The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-03-12

! principals AMI teachers. and means for
| eliminating III" inefficient. another So
| rious ON :SSi"n j. that Of Il iUic r"QU'r-
! trE consultation with SuI"rintrnd"n l
| and principals IN choosing teachers. No
! 2-uviS,oli has h'"U u,Irt' Tor rrr"Gn,2:nS
( SUPERIOR merit vr professional! advance
ul"n' by increases IN salary or other
, wiSs.
The Alternative plan is 70 leave execu-
/ tive lthOrS t. rrufcSSiuua executives.
Tho superintendent alone, n ConSultn-
? ,:nH VITA rr.nru"'.S and SUPERVISORS. IAN
. know how u.:! teachers ar" U,-,d"h.
! and tlr special Hbi!iti"S needed :ur each
= ,vi.. Il I,S;t;uu This llau place re-
! spoons; h!liiy where II belongs: relieves
J t!lr board ~ uNnrCt S%a-y llhurS. gives
, the superintendent authority over his
/ teachers, which H. cannot nave So l"nE
{ as they owe their positions 70 OtN,rS.
. permits tn" board 70 huia the %up"r:n-
. t.r,!,.rt responsible Tor rcSuliS-.:t thing
Impossible now.
d The effects OF lay management IN this
particular ar" seen III the character Of
tu,. ;,a,'hug staff fer the most part
. professionally unpr"parcd, aud even
relatively uneducatcd.
Work Of Other Committees Discussed.
tn" report discusses IN detail tho
. activities OF all the StLnGlnE COMMUTERS
Of tn" board. and shows Clearly What
functions properly h"i"nr 70 tn" board.
and what duties should b" p"rf"rIn".
by executive olklt'ES ENl't t!l'' N'f'''-
''0n OF tho board Ii Is impossible IN
this brief digest - devote spa" - each.
: Lack Of an Executive Head a Serious
Defect
To summarize the situation. perhaps
: rather hlurt.H. the fundamental weak
ness IN the public school system ~
Wh,..ling has been rA""utiV" manage
rncnt by laym"u. Their" ar" macy oHal"-
g,"S between the management -! 4
school system by 4 board Of rIuCat:"n
p and III" mana ErH!"Ut "t a business or
. n factory 10y a board nt directors; NIt
. tn" Fundamental prin"lp!"S "f "rEhi'iIt
t!Nn ard management generality Hrr'Ht"d
IN business and industry, and In pro
grossly" ~CA"nl systems hay" not been
operative IN the Wheeling ChUO.S.
rhr board 81 directors II u business
"r manufacturing corporation does not
mix n tho details Of The work. 1t IN
ploys CHIEF executive. outlines lis poll
, ci"S I" h.u makes clear I" HIM IN" re-
suits 20 b" secured. gives him control
over the means To be employed. and tn"n
demands that lie get results. Thcy tN"n
employ various methods OF accounting.
auditing. and otherwise checking uH the
results
In t&c Wheeling schools. h"wcV"r, tn"
executives work of the board - WJiu.!
performed hy committees, or oven 10y
Individual members, VIII" buy AMI S"i';
employ and Discharge. enter mi" and
',.'lh t. countless details usually lex 20
executives and their Suhord.DatvS. In
tn. sense In which the term - u.,'l III
tn" business world. tn" board has ne
chief executive. and Their" - iitiI" "\'-
r!.,uCr ~ thu N!au ~ organization 10
show any realization ot tho n""| al or
Lot tho business man on ~" board
imagin" what would happen /" his bank.
or store. or factory, IL II w'r" managed
E,y = ,umrittrr Il outsiders who dipped
b,,,. for
each week. The conduct OF shE s"h''.
system ~ l more complex. dItt:ruii ana
. technical jnh ;hHn merchandising 'r
banking
What is needed is the adoption OF a
, plan BY watch III" board vii, get things
DOM, IN responsive ways. and cntnrr"
@ res on Sihilsty. without doing tn" Things
themselves.
