iar with school laws-who ought to be and sustained me triumphantly. Our above local excitements and paltry pre- State superintendent always has the floodjudices-acted as a judge, a jury-a court tide of public sympathy in his favorof conciliation--a court of law, a court of and he must decide outrageously not to equity, and finally, as a firm and sensi- have the entire community at his side. ble friend of all the parties! Our counI don't remember, and have no statisty superintendents answered to a coun- ticle table to show, before me, how many ty court, and the few appeals that went cases were appealed annually from the up from their decisions, went to the State county officers to the state superintenSuperintendent, who in school cases, (com-dent, while we had county superintenmenced before a County Superintendent, dent,. (The latter office was abolished or before himself,) answered to a court of before I became state superintendent.) I appeals. know however they were very few. I can In our State he was and is an officer speak for this county, for the two terms within his jurisdiction, the most absolute in which I held its superintendency. There known to our laws. No legislature, per- was not a single case appealed during haps, would ever at once, and directly have those two terms. Nay, there was scarceconferred such powers. It grew gradu-ly a case carried out in form before me.ally out of circumstances, and out of the When I found one was arising, I always necessity of the case-unless the schools asked the parties to wait until I could were to be swamped by litigation, and un- come on the ground and talk with them less the vast machinery necessary to car-face to face on the subject. In nineteen ry on nearly 12000 schools, and to annu- cases out of twenty they assented to this, ally pay from the public treasurer over a and I have not a single case in recollecmillion of dollars, was to be left to fall tion where I failed to settle the matter to into irregularity and inefficiency. And the comparative, and frequently to the never have our people complained of the entire satisfaction of all. I presume this high and summary powers of the State was very much the same over the entire Superintendent. In the few questions state. I would not give a farthing for a ever raised on the subject, they have in- system where the officers are not armed variably stood by him, Indeed, I hardly with proper powers. I do not mean the now recollect an instance of such a ques- mere power of advising, (if that can be tion getting to any extent before the pub-called a power,) but with authority to enlic, unless in the case of my decision, in force, by removals from office, by withthe case of Quigley vs. Gifford, (on the holding the public money, &c. It is the subject of compelling Catholic children sheet anchor of any efficient system. to read the version of the Bible used by Our county superintendency operated Protestants, and to attend Protestant re-admirably. No intelligent man will now ligious services.) deny this. When the law first went into This is a question on which so much effect that very able man, John C. Spensensitiveness exists in the public mind, cer, was superintendent. Through his efthat my decision called out a few public ficient deputy, Mr. Samuel S. Randall, he murmurs, but the newspapers of the solicited able and public spirited men State, almost in a body, without reference throughout the state to become candidates to any party or sect, rushed to my defense for the local superintendencies. Many a man did so, and was elected, (by the su- The idea was preposterous! I prolonged pervisors,) who "would not have looked the examination half an hour revolving at" what many at the time, would have bitterly in my own mind how I should considered much more important officers. perform my duty with any degree of Many of them were or had been teachers, grace. Seeing no way to do this, I finalbut they were not a band of opinionated, ly shut my eyes and took the leap. I recrotchetty pedagogues; they were of gen-jected the entire class. Had a stunning eral information—of knowledge of the clap of thunder broke from that clear world-of standing. They were not men April sky, there would not have been who could be sunk down into agents and such a momentary look of surprise. The puffers for book publishers! Two dollars next instant mortification and wounded a day (and no margin for "roast beef,") feelings filled the room with sobs. I espaid their horse hire, and for their time caped; but then I had accepted an inviand efforts they found their pay in the tation to take tea and stay over night good which they daily saw themselves ac- with magnate number one. Here was a complishing! Oh, sir, I look back with new trial. I marched over, as cool (just delight to a period of my life when I was about) as a soldier mounting "the deadly facing storms, breaking through winter imminent breach," with Hyder Ali or a drifts, going without regular meals, to Russian garrison on the other side. We bear what I may term the missionary got down to the tea table. The Squire cross among the hills and valleys of this evidently had a terribly choking sensation about the throat. Finally he tho't country. How the "new officer" was dreaded he must relieve his mind, and he saidat his first approach by fossil school mas- "Randall, what did you reject ters and jealous town officers! They for?" At that moment entered had some occasion to dread him. I re- the room, with eyes redder than another member well my first visit to the town Niobe's. Said I, "You hear your father's ofto examine teachers. That was question, can you answer it for me?"before we had town superintendents, and "I suppose, sir, because I was not qualiwhile we had three commissioners and fied," was the