DEPARTMENT OF SUPERINTENDENCE. TOPEKA, KANSAS. According to previous announcement, the Department of Superintendence met at the Presbyterian Church, July 13, 1886, and was called to order by Hon. Warren Easton, President. Owing to the absence of Mr. J. R. Preston and Mr. J. W. Holcombe, who were to read papers, the meeting was adjourned to meet at 2.30, the 16th instant, in the City Building. Before adjournment of this meeting, the president, on motion, appointed Hon. LeRoy D. Brown, of Ohio, Joseph G. Schofield, of Kansas, and Hon. Joseph O'Connor, of California, a committee on nomination of officers for the ensuing year. City Building, Topeka, Kansas. Department met pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by President Easton. Reports of committees being called, Hon. LeRoy D. Brown, of Ohio, chairman of committee on nomination of officers, reported as follows: For President, Hon. Charles S. Young of Nevada; for Vice President, Prof. N. C. Dougherty, of Illinois; for Secretary, Charles C. Davidson, of Ohio. On motion, the report was received and a vote taken, which resulted in the election of the above. On announcing the result of the election, Dr. Thompson, of the Ohio State Central Normal School, and State Commissioner Brown, of Ohio, were appointed a committee to escort the President and Vice President elect into the meeting. President Easton, in a few happy remarks, introduced the newly elected President of the Department. In response, Mr. Young spoke as follows: Mr. President and Members of the Department of Superintendence: The hope of this country is the public free school. In charge of the interests of the free school are the State, County, and City Superintendents. Theirs is a mission fraught with questions of greater national concern and of more vital importance than any other in the field of edu cation. This organization, known as the Department of Superintendence, represents more than 300,000 teachers of the youths in a population of 50,000,000 of people. In effecting state and national school legislation, in moulding state and city school systems, the Superintendents are the people's chosen agents. I take it that to be elected President of an organization of such magnitude and of such momentous interests as this, cannot be considered other than a distinguished honor. In selecting your presiding officer for next year you, representing the more populous states on the Atlantic Coast, have extended westward across the Continent the right hand of fraternal friendship to compliment a state of but 50,000 people. I would not have you unmindful that I appreciate the honor thus paid to the school system of Nevada, one of the youngest of the States, as well as this compliment paid to myself, its chief school officer. Many of you are more familiar than I with the needs of the Department, know better than I what are the objects it should accomplish. To you, educators of the East and South Southwest, I shall look for counsel. In the coming meeting to be held in Washington in February next, I ask your earnest co-operation. Members of the Department, again I thank you for the honor of having been made your President. The following papers were then presented: County Superintendents-Their Relations and Duties to Teachers, by Hon. E. B. McElroy, of Oregon. Teachers' Institutes, by Hon. D. C. Tillotson, of Kansas. After which the Department adjourned to meet in the City of Washington, D. C., sometime during the coming winter. CHARLES C. DAVIDSON, Secretary, Alliance, Ohio. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENTS.-THEIR RELATIONS AND BY E. B. MCELROY, STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC HISTORY. The office of County Superintendent was act of the Legislative Assembly, Oct. 29, 1872. created in Oregon by At the same time the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction was detached from that of Governor, and became a separate and distinct office. At that date, it may be said, the Oregon school system was projected and formulated. yet in a formative condition. The scheme of duties then prescribed for the County Superintendents was as follows: 1. He was required to lay off his county into convenient school districts. 2. To make records of the same. 3. To superintend and assist in the erection and establishment thereof. 4. To apportion the school funds received from all sources to the several districts. 5. To draw orders in favor of district officers. 6. To keep accounts with the County Treasurer and the District Clerks. 7. To select, locate, and appraise school lands. 8. To supervise and care for the same. 9. To examine applicants to teach. 10. To distribute blanks, school laws, etc., to school officers. 11. To hold public examinations quarterly. 12. To visit schools annually. 13. To receive, examine, and file reports made quarterly by teachers. 14. To receive, examine, and file reports from District Clerks, annually. 15. To make an annual finance exhibit to the County Commissioners. 16. To make an annual report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. COMPENSATION. For all of this work he received at that day the magnificent average salary of one hundred and fifty dollars per annum, said sum payable at the option of the County Court. This option was one of the unknown quantities that disturbed the dreams of the then superintendent, and was mitigated in no degree by the reflection that if any one of the sixteen enumerated duties should be in any manner neglected, this "dereliction and malfeasance of office" should be promptly punished by a good round. fine of one hundred dollars, and if this pecuniary reminder should prove insufficient to check his reckless carelessness, he was to be summarily dismissed from his "high and lucrative" position. It is but justice to state that history does not record a single fine during the first decadeprobably for the reason that no superintendent could be found whose assets would meet such weighty strain. QUALIFICATIONS. The office of County Superintendent is one of the most important in our public school system. His duties are numerous and often onerous in many ways only familiar to those who have had experience in this work. It follows, therefore, that he should be a person of native ability, scholarly attainments, and of sound moral character. If, in addition to these requirements, he has had some years' experience in the schoolroom as a successful and practical teacher, it may be said that he possesses about all the necessary qualifications that can be reasonably demanded of one who is to administer the school affairs of a county. The successful organization of a system of county schools requires an active, able, and efficient leader. The County Superintendent may, by some imprudent or ill-advised step, work disaster in his school districts, and he should therefore be a person of comprehensive views and good judgment, able to grapple with and adjust the complicated questions frequently arising. The importance of the work may be seen from several standpoints :The Superintendent's influence in shaping and directing the usefulness of teachers and pupils; his power to license teachers; his responsibility as a school visitor, are some of the prominent duties of the office demanding our attention. The energetic Superintendent may do great good by visiting his schools, especially if he has the work at heart and loves to encourage the teachers and children more than he loves his salary. And, from this point of view, we must award the greatest philanthropy and disinterested motives to our Superintendents in Oregon, for, in many instances, after deducting the expense of school visits from their salary, they find nothing left. And here we are reminded that the word salary formerly meant salt; it still has that significance to several "Web-foot " Superintendents,-they barely save their salt. If, then, the Superintendent visits his school in the right spirit,—not with the determination of impinging his own special plans of instruction |
