~- f‘wmvuv ‘2 yum» -» ‘ . A Plan of Rural Schooi Supervision for M‘anistee County, Mich. Albert John Dahlgren l 9 3 4 Ill] “IIIWHHIIIIIIIIIIIIHI P5. 3 129_3 10643 6110 1:15.513 MSU LIBRARIES “ _RETURNING MATERIALS: Place in book drop to remove this checkout from your record. FINES Nil} be charged if book is returned after the date stamped below. A PLAN OF RURAL SCHOOL igPVERVISIQE FOR MANISTEE COUNTY MICHIGAN A Thesis Prepared by ALBERT JOHN DAHLGREN as Portia]. Fulfillment for the Degree or Master of Arts MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE DP AGRICULTURE AND APPLIED SCIENCE 1 9 3 4. THE-51" ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was conducted under the direction of the following committee: Dr. E. L. Austin, Chairman Dr. Fe To Mitchell Graphs: l. 2. 5. 4. 5. Maps: 1. 2. 3. 4. LIST OF GRAPES, MAPS AND TABLES Showing Distribution of Enrollment in One- room Schools of Manistee County............. Showing Comparison of Author's Norms and County Norms for the Sixth Grade............ Showing Comparison of Author's Norms and County Norms for the Seventh Grades-cocoa... Showing Comparison of Author's Norms and County Norms for the Eighth Grade........... Showing General Trend of Grade Norms in MEHIStCO County, May 1933..........o.......o Map of Michigan Showing Location of Manistee comty...................................... Map Of Man18tee Countyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeoeoee Map of Manistee County Showing School DistrictSOOOOOOOOOOO0.0.0.000.0.00.00.00.00. Map of Manistee County Showing Distribution of Schools by Quality Classes............... Page 22 57 58 59 62 10 22 25 Tables: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. lo. 11. 12. 15. Showing Tax Rate Determination on Manistee County 1933 - 1934ooeeeeeeoeeeeeoeeeeo Showing Average Enrollment, Number of Teachers and Average percent of Attendance Various Types of Schools....................... Showing Average Enrollment per Teacher for Different Types of Schools..................... Showing Number and Classification of School DIStPICtS in Manistee County................... Valuations of One-room Primary Districts in Manistee County for Year 1932............... Showing Valuation of Two-room Primary Districts for Year 19520000000000...eeeeoeeeeee Showing Valuation of Districts Other Than Primary for Year 1932..................... Distribution of Schools in Manistee County by Quality 01383030000000.0000...eeeeeeeeeeeeeo Showing Number and Qualification of Teachers in Manistee County 1952 - l933........ School Intelligence Score Sheet................ Showing Median Intelligence Quotient of Grades 4 to 9, 1932............................ Individual Achievement Record Sheets........... School Summary Achievement Sheet............... 18 21 21 25 24 25 25 28 29 55 54 55 56 I? II. III. IV. V. VI. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction..................................... Brief History of Schools in Manistee County...... Present Status of Education in Manistee County... 1. 2. 3. 4. -5. 6. 7. 8. Sociological Aspects...................... ECOHOmic StatUSoeeeeeoo..e.....eeoe..eeeee Geographical ASPOCtSeoeeeeeeeooeeeeeeeeeeo School Population and Enrollment.......... SChOOl Districts.......................... School Buildings.......................... Qualifications and Number of Teachers..... Administration and Supervision............ Aims and ObJOCtives Of Education................. Pr1n01ples Of superVISIOneeeeeeeoeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeo Plan Of SUPOPViSionoeeeeeoeeeoeeeoeeeeeeoooeeeeee l. 2. 5. Administrative Organization............... SpOCific ObJQCtivesoeeeeeeeeeeooeeeoeeone. Means of Achieving Objectives............. A. B. C. D. E. Determination of Weakness by Standardized TestSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. Bi-monthly Supervisory Tours....... Circular Letters................... Subject Matter..................... MBthials Of InStruCtionooeeoeeeeee Page 8 ll l4 14 17 19 20 25 26 28 50 54 4O 45 45 50 52 52 65 72 75 79 F. Bi-monthly Teachers' Meeting......... 85 G. Evaluation of Efficiency of Teachers. 88 H. Experimental and Research W0rk....... 91 VII. AUXiliary Agenc1680000000000000000000000000.00.000. 92 l. 2. 5. 4. Teachers' Clubs............................. 92 Parent-Teacher-Associations................. 95 The Newspapers.............................. 95 Rural Library Facilities.................... 96 5 VIII. Evaluating Results of Supervision.................. 