Learning to Be a Schoolmaster

by Thomas R. Cole

After considering carefully my possible qualifications for administrative work, I decided that to secure the superintendency of schools in a small town was the proper educational step for me to take. By an application through regular channels I succeeded in being elected to the coveted position and thereby gained what I was seeking—administrative opportunity.

As the election had been given me without a personal application, I decided to invest eighteen dollars in a trip to my new field of labor during the spring vacation, so that I might get acquainted with the general school situation. The first important discovery that I made was that the superintendent who was leaving had the ill will of a part of the community, but still had the loyal support of the teachers. My problem was to get his coöperation so that I could enter the work with as little friction as possible, and to obtain general knowledge of his plans of school administration. Both these factors were very essential to a succeeding superintendent. He gave me the coöperation and information most willingly—a service which I have never ceased to appreciate.

I met the members of the board as individuals and was received very cordially by them. No doubt they were interested in seeing me and appreciated the interest I showed in getting acquainted with the work in advance.

We moved to the town during the middle of August. As soon as we became settled, my attention was turned to the work of the new position. I had already given a close study to the grade and high school programs and course of study. Copies of the different courses of study offered in well-organized neighboring schools were also obtained in order that I might get a broader view of the school conditions in that section of the state.

Ten days before the opening of school I placed a notice in the town paper inviting all the high school pupils who had attended school the year before to call at the building and see me. A considerable number responded to this request, and through these pupils I received a large amount of valuable information.

One of my first tasks was to prepare a high school program which would permit the pupils to carry the work that they should pursue in accordance with their chosen courses of study. We had only three teachers for the high school, including myself, which narrowed the range of subjects that might be offered each semester. Before attempting to make a program I compiled a list of names of all the pupils who had attended high school the year before, with the lists of the subjects each pupil had completed. I then made a statement of the subjects that each pupil should take during the ensuing year. This gave the necessary information for making a program. When school opened each pupil was given a slip of paper showing the credits he had made to date and the subjects for which he was to register. By checking carefully, all conflicts were eliminated and the first day of instruction went off without delay or friction. This was worth much to the school and to me. Not all my time, however, was given to the making of a high school program. I prepared a tentative time schedule for the subjects in the elementary grades. This schedule, with a few minor changes, was afterward adopted by the grade teachers.

The business side of the school was especially interesting to me. I believed then, and still believe, that a successful superintendent must be a close student of school costs. He must know and keep constantly in mind the amount of money available for school expenses and be able to recommend how that money can be expended to the best advantage. Too often the superintendent, by the nature of his tenure, is forced to plan only for the one year—a policy that is wasteful to the district and harmful to the general efficiency of the school. In order to secure a comprehensive idea of the school supplies on hand and what would be needed, I asked the janitor to assist me in making a complete check of all the books and supplies in the building. This work proved very helpful to me later and was alone worth the two extra weeks I had given to my new position.

With the school program made, supplies checked, and a good preliminary acquaintance with the board members and school conditions, I left the building on Friday evening preceding the opening of school feeling ready for the year’s work to begin.

TEACHERS’ MEETINGS

A teacher said to me recently, “I wish Mr. —— had remained at A—— as superintendent. We always had splendid teachers’ meetings when he was with us.” This comment interested me and I asked her the character of the meetings. She replied, “We had regular sectional meetings once a month and a general teachers’ meeting every six weeks. The sectional meetings were for the purpose of giving and getting definite suggestions that would be helpful to the teachers of each individual group. The general meeting was always a happy gathering. Mr. —— would make his message cheerful and inspirational and we left those meetings with a spirit of wanting to do more than we had ever done before.” What this young woman said is true. Teachers want meetings that give something tangible and definite to assist them in their work.