reply. "Exactly," said I, three inspectors in each town. In the "Squire, be good enough to pass me the town of these were all my political bread?" The next morning and personal friends, and therefore came and two out very cordially to meet me at the ex- other rejected and dejected ones were amination. They were the leading men started off by their parents for the acadof the town; two of them decidedly its emy. I told them I thought with two or magnates. One of the magnates had a three weeks of rubbing up, they would daughter, and another a sister, to be ex-"pass muster." But no, they had made amined. Both of the young ladies had up their minds that they would be beholdtaught for several seasons, and were not en to no man's lenity in future. They aware that it was necessary for them to went to the academy, They staid until think of looking over their studies or they became polished scholars and on two "brightening up" for the examination.- of them I afterwards conferred state cerTheir father's and brother's friend-the tificates, as teachers of the highest grade man whom their fathers and brothers of attainment and practical skill. Now had supported for office-reject them? for the moral of this anecdote. I know that the law creating cou t y superinten-nd they are ready to meet the extra exdents was terribly ung of ular in the town ense." The next time I entered that of, even before I came down ontown I was met by a convocation of them "like a wolf on the fold!" They chools, arranged in their holiday bravethought it a terrible thing in theory to ry, banners waving and a band of music clothe a "central "officer with such pow-dternating its strains with songs and ers and cer.a.nly they had fund it rohymns, written for the occasion, pealed joke in practice! So when a few months forth by the entire body of the children afterwards I turned my horses' heads into of the town. And foremost in the demthe quiet little valley of the-, Ionstration, were the rejected teachers of could not but reflect with what secret if the preceding season. not open aversion I should be received i.. Indifference warmed into interest, and the schools. However remembering interest swelled into enthusiasm in our "faint heart never won" anything worth schools, and such I believe to have been having, I drove straight to the 'Squires the history of the county superintendand "put up." His nephew, a tine young ency in a large proportion of the counman, was the new town superintendent. ues of the state-everywhere where comOn I went for two or three days through petent men filled the office. But a feelthe schools, calmly and firmly administer-ing of deep hostility was manifested ing praise or censure as I thought circum- against the law from the outset. In some stances demanded. The teachers quiver- counties, miserable officers were appointed and blanched a little at the outset, but ed. In others, it was claimed that they all were deeply respectful and finally a depreciated after the first incumbents regood many of them got on pretty good tired. But, independently of all such terms with themselves and me before the considerations, there is a prejudice among examination of their schools closed. The our people against centralizing office, trustees and people turned out to meet and a most salutary one it is, if not carme. They bore the rebukes I adminis-ried to an improper extent, or into imtered where I thought it necessary, for proper departments. Each town desires the bad condition of the school houses, to be a little commonwealth in itself, and libraries, &c., with a capital grace, and to submit to just as few outside officers many asked me home with them. Final-as may be. Then again the central office ly, I remarked to the town superintend- is held, and its pay and honors are moent that I met a more cordial reception nopolized by one; division makes offices than I expected, after such an opening and honors for many. I'll wager that I in the town. "Oh, sir," said he, "that could get up a powerful petition to abolopening revolutiomzed our town. A pe-ish the office of sheriff, and put in his tition has been sent here from abroad for place a town officer to discharge the same signers, to have the legislature abolish duties in each town! We New Yorkers the county superintendency. Our people endure some old central officers, because have mostly signed a remonstrance against we have got used to seeing them, but I its abolition. They say when disinter-assure you, we shall create very few new ested officers are sent in, and justice ones! Well, this idea is the very bulcomes evenhanded on big and little, and wark of liberty, and so let us endure it teachers are made to earn the worth of even where it operates a little unpleasthe money, the law must be a good one antly. But now the fight is over and so sad a sequel has followed, I believe thou-really of their respective qualifications, sands who warmed up against the coun you can readily see how natural it would ty superintendency, would now remain be for any one to vote for the person to quiet. If a legislature should now quiet-whom the office would be considered a ly pass the law over again, I doubt much kindness. whether it would call out any serious op- The town superintendents, as a body position. The truth is, the present sys- are not nearly so well qualified as they tem is a failure, and the blindest will be- were while the county superintendency fore long see it. It is not even as good remained. The latter officer kept up a in my opinion, as the old one, where we feeling for improvement which induced had commissioners and inspectors. Then the people to think far more about, and as the office was so divided that little la-care far more for the qualifications of bor fell on each, and the pay was an ob- their officers. ject