98’) 1. 2. 5. 4. 5. 6. Educational Curricula and Objectives........ 99 Materials of Instruction....................lOO Physical Environment........................lOl Achievement of Pupils.......................102 Qualifications of Teachers and Improvement In MethOd 0f Teaching.......................105 Cooperating Agencies........................105 Ix. Con01u81onooeeoeeoeeoeoeooeeeeeeoeeee0.000000000000107 X. Blbllography.......................................112 Nun-nu ‘;fi‘}_‘w,'}!’|rv‘(” ' ._.. ’4‘ ."J'Lifi'VI‘erV 35:: ". 3 4 f'l ' ‘ 4 I L AI!- ' ,...-, ~ raw-0.51. Lj W53": . ;_, a}. , . -,¢..':" :54“ . :3 -...,‘3_ .. jay-(Ions r4 ': ‘ ,1 41:3? - .3 gear... . to 4:. 1.51.592.“ ‘w .‘ atromoh Io. ‘ neon par 5.qu " R: \r, 1 Kim MICHIGAN. Iv Rm onuwwq “19.4. and Anionlturn SCHOOL D! 8731 015 Y = Ire Pricnrv dotc nrv' Red data g1" locnum of school houses in -3- A PLAN OF RURAL SCHOOL SUPERVISION FOR MANISTEE COUNTY MICHIGAN I. INTRODUCTION One of the greatest educational problems of today is that of providing Just and suitable school Opportunities for the boys and girls of the rural come munities. They are entitled to the same educational advantages as the children in the urban centers. There is consequently a recognized and long felt need for supervision in rural education. It is the intent of this thesis to present the status of education in the rural schools of Manistee County, Iichigan as discovered by the author and attempt to formulate a plan of supervision that is practical, economical and utilitarian. Rural education in Ianistee County has been largely a matter of natural development, based upon tradi- tion and the general plan of education as found in the rural sections of Michigan. The population is sparse and the soil ’in the agricultural area is mostly of second and third class.1° The latitude and climatic condition is such.that only certain crops may be grown, consequently the lack of money has re- sulted in insufficient equipment and inadequate teaching 1-Veatch.J. 0. Agricultural Land Classification and Types of Michigan. Special Bulletin No. 231. Mich. State Colby 1952. - p. 49. -9- personnel. There is a decided lack of the facilities common to urban centers. The author, recognizing these deficiencies has endeavored to inculcate a plan of super- vision that is the best that can be done with what there is to do with. SCALE 0F IILES "v ~-—__......_._.__,._ ”7 LH-C‘ av 5- Co Conn-am In A J N 5‘ No.0 12] 8 Slllll t-r Du. Mw. ... -11- II. A BRIEF HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN MANISTEE COUNTY. Education in Manistee County, if we attempted to trace its history and legal status into the distant past) would center upon the impetus given in the Ordinance of the North.west Territoryaapproximately one hundred and fifty years ago. It reads in part "Religion, morality,and knowb ledge being necessary to good government, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."1' Into one of the articles of Michigan's first constitution is woven this statement, ”The Legislature shall encourage by all suitable means, the promotion of intellectual, scientifi- cal and agricultural improvement.'2- In his first message to the legislature, Governor Mason called attention to the importance of mating liberal provision for the schools by saying, “Ours is said to be a government founded on intelligence and morality and no practical axiom can be more beautifully true. Here the rights of all are equal and the people themselves are the primary source of all power. Public opinion directs the course which our government pursues and so long as people are enlightened that direction will never be misgiven. It becomes then your imperious duty to secure to the state a l. Fits, E.D. History of the United States, New'York, Henry Holt & Co., 1925 - p. 171. 2. Report of Sup‘t. of Public Instruction for 1880. -12- general diffusion of knowledge. Your attention is therefore called to the effectuation of a perfect school system, open to all classes as the basis of public happiness and prosperigy." In July 1836, Rev. John D. Pierce was nominated by the Governor for the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. To him was confided the responsible duty of preparing a system for common schools. At the next session of the legislature he submitted the primary district plan - of education. This was the beginning of the primary systmm and is still the basic plan of education in Michigan. The first school in Manistee County was held in 1852.