l. crease in the ranks of the teaching
l. SisterhooGs, we insist, is a fundamen
r tai and immediate necessity for the
3 development of our school system.
y RETARDATIoN.
# The problem of retardation, botl
# as it affects the individual and the sys
s tenn as whole, is worthy of study
IS The survey of the past year reveal
ls the existence in our schools of rath
n er large number of pupils who ar,
f. from one to three and more years old
o er than their classroom associates
ic Several reasons may be ascribed TO
g. this condition.: % late beginning
is (2) irregular attendance, due to sick
h. ness, truancy, ETC.; (3) frequen
Is change of school; ca regular curtai
le ment of the prescribed period of al
If tendance, particularly in the rural dis
h. tricts; CD lack of interest and appl
~ cation; (6) subnormal intellectually
w Over-aged and backward pupils, an
fl the two conditions are usually fOun
ID in combination, are drag on tn
,r class room. They lower its tone acs
demically and otherwise, and caus
the teacher undue worry and effor
On the part of the pupil they lead
le embarrassment and distaste for a
10 school work. The final result is di!
Ip couragement and despair from whic
81 there is little hope of rescue.
ls Over factors to 4 only limite
y control at best is possible, and thi
no must be exercised for the most pal
r. by the local school authorities, pa
le tors, principals and teachers, with th
ne cooperation of parents. Pastors, e
ST pecia1ly, can do much by way of o1
OF tanning early matriculation and re-
lal ular attendance throughout the entil
ui school year. They can do much, ais
at with the aid of this department,
&c eliminate the practise, not uncommol
ef' where parochial and state schools al
on equally convenient, of passing fro,