THE COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The SPEAKER announced the special order to be the consideration of the bill [H. R. 322] concerning common schools, commencing at Section 32.
Mr. BERRYMAN'S motion made several days ago, pending, that the bill be recommitted to the Committee, with the instruction to strike out all part relating to County Superintendents.
Mr. KENNER thought the principal of County Superintendents is a good one, although it is like anything else--subject to bad management. If they are not doing their duty, it is the fault of the County, and not the officer or his assistant. He appealed to this body not to abolish this office, thinking it a step backward.
Mr. O'NEAL--That is the voice of the people exactly.
Mr. FLOYD thought it would be a great calamity to abolish this office. To arrive at the value of this office in dollars and cents would be simply impossible. He thought to see the great benefits of the County Superintendents' office, it is only necessary to compare our present standard with that of ten years ago, under the old examining system.
Mr. COTTON thought the cost of the office of County Superintendent should be a secondary consideration compared to its usefulness. He favored having a Superintendent for every well-regulated affair, either mechanical or educational. He attributed the cause of complaint of this office more to the poor selection of Superintendents than the office itself.
Mr. FANCHER--I am satisfied the people of this State are not clamoring for what a few Representives claim: The abolition of this office. We must have a County Examiner. There is nothing in the name, but of the two I think that of County Superintendent is the most preferable. Now, we have experience before us upon which to build. We must have some law by which the teachers are examined. All the people of the State are asking for is that we cut down the expense that office. There is no use sending this bill back to the Committee.
Mr. WRIGHT--I am certain we do not want to abolish the office of County Superintendent. I believe that the educational interests of the various Counties of this State at the present time warrant us in employing some competent person to superintend the educational interests of the different Counties of the State, and just here I wish to remark that the trouble with school teachers and teaching is the fact that the pay of teachers is such that they generally devote themselvesto the business for, perhaps, one or two years, and then go into something more profitable. If you would attain the highest proficiency in the matter teaching, persons in this calling must be remunerated so as to enable them to devote themselves to that profession for a livelihood. I am honestly the opinion that County Superintendents ought not to be abolished. I speak for that office because I want this bill preserved in its present shape. I understand that this bill has the indorsement of Professor Smart and Professor Bloss, gentlemen who have given their lives to the study of this matter. I am not here as representative from Grant County, to set up my opinion against men who know much better what the educational interests need than I do. I regard the County Superintendent as the Colonel of the regiment of educators of the County, and the State Superintendent as the General of the army of great educators. If you strike the County Superintendent out of this bill it will destroy the symmetry of the bill, and it ought not to pass at all.
The motion was rejected--yeas, 14; nays, 76.
Mr. RYAN offered an amendment to so restrain the qualifications of the office that it will not only be a benefit to the school but also an honor to the man holding it, and a credit to all parties.
Mr. CARR hoped the amendment would not prevail from the fact that it would abolish half the Superintendents of the State. He moved to lay the amendment on the table.
This motion was rejected.
Mr. FANCHER offered to substitute the words: "A graduate of some good College of good standing." He said: I think this amendment ought to prevail in preference to the one of the the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Ryan), from the fact that a graduate from some good College, in my judgment, is far better qualified and would make a more efficient County Superintendent than a man who has taught five years in our District Schools.
Mr. MOODY I understand the amendment of the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Ryan) provides that the County Superintendent, in order to be eligible to the office, shall hold a certificate from the State Board before acting as County Superintendent of Schools. That is entirely distinct from other qualifications necessary to entitle him to this position. I think the amendment of the gentleman from Delaware is preferable to the one offered by the gentleman from Lake (Mr. Fancher.)
Mr. NEFF was heartily in favor of the amendment offered by the gentleman from Delaware. He considered it a poor compliment to a College graduate to ask to be exempted from the same examination the boy is who has obtained his education in day and night schools as best he could.
The substitute was rejected.
The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. MARSHALL--I find that in line eleven it defines all the branches of education. If any patrons in the District want a branch taught that is not mentioned there, it does not say how many persons shall decide. I want it to say that a majority of persons, etc. I hope this amendment will pass.
Mr. RYAN offered a substitute to the amendment by striking out all regarding the extra branches taught in Common Schools. He said: I think that in Common Schools, outside of cities, towns and graded schools, there should be nothing taught but the eight fundamental branches prescribed by the statutes.
Mr. COTTON--I have seen boys and girls advanced, when they could not have made their board working, studying the higher branches. We have built our school-houses double, many of them employing two teachers together, and then the children could advance where they could not page: 42[View Page 42] have advanced any other way. We have advanced our children, some who are not able to pay for schooling outside of their Districts, and now will you come here and say we will not educate these children in the higher branches, but compel their parents to send them to a College or Academy? We have room to do it, and why not give them the benefit of it?
Mr. LINSDAY thought there were too many high branches taught in the Common Schools and the little ones do not get enough attenton. He was opposed to educating the advanced children at the sacrifice of the smaller ones.
Mr. FALL--I understand the object of our Common School system to be this: To do the greatest amount of good to the greatest number of persons. Where there is one or two persons in a school room that reqire all the attention of the teacher in hearing recitations in Greek and Latin, and the balance of the children sitting idle that is a perversion of the rule for doing the atest good to the greatest number. It is not the intent of the law.
Mr. MITCHELL was opposed to amendment of the gentleman from Delaware (Mr. Ryan.)
Mr. SCHWEITZER could not see the object of the amendment. He was opposed to any such restrictions for the reason that there are many useful things to be learned in the school room outside of the eight branches.
Mr. MARSHALL--It costs the teacher a great deal of trouble, and heretofore it has been the custom to neglect the smaller pupils they often going home without the necessary recitations.
Mr. HAMILTON favored the passage of the amendment. He said if the children were all small, and expected to remain so, it would be well to devote all the time to those branches, but there are a majority of larger pupils advanced oftentimes, who are not able to attend a College or Seminary, and it is nothing more than reasonable and fair that they should have the privilege of pursuing these studies in their distinct schools.
The substitute was rejected, and the amendment was adopted.
The House adjourned till to-morrow.
