The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1923-05-11

that this wise board Of education has
employed this paragon and he sets to
work in his workshop to direct the
process of manufacturing clean and
intelligent men and women out OF
some very raw material. Then, If this
Board of Education is very wise it
will let the manager run the plant,
and let the superintendent run the
schools, giving him all possible sup
port so that he will have no excuse
for failure and enough rope so that
he can hang himself if he is the
hanging kind. He should be made
advisory member of the board with
the power to vote. but should always
keep them informed as to what is
being done, but the actual manage
ment should be left to the superin-
tendent, whose functions might be
roughly divided into three groups
teaching. administrative and civics
functions.
In the first group his teaching func-
tione begin with his own education,
past, present and future. 1t must be
assumed that he has sufficient school
ing to qualify for the place, and his
first study must be his problems and
next his associates.
It was Alexander Pope who said,
'The proper study of mankind is
man." And SO it must be with the
superintendent who works with hui
man tools and who must study them
and learn their sharp sides and their
blunt sides and how to get the best
results from using them and then he
must teach them how to give the re-
suits he wants to get.
Plant and Equipment
AS I have stated before the super
intendent should have the privilege
of selecting his co-workers; this will
be great help to his education sell
ing campaign, first to assist him
with his stockholders citizen-public,
and then he must teach how to teach
the students.
There is much in school beside
book-learning and today there is no
comparison with one or two decades
ago in the intentional and uninten-
tional psychology taught. His teach
ing function, when he has builded
properly. has been already solved and
there will be no difficulty in educat-
ing the students when once the teach
ers and the board of education and
the thought of the community have
been properly attuned and the whole
is working harmoniously.
Considering Local Needs
Then should come the course of
! study. Aside from the three RS these
| courses should be adopted with an
eye to the business of the community
which he must understand in advance.
This is especially true of the smaller
places because no community wants
its children to be educated to leave
it. They want them to stay in and
carry on. In agricultural districts
the superintendent will feature scien.
tific farming and in the industrial
centers he will stress studies design
ed to put the student into business
there.
And because education consists o.
ideas which are put into a child's
head and the ideas which are kept
out of it, the superintendent mus,
give careful attention to the school
morals, the mental attitude of both
teachers and students toward the
school and toward each other. Indus
try has realized that better results
come from contented teachers and
contented students.
And the best way to keep people
| contented, the world over, is to see
that they are kept busy doing the
things which they like to do and
which are good for them to do. Sc
the superintendent must interest both
himself and the teachers in school &C
tivities. Social, because man is a
social animal. and much of mans
business is social, and athletic be.
cause the ideal combination is a
sound mind and a sound body.
Then again he must use all the
local forces that tend for the better.
ment of the community. The fact
that the churches and the schools are
engaged in the common cause OF
creating a better citizenery should
make it very simple for the superin-
tendent, regardless Of his own faith.
to secure the active support of all
denominations. This support is ne
cessary at all times as a part of the
sympathetic public opinion which
should be created but it is especially
valuable in time of an active cam
paign because the clergymen usually
have. or are willing to give more