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libraries, &c., with a capital grace, and many asked me home with them. Finally, I remarked to the Town Superintendent that I met a more cordial reception than I expected, after such an opening in the town. Oh, sir,' said he, that opening revolutionized our town. A petition has been sent here from abroad for signers, to have the Legislature abolish the County Superinendency. Our people have mostly signed a remonstrance gainst its abolition. They say when disinterested officers are ent in, and justice comes even-handed on big and little, and eachers are made to earn the worth of the money, the law nust be a good one, and they are ready to meet the extra expense.' The next time I entered that town I was met by a convocation of schools, arranged in their holiday bravery, banners waving and a band of music alternating its strains with songs and hymns, written for the occasion, pealed forth by the entire body of the children of the town. And foremost in the demonstration, were the rejected teachers of the preceding season!

"Indifference warmed into interest, and interest swelled into enthusiasm in our schools. Such I believe to have been the history of the County Superintendency in a large proportion of the counties of the State-everywhere where competent men filled the office."

Such was the admirable working of the County Superintendency in New York. In an evil hour, the system was abolished, but after a while the great error was made so manifest, that the system was restored by providing for a Superintendent for each Assembly District-which are nearly three times as populous as our Wisconsin Assembly Districts—and the largest measure of -success has attended the restoration.

The annual reports of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Pennsylvania for the years 1856 and 1857, give a synopsis of the working of the system of County Superintendency in that State, after only two years' trial, as shown in the well administered Counties, which exhibit the following most cheering results:

"1. Organized, well attended and efficient Institutes and Associations by teachers for self-improvement.

"2. Largely increased interest by Directors in the duties of their office.

"3. Improvement in school houses and furniture.

"4. Great increase in uniformity of text-books, and improvement in classification.

"5. The enlargement of the number of promising qualified teachers in the profession, and the retirement of by far more, who were found to be incompetent.

"6. Increase in the salaries of teachers, and in their standing and influence as members of society.

"7. Manifest improvement in the schools, with a strong tendency towards grading them, and the introduction of a more liberal course of study

"8. More frequent visits to the schools by parents, and a greater interest on their part in the means provided by the State, for the intellectual culture of their children.

"9. Numerous public examinations and exhibitions, at the close of the term, well attended by parents, and showing a noble conviction on the part of teachers, that their duty has been so discharged as not to fear the public eye.

"10. Strong emulation not only between neighboring schools and districts, but between neighboring counties, and different and distant sections of the State.

"11. Marked improvement in the methods of teaching, and more interest in the literature of the profession.

"12. A pervading consciousness of the necessity of more and better means for the education of teachers, as such, and a determination to secure them at the earliest possible period."

This office of County or District Superintendent, appears to fill a gap in the School system, that will sooner or later be demanded in Wisconsin. At present, the Clerks of our Boards of Supervisors make an annual return of the school statistics of their respective counties, but farther than this, they do nothing-nothing more being required of them. Perhaps this is all that could reasonably be expected of that officer, who has other duties to perform, this matter of making an annual report on school statistics, being merely an isolated and secondary consideration. I can see very clearly, that a powerful stimulus would be given to the cause of popular education, if there were a County or District Superintendent, to devote his whole time to the educational interests of his special district, exercising a thorough supervision of the schools, examining, with others associated with him, candidates for teachers' certificates, furnishing to the State Superintendent statistics and detailed statements of the condition and progress of the common school interests of his district, arranging for, and assisting in, Teachers' Institutes, adjusting controversies, lecturing on educational subjects, and using every possible means to inspire in the schools, school officers, and people of his district, a generous enthusiasm in the noble work and objects of education.

There are four of the matters here indicated as appropriate duties for such a County or District Superintendent, of such paramount importance, that I must not dismiss them without further reference.

1. Supervision.-The school officers, under our present system, whose duty it is made to visit and inspect schools, do very

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little in this exceedingly important matter. A proper visitation of schools, by intelligent and able visitors, is productive of unspeakable good, to both teachers and pupils. In Europe, from despotic Russia, down to the smallest canton of republican Switzerland, there are able officers, who exercise an active and provident supervision over the public schools. It is so in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Upper Canada, and elsewhere. school visitation and inspection, if done by thoroughly competent men, gives an opportunity of discovering errors of practice, and suggesting remedies, as to the organization, classification, and methods of teaching-securing uniformity in the use of the best text books, school management, and modes of instruction-examining the pupils, animating and encouraging the teachers in their arduous work, and stirring up the parents and school officers to a deeper interest in the noble work of education. Too much importance cannot be attached to such school inspection. "Holland," says Hon. E. RYERSON, Chief Superintendent of Public Instruction of Upper Canada, "is probably superior to every other country in the world, in its system of inspection. With some of these Inspectors it was my good fortune to meet in Holland; they accompanied me to various schools under their charge; their entrance into the schools was welcomed by the glowing countenances of both teachers and pupils, who seemed to regard and receive them as friends, from whom they expected both instruction and encouragement; nor were their expectations disappointed, so far as I had an opportunity of judging; the examinations and remarks in each instance, showed the Inspector to be intimately acquainted with every department of the instruction given, and imparted animation and delight to the whole school." The importance attached to this class of officers, may be inferred from the admonition of the venerable Vanden Ende, late Chief Commissioner of Primary Instruction in Holland, to M. Cousin, in 1836, "Be careful in the choice of your Inspectors; they are men who ought to be sought for with lantern in hand." No such supervision is possible on the part of the State Superintendent; for if he were to devote his entire time to visiting the schools of the State, to the utter neglect of every other duty, and should visit two schools a day, it would require between six and seven years to get once around-more than three times the length of his term of office.