“ This was held in an old boarding house and financed by public subscription for three months in the year. In 1861, the first public school house was built near the mouth of the Big Manistee River. As the population increased a new school was built in 1874 on the site now occupied by the Woodrow'Wilson School. This school was the first to offer high school advantages. As the rural sections were settled, school houses were built of logs and some of lumber in populous or convenient centers. By 1900 there were six school buildings in the city of Ianistee and eighty in rural lanistee County. In order to comply with the existing law 5. Report of Sup't. of Public Instruction for 1880. 4. lanistee Daily News, January 1899 - Anniversary Number. -13- of the time, school was held three months in the year to entitle the district to primary money. As the population shifted due to cessation of logging operations in some sections many school houses were abandoned and new ones were built to meet the existing need. The last log school house was replaced in about the year 1905. Beginning with the year 1900/the educational trends in Manistee County were not unlike those of counties in the southern part of Michigan. Graded districts were organised in populous centers. 'With.the coming of the Township Unit Act in 1909 and the Consolidation Act in 1917, changes were made in conformity with.these laws. The number of schools dwindled due to absorption by consolidation and thru transportation of children to other schools. Thus education in Manistee County has been largely a matter of natural development based upon local conditions, tradition, and the general plan of education in the rural sections of the state. -14- III. PRESENT STATUS OF EDUCATION IN MANISTEE COUNTY Sociological Aspects - The Federal Census gives the pepulation of lenistee County in 1930 as 17,409. In 1900 the population was 27,856. At that time the lumber industry was at its height and boasted of thirty mills and over a hundred logging camps all within the confines of Manistee County. The pepulation since then due to the cessation of logging . operations has declined 35.5 per cent.1‘ The population of the city of Manistee according to the Federal Census of 1930 was 8,078. Adding to this the population of its suburbs: Eastlake, Parkdale, Filer City, Oak 3111 and Stronach we have an urban population of approximately 10,000. The populationrdn the rural sections is relatively sparse due to the soil being sandy and not very productive which accounts for the manipulating of larger tracts of land in order to achieves livelihood in agriculture?" The rural population may be considered as centering around six communi- ties, nsmely; Arcadia, Bear Lake, Brethren, Copemish, Kaleva and Onekama. Each of these communities has one or two churches, a twelve grade school, several garages and business places. These communities have approximately the same pop- ulation, averaging about 500 people. 1. Thaden, J. F. Population Trends in Michigan. Special Bulletin No. 236. Michigan State College. 1933. 2. VCRDCh, J. 0. 0p. Cite P. 80 -15- The eastern part of Manistee County in parti- cular is very sparsely settled averaging according to Federal Census of 1930 approximately 5 persons per square mile. This sparsity of population is due to the poor type of soil found in this region. The western part of the county has an average population of approximately 21 persons to the square mile. The soil, being of a better type for agriculture is the important factor. It is of interest to note that the drift in population in the rural sections since the depression is now back to the farms instead of away from it. Ther percent of increase in population may be estimated according to school census enumerations at approximately 10%. Manistee County has a heterogenious population. The Federal Census shows that 6,696 pecple of foreign or mixed parentage and 3,112 of foreign birth. These people are intermingled in a more or less homogenious grouping although there are a few communities or settlements in which one nationaltiy dominates. The community of Arcadia has a pOpulation that is largely of German extraction. These sturdy people still believe in an_gupport a parochial school where many of the children receive religious training through the elementary grades. The community of Kaleva is made up chidfly of Finnish folk who have converted this low arid ~16- region into a prosperous farm community, They still persist in the customs of Finnland. An