14

I now pass to several special topics, all of them important
and some concerning which information is needed to correct'
misapprehension. The appendix contains the by-laws issued
by the State Board, Circulars issued by the State Superin-
tendent, and an abstract of the proceedings of the Associa-
tion of School Commissioners.

The subjects discussed are

1. School supervision.

2. Plans for the improvement of teachers.

3. Text Books, School Libraries and School Journal.

4. School Houses.

5. Irregular attendance at School.

6. Academies, High Schools and Colleges.

7. The Maryland Institute Schools.

8. Graded Schools.

9. Travels of the Superintendent.

10. Private Schools and Academies.

11. Comparative cost of the Schools and the Courts, &c.

12. Amendments to the School Law.

13. School Revenues.

14. Miscellaneous.

SCHOOL SUPERVISION.

To have good Schools there must be an active, intelligent
and continued supervision. Without this the best theories
will fail to produce beneficent results. Young teachers left
to themselves will become discouraged, older teachers will
be negligent, and settle down into apathetic routine work.
School houses will be neglected and cheerless, children dis-
contented and listless. There must be a supervising eye, a
guiding mind, an active, energizing intelligence. Having
studied the history of the progress of education in all the
States by reading the reports transmitted to the Legislatures
for a series of years, I find no note of progress until the sys-
tem of County Superintendence by practical school man was
adopted. This at once infused vitality, and when compensa-
tion was given to reliable, earnest men to devote their time
to the work, from that date the Public Schools began to ad-
vance and meet the wants of the citizens. Schools literally
groped in the dark—withered into worthlessness—became
the reproach instead of the honor of the district when organ-
ized on independent bases and conducted without supervision.

A New Jersey report, 1864, lamenting the impotency of the
School system, asks—" What can the State do to improve its
condition ?" The reply is, " Experience has taught us that
this can be effected only by active Superintendents, who will
devote their time to the supervision of the SchoolsJ thus se-
curing uniformity and efficiency.

A New York report, 1860, says: " The experience of