2. Teachers' Certificates.-It is not necessary to dwell upon the inefficiency and want of uniformity in the present mode of each Town Superintendent examining teachers and granting certificates. Many of these Town Superintendents are not themselves qualified to properly examine a candidate for a teacher's

certificate; and where one is capable and faithful, and the candidate is rejected as wanting in the necessary qualifications, it is but too frequently the case, that the rejected candidate will pass on to the next Town Superintendent, and readily succeed in passing an examination, or securing a certificate without being subjected to any ordeal whatever. This practice of certificating unworthy teachers is ruinous to the best interests and hopes of education, and calls loudly for redress. Could a County or District Superintendent, chosen with special reference to his peculiar fitness for the office-perhaps a man of long and eminent expérience as a teacher-with perhaps two practical teachers, selected by the Teachers' Association of the district, form an Examining Board, to visit if a County Board-each town in the County, at least twice in each year, to examine and grant certificates to properly qualified teachers, I have no doubt that this, or some similar plan, would have an admirable effect upon the whole school system of the State; and doubly so, if a graded system of certificates could be established. "Our graded Provisional certificates," states Hon. H. C. HICKOK, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Pennsylvania, "which are good for only one term or one year, indicate the exact qualifications of inferior applicants, and stimulate self-improvement and progress. The Professional or Permanent certificate, sometimes. called a County certificate, is of a much higher character, and is granted only after a thorough examination in the branches named, and actual observation in the school, of the holder's skill and success in the Art of Teaching.' Both of these certificates are granted by the County Superintendent, and limited to the County in which issued. It is not proposed to issue any other certificates, except the two classes of State certificates provided for in our Normal School act, viz: 1st, a State certificate of scholarship, to be granted to the graduates of the Normal Schools, or to common school teachers of equal qualifications, after a public examination by not less than three, nor more than five principals of Normal Schools; 2nd, a full State certificate of competence in the practice of teaching, by the same authorities, to the holders of the certificate of scholarship, after the expiration of two years, and two full terms of successful teaching in the common schools; so carefully is it intended to protect and elevate the professional character of the vocation. In no case will a certificate, either State or County, be granted to a teacher as a matter of compliment; no applicant, whatever his pretensions, can receive these passports to the profession from favoritism in any quarter; but only as evidence of intrinsic merit, after the thorough and unrelenting scrutiny, which I have indicated."

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3. Furnishing Statistics and Information.-A County or District Superintendent could furnish all statistics and school information needed from his district by the State Superintendent; and thus these necessary statistics would not be, as they now very frequently are, so erroneous as to make it necessary to return them repeatedly for correction, and sometimes utterly fail of securing the corrections desired. Such County or District Superintendent could collect and embody in his annual report a full statement of facts relative to the condition, progress and wants of his district-a sad want for which no means of supplying is now provided. The State Superintendent constantly feels the need of some such officer, familiar with a special locality-a county, for instance-to whom to apply for much needed information. The reports of the County Superintendents of Pennsylvania, appended to the State Superintendent's Annual Report, are full of interest, information, and suggestions, alike to the State Superintendent, the Legislature, and readers in general.

4. Adjusting Controversies.-Whoever knows any thing of the difficulties under which the State Superintendent now frequently labors in appeal cases-perhaps some important fact improperly or obscurely stated, which if fully known,might produce a very different decision-whoever knows any thing of such difficulties, knows very well how much more understandingly such cases could be examined and decided on the spot, with all the facts brought fully to view-perhaps relating to a schoolhouse site, the propriety of which could only be determined by a personal inspection. This would be a very important part of the labors of a County or District Superintendent, and from his im partial decision, few appeals would ever be made to the State Superintendent.

All things considered, I should think a County Superintendent, at least for many years to come, would prove more suitable to our condition than one for an Assembly District or Judicial Circuit. The most of the Assembly Districts would be unable to maintain such an officer in service for any useful period; and a Judicial Circuit would be too large for a Superintendent to properly visit and inspect the schools, examine candidates for teachers' certificates, thoroughly learn the condition of the schools, adjust wranglings and difficulties, and infuse a spirit of emulation and enthusiasm among the people on the subject of popular education. Let the County Superintendent be elected by the people at the Spring election, so as to keep the office as distinct as possible from party politics; or let him be appointed by the County Board of Supervisors, or by the State Board of Education upon proper recom mendations of fitness and qualification; to serve for three years,

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