outstanding example of this is the Finnish.bath or "Sauna." The suburban areas of Manistee City consists of neighborhoods of Polish people; Filer City, Oak Hill,and Parkdale are some of the sections where this thrifty class of people predominate in pepulation but not so much.in custom. The social groups of rural Manistee County con- sistt of five Granges, one Gleaner, church.groups, women's clubs, parent-teacheassociations and the Manistee County Agricultural Society. The latter named group is responsible for the Manistee County Fair which.plays an important part in the agricultural and educational advancement of rural . Manistee. -17- Economic Status - The economic status of the rural population compares favorably with other counties in Western Michigan. The soil is of second and third class and although agri- culture is the chief means of a livelihood farmers that are comfortable financially are rather the exception than the rule. The standard of living is rather low. Tax-rates for the past four years have been high due to low percentage of collection which.has necessitated a higher rate in order to make up the deficit; The average tax rate in the rural sections of Manistee County for the year 1933 - 1934 was $25.34 per thousand valuation.3' The average school tax rate for the same year was $12.47 per thousand valuation.4° High.taxes have created a hardshipain two ways,namely, 1) increased burden to taxppayers. 2) has caused owners of idle and wild land to forsake holdingsyletting it fall back to the state. In 1932, twenty-two hundred acres of land was deeded to the Conservation Division of the state of Michigan.5° Land belonging to the State of Michigan is non-taxed which necessitates a higher tax in the respec- tive communities to off-set the deficiency in valuation. 3. County Treasurer's Report for Manistee County 1933. 4. Ibid. 5. County Treasurer's Report for Manistee County 1932. -13- In November, 1932, the voters of the State of Michigan incorporated a tax-limitation into the Consti- tution of the state designed to limit the total rate of general preperty tax to one and one-half per cent or fifteen mills. The legislature set up tax commissions in each county of which the author was a member by virtue of his office as commissioner of schools. The final determination June 1, 1933 for Manistee County giving the median tax rates for township and school districts for the year 1933 - 1934 was as follows: Table I. TAX RATE DETERMINATION ON MANISTEE COUNTY 1933 - 1954. W University of Michigan................... .6 mills Michigan State College.................... A? ' Manistee County.......................... 6.0 " Townships (median)....................... 2.0 ' School districts$medigp)................ 6.2 ' TOt‘l .0.00000000000000000000.0.0.000000015CO mill. The inability of schools to operate successfully on six and two-tenths mills for the year 1933 - 1934 as compared with.an average tax rate of $12.47 for the year 1932 - 1933 is very evident. Coupled with this is the loss of the Turner Fund and a reduced Primary fund. The Thatcher-Sias -19- Act is variable. In all probability the amount of revenue from this act will not produce sufficient funds to enable schools to operate on a normal basis for the first year that it is in effect. Geographical Status - Manistee County bordering on the western shore of Lake Michigan, due to the meandering shoreline of the lake is somewhat smaller than the average county in Michigan. It comprises 562 square miles of comparatively level land interspersed with lakes and divided by an occasional range of bluffs or high hills. The Big Hanistee River, fed by innumerable trout streams divides the county into two geographical divisions connected by only four bridges. Four railroads traverse the county connecting with points north, east, south and west. Similarly three trunklines open the county to innumerable tourists who make this section of Michigan their summer home. Good county roads are found in most sections of the county. Successful attempts have been.mede in the past to keep these roads cpen throughout the winter months enabling children to be transported to and from school. The county is divided into fourteen townships. Of this number two, Dickson and Norman are double and comprise seventy-two miles of land instead of thirty-six. -20- A sparse pepulation in these townships has necessitated . larger areas for governmental purposes. Besides the city of Manistee with.its suburbs there are within the county three