The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-31

| has the office; the other, the nVeu-
hood.
THE members of the county school
board are elected by the popular vote
of the people and are held responsible
to the people for their acts. They are
responsible for the educational inter
est Of the county. Therefore, they must
! have the right to elect and dismiss
their chief executive and all subordi-
mates.
why not elect by popular vote the
clerk or clerks in the office Of the
county commissioners? Why not elect
the chief clerk in the state superin-
tendent's office by popular vote? Why
not have the stockholders elect the
office force instead of the directors?
I'm early history, city superinten-
dents were elected by the people; to-
day there is not one single instance
possible one) in which city superin-
tendents are elected by the people.
They are appointed by the boards.
Where skill, scholarship, and profess
sional training are requisites, it is nee
essary that the county school board
should have the same latitude as in the
selecting and supervising principals
and principals. Why have an inter-
locking system? We need one respon-
sible power to the people in a county
and that should be the county school
board. Legally, therefore, the county
superintendent should be appointed
and logically, also, the unit of super
vision should be the same.
Most of the states have changed
their laws so as to have county and
state, superintendent appointed. Poll
tics and incompetency held Kentucky
low in the standard of education. The
last legislature repealed the law re-
quiring county superintendent to bel
elected. Kentucky ousted all county
superintendent March l, 1921. The
salary has been raised as well as the
qualification of occupants of the new
office. The county school board elects
the county superintendent at large
any state.
1T has been we'll said by Hon. P. P.
ClaXton that public schools and poll
tics must be divorced.
1T is absolute folly and absurd to
hold a county board responsible for the
success of the schools and at the same
time not give it the right to elect and
dismiss it's chief executive. The United
States Commissioner of Education,
Hog. P. p. Claxton, is appointed by
the president of the United States. He
says: TT would be considered equally
absurd to elect the city superinten-
dents by popular vote or to let the
mayor appoint him 1t is no less alb |
surd for the county superintendent to
be elected by the people at large than |
it would be for the city superinten-
dent to be so elected and no less alb
surd for the county superintendent to |
be elected and therefore responsible |
TO some other body than the county |
board of education, than 1t would be |
for the city superintendent to be elect /
ed, ana therefore responsible to some |
other than the city board of education. |
Boards of education should have the |
power to select county superintendent |
from the country at large and should |
be required to select them only on the |
basis of professional preparation and |
ability"
Hon. w. N. Sheats makes the follow |
ing statement concerning the system of |
electing county superintendent: Il |
hope that a constitutional convention |
will be called in Florida. I want to
provide that all school officials, from
the state superintendent down, shall be |
appointed by a state, non-poltticaI |
board, created for that special purpose.
l would have this board perform the
functions of both the state board of ed
ucation and the state board of control,
with the state superintendent as chair
man or secretary Of 1t. The appoint
i've system will have to be adopted and |
a proper man placed at the head of
the county schools wherever they may
be found; until such a system is
adopted, we Will not cease to throw
away much valuable public fund"
If 1t requires a constitutional amend
ment in order to have state and county
superintendent appointed, then as a
temporary relief, enact law requiring
all county superintendent to appear
before an examination board to deter
mine their qualifications to hold
office. They should be examined as to
successful experience and
professional training. Can it be pos
sible that any county superintendent
will object to this law?
Is it fair to require the teachers of
the state of Florida to qualify under
the law and at the same time permit
those who are supposed to be expert
in school management to go free?
First, it is an injustice to the children L
of this great commonwealth; second,
1t is an injustice (as well as discrimi-
nation) to the teachers of the state of
Florida. Il
If you are not to require the county ]
and state superintendent to qualify ,
under the law, then it is right to repeal
all laws concerning examination for j
teachers. The salary which county sup
receive in Florida is suffi-
cient to pay an able man or woman.
The salary paid the state superinten-
dent Is an outrage. 1t should at least
be placed on a par with salaries paid /
other state superintendent in other j
states-at least 100000. i
All state and county superintendent I
who are graduates of standard COL +
eges or. universities. who have had {
experience in all lines of I
public school work, and who have had {
training, should be ex- {
al from In to-, ,,Yor, |