The Caledonian-record. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-current, 1922-10-13

ton would be prepared to govern
itself and to guide the nation to-
ward its better destiny. Books,
facts, exercises in mathematics, are
only tools by which the teacher
forms the citizen; or better yet,
they are the food or fertilizer by
which the teacher as gardner, cul-
tivates each little sprout into a
symetrical, healthy, worthwhile
plant. Superintendent ought TO en-
courage teachers to make studies
of the personalities in their charge.
Garfield before he was president
of the nation was marvellous
teacher. In preparing for the work
of the day he set down after the
name Of each Of his pupils what
particular virtue he was going to
cultivate in each youngster. At
night he set down an estimate Of
the success in each case. That IS,
Garfield marked himself.
The conference with teachers,
without "the follow-up," is mere
beating Of the air. No efficient
manager considers that thing
will he done merely bv telling some
one TO do it. Every efficient direct
or has inspections made. results
tahnlated nrofits and losses fig
ured. So must a superintendent do.
In the small cities a superntend-
emf has to do a GOOD deal of this
Directly with the teachers. In the
larger communities a common
weakness of the superintendent is
IN deal directly with the class in
strnctors and not. as he should,
with the PRINCIPALS of schools
whom he should hold responsible
for the work of their teachers.
One needs to be much more del
icate in criticising teachers than
in othe, kinds of sunervisjon. They
are abs,1rdlv sensitive to having
their mistakes called to thei atten-
lion They live with their little
charges. in an atriosphere of ador-
cd ennerioritv A supervisor must
find eonettino. TO mise. he must
mt the teachers mind into a con-
dition of confidence: he must di-
vorce his criticism from personal
judgement. For this reason the
imnersonal test of what the child
rem can do it the best instru-
ment of securing efficient teaching.
The written examination is the
bnpaboo if has become because it
has been used too much to deter
mine the promotion Of pupils. 1t
ought to he the means of estima-
ting the teachers success. More
and shorter written tests remove
the nervous impeachment to them,
give the children wider exercise
in thinking. and are the best means
of sbowino the teacher. especially
nv comnarison with the work Of
other classes where her strength
and weakness is The speaker ad-
vocated the beginning of every
recitation with a short three or
five minute written exercise. This
times tho whole class to the sub-
ipct in hand The teacher should
not attempt to examine or correct
moro than three or four of these
rapid fire exercises. She should do
th;s Immediately after gathering
the Sins throwing tbe rest away,
The s,1nerintendent ouoht to SIM
NV the teacher with hrief notes of
eve,v class visit In systems where
his schools ave oroanized with
n,.incinaIs he ebould reouire them
n do this
These notes should he kent NV
tbe teacher and turned ovnr TO the
sune,visor IN his Subsequent visit
in order tbat he NAV make com
harrison of nroorese
An essential nart of the nolicv
of supervision is 70 make clear thai
the teacher Is tb. 1,esnonsibIe agent
fo1. the eucceee If the children
M McAndrew denlored stnnid
belief hv some tearhnrs thai The
responsibility for nromotion lies
with the children on, with their
narents Tho school system NAYS
The children No wages. mhjic
school uonnv is not riven To mar
en+s. the s,ine,intendent is re-
snonsible for tbe evnenditluc of
n1bTc funds oiven to teachers and
+ IS thev whom he has to hold re-
snonsihle for the Won, of the
schools the ultimate test of which
* the abilitv of thp cbiIdren to
nrooross from GRADE to Grade with.
ant renet;t;on eacb ,,onfs Tn.cbers
n,nst bn shown tbst when thnv
marl, Tho snccnse and failnres NJ
nnniis tbev oro ,,oting +Lnir own,
rnccnse oI faiIrrc &C +oncbor Hn
;IInct,,a+ed bic nointe u,;tb NAM,