to none, the first men in each town In our cities, villages, and in some othwere willing to serve. Educated profes- er favored places, the great reformation sional men formed a large proportion of which began in our schools with the these officers. If they did little, they county superintendency, is still kept on. did it with good sense and with good Our state and town teachers' associations taste. They did not belittle anything. do much to keep the vestal fire burning Now, in the hands of a town superin--but my deliberate judgment is that the tendent, there are a considerable range body of our schools have sunk back into of duties devolving on one man. The the old slough quite as deep as they were pay is too inconsiderable to employ a fifteen years ago. I may be wrong in man who considers his time of any value. this, but I believe it. There is not scope enough to the office to Do you ask me why, entertaining such invite the labors of philanthropy. Many views, I failed in my reports as State Suof our town superintendents are well periutendent, to vigorously press the imqualified men, but an unfortunately large mediate restoration of the County Suproportion, too, are superannuated teach-perintendency? I am ready to answer ers, who never were qualified to teach a you. If I am not quite prepared to deschool, and others whom the towns have clare my belief in the maxim "vox popbestowed the offices on because they are uli, vox dei!" still I believe that the too feeble to work, lame, or poor, and people have a right to do this, or do that, being persons of excellent character, this according to their own good pleasure. has been thought a good way to provide It is all nonsense, in my judgment, for for them. Of course I do not mean that any man, or set of men, in matters where these reasons would often induce a town no deep principle is involved, to keep up to elect a man wholly unqualified. But a struggle against the settled tide of pubit has induced them to elect men not suf- lic opinion. It is worse than useless, ficiently qualified. Unfortunately the because it only perpetuates the evil, if town superintendents are nominated in evil there be. There was an acrimonious the political caucuses just like the other contest in this St te, and the County town officers. When the struggle comes Superintendency was put down. Keep between two-one poor or unable to work up a constant fusilade on the subject, --and when the body of the voters have and the old fires of prejudice will be kept had no opportunity to know anything burning. Drop the subject, and let the officer would cost less than one for each town. I have given you my views at extraor people look coolly at the matter a few years-investigate, without being thrown into the position of combatants-and then the "sober second thought" will be dinary length for me, crowded as I am at heard. If that second thought says represent with other objects. But one canstore, then restore it will be; if it says thinks of the importance of your great not but feel a deep interest when he the contrary, we cannot help ourselves, and must submit. In my last annual rewestern commonwealth starting port, at the close of 1853, I submitted my does not feel at liberty to decline to right in their educational career, and he If I new throw his "mite of opinion into the scale chaff. TO DISTRICT BOARDS. individual views in favor of the restoration of the County Superintendency, but still advised the legislature to wait a little longer, as no where is excited popular controversy so fatal as in our schools. I have little doubt the office will be restored within two or three years. were in a State, where the question was an open one, I should most assuredly press the establishment of the office.State, Assembly district, and town SuThe first number of the Journal conperintendents, with proper powers and tained a circular issued by this Departduties, constitute infinitely the best sys- ment, calling attention to the list of retem, and if the results are to be taken commended Text Books, and also to the into view, the cheapest one. There is no law regulating the adoption of the same. economy in saving a dollar to each head Section 40 of the School Laws reads of a family per annum by a system of as follows: schools in which it will take ten years "The Board in each school district for his children to procure the amount shall have power under the advice of the of education which they ought to obtain Superintendent of Public Instruction, in five. If I could have my choice, and to determine what school and Text Books was obliged to give up either, the county taught in the schools of such district.” or town superintendency, I would give The evident design of the Law, in this up the latter. To do all the school bu-section, and of other sections, touching siness of a county, (I should rather say the same point, was, and is, to secure the Assembly district, for a county gives no co-operation on the part of school offiidea of size or number of population,) cers, in the introduction of a uniform sewould make one man too much of a ries of Text Books throughout the State, drudge, but out of a whole Assembly dis- which is greatly to be desired. While trict, you could always, if the appointing presenting this, our view of the intent of power was exercised discreetly, get a well the law, we disclaim any wish or intenqualified man and then something would tion to force, arbitrarily, as has been be done to good purpose. Under the charged, our recommendation upon Disother system you cannot be at all sure trict Boards, or the people. We only that what is done in many towns will be ask you to examine the recommendation done to good purpose. And a county with unbiassed minds, and to decide ac shall be used in the several branches |