The board should occupy itself mainly
with dnectortl and Inspector lu"'-
tIprS. leaving executive iab"rs I" Their
>i,,rialzrd and experienced CNccu'iN"
oftjc,als-thc superintendent Of schools
and his subOrdiuatcs. Detailed SuGS"S-
ttons are outlined in tho report.
fundamental Needs IN wheehnS.
! l;r;cf!y stated. SOM" OF the 'h'hES
UD Eliminate tho sub-iis'ri"'S. "v-
cert FOR Attendance" purposes.
- El.m!ua;r ~" lp'al conniSS'"n-
rrshi3S. and have board members "l"'t'"
It large.
81 provide a small board OF men
md women who will be- beyond tn" reach
OF local. petty. personal and political
influences
80 The hoard should delegate re-
SponSth,ity aud authority :" us 'hi"l
executive. provide III" necessary means
demand results. and then stand aside
and Leu the superintendent ana MS or
! ganizati"n get results.
90 TIL" board Should adopt 'mT"r-
sonal ways OF checking ur results. "ii.-
; cheney and economy.
. 90 Tho board Shout iaES ,h' com. ~,
munity into its confidence fuzzy. at All
t:m,S and keep n" public informed ~
10 policies. needs and results.
New Legislation Essential.
tn. laws governing III" lhd"renn"N'
School District of Wheeling ar" IN a
,.nn.uscd frarmcntary aud archaic colt
zion. The rorrIi"tn charter legislation.
,.n,,.b governs tho district, = not N
tho possession Of tEr board. nor % an!
of it's Officers. nor Of III" pubic Nprarh
which is under the control OK inc n"frH.
The school laws Applicant" 20 Wheel
i,r should be Co:Nrlct"lv rewritten. on
, m. basis 81 thr b"Si modern rraCtl'"
The report contains detailed Suggestion :
concerning thnS" matters wa!cN SH""'',
ho included in state legislatures, and
,Iso mos which should u" cared for hN
Nos ana r.4,uia'ions or other l"cal
legislation ny tn" board.
THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM
Th.r. : u ,,inm"udahl" tendency IN
progress!v" stats {" eliminate Sp"'htl
'har,,- LEGISLATION t"- .u9rW"ud"nt city
school districts When tn" stat" drafts
a GOOD general law f"r ~" purpose. !,
saves The ci,y = good d"a! of *D""'aI
E,1ncuv"rinE Simply :" com" IN hhHTr u
II Wheeling does not En""N" I" to'oW
mis- course I j. recommended thai. IN
rn-wri,in. The charter. tho general stat"
legislation y" accepted :" FAR - y IS
suited TO condition III Wh"".inE ana tA''
spccial legislation BE- sought Only IN :"
ta- as the general legislation Is h''
suitable. $780,
Nscessnry Distinction between stats
I,oetslatson and tho Rules and Regu-
lations OF the Board.
ONLY the more general and funda ,
mental things snould b" accomplishing
bv state legislation. Matters OF c"th'
should b. left 20 III" bylaws. rules an"
donations. and other legislation ~ the
In the following summary OF tho
things to be taken car" OF In me PRO.
nosed reorganization Of IA" attaiTS OK
the Independent school ptS,T.c' ,,s 90
Whcciing, tansr matters which ~" usu-
a,lv hest taken care Of by State leg1s!a-
tton ar, drslrnat.d ny tn" letter 'S)
and those which are b"St included uh"'r
thr rules and regulations or oih"r legs
Iation of the board. are d"S'Ena''H ny
The letter (R).
summary OF Points to Be Covered.
~ Tn" suh-district divisions should
10 abolished. except for att"ndancc pur-
poses. tS). ,e.-,
=. A. members elected AZ large. on"
member being elected ra"n year. ror "A
,c-n, Of rvr years. Of elections must ~"
h,c,pl.I ,hCu tho t"rm should be SIX
vcars. nnc-,hrd Of IN" board, as nearly
~ NAV b.. being elected Mt each cleo
TX n - desirable. though not 50 es-
, scntiol. that members h" nominated by