incorporated villages: Bear Lake, Cepemish and Onekama. There are also three unincorporated villages or communities: Arcadia, Brethren and.Kaleva. School Population and Enrollment - The total number of children between the ages of 5 and 20 on the census roll of rural Manistee County May 31, 1932 was three thousand, one hundred and eighty- three (3,183). or this number two thousand, three hundred and sixteen (2,316) or 72.7% were enrolled in the public and parochial schools of the county.6' There within the county fifty-six (56) schools classified as public and one (1) parochial (German Lutheran) school. Of this number six (6) are closed for lack of pupils. The fifty-one remaining open consist of three consolidated schools, three graded 12 grade high schools, eight two-room schools and thirty-seven one-room schools. Table No. II shows the average enrollment,number of teachers and percentage of attendants for the various types of schools. 6. School Commissioner's Report July 1933. Manistee Co. Table II. AVERAGE ENROLLMENT; NUMBER OF TEACHERS AND AVERAGE PERCENT OF ATTENDANCE FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF SCHOOLS. : Number of: Average : Percent of Type : Teachers :Enrollment : Attendance Consolidated : 7 : 207.6 : 93.5 Graded 12th Gr. : 6 : 145.3 : 95.0 Two-room. : 2 i 57.4 i 94.3 One-room : l i 21.1 : 92.3 The average number of pupils per teacher for the various types of schools does not aary very greatly as shown in the following table. ' Table III. AVERAGE PUPIL ENROLLMENT PER TEACHER FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOLS : Type of School : No. of Pupils per Teacher 3 cons°11dat°d.........8....................... 28.8 3 Graded eeeeeeeeeeseee‘eeeeeeeeseseeeeeeeesese 2401 T'O‘I'OOM eeeeseeeeeeegeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 28o? I we‘room eeeeeeeeesee;eeeeeeeeeseeeeeeeeeeeee 2101 i 8 The extremes for the one-room type are very great, ranging from an enrollment as low as four pupils to as high as forty-eight as shown in Graph No. II. Schools. 4 20. 15. 10. 1._ l to 10 .711 to 2O_I 21 to 30+ 31 to 40,, 41 to Enrollment. Graph 1. DISTRIBUTION OF ENROLLMENT IN ONE-ROOM SCHOOLS OF MANISTEE COUNTY FOR 1952-1955. ._. _. _ . -,,-.q ' -23- School Districts - The school districts of the county number fifty-two and are classified as follows: Table IV. NUMBER AND CLASSIFICATION OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN MANISTEE COUNTY. Kind of District ' Number in county Primary Districts .0000. o.” One-room seeeseeeeeeegeeseseeeeeeesesseeeeeeeee 37 3 T'O‘l‘oom .OOOOOOOOOOO:00.0.00...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 6 Graded Districts ...... 12 Grade ............:......................... 10 Grade ............:......................... Consolidated ..........:......................... Township Unit .........:......................... HUNG T0133]. number of district! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeseeeeeeee 52 The size and area vary greatly. Filer Township District No. 1 has an area of three and one-half square miles. This is the smallest district in the county and one of the richest. Dickson Township Unit, the largest district, has an area of seventy-eight and three-quarters square miles. Comparisons may be made using Hap No. 2. -24- School districts in Manistee County vary in valuation depending upon area, fertility of soil and taxable property. primary districts is approximately sixty-eight thousand The median valuation for one-room dollars ($68,000.00). Valuations of districts may be determined by referring to Tables No. V, VI. and VII. Table v. VALUATION OP ONE_ROON PRIMARY DISTRICTS IN MANISTEE COUNTY FOR YEAR 1932. ‘7================* : . Valuation. : Number of Districts. 8 20,000. to 3 29,000.:...................... 3 30,000. to 39,000.:...................... 3 40,000. to 49,000.:...................... 2 50,000. to 59,000.:...................... 3 60,000. to 69,000.:...................... 8 70,000. to 79,000.:...................... 5 80,000. to 29,000.:...................... 3 90,000. to 99,000.:...................... 3 100,000. to 109,000.:...................... 1 110,000. to 119,000.:...................... 2 120,000. to 129,000.:...................... 0 130,000. to 139,000.:...................... 0 140,000. to 149,000.:...................... 1 150,000. to 159,000.:...................... 1 160,000. to 169,000.;...................... 0 170,000. to 179,000.;...................... 2 7; Township Reports. July 1932 Hanistee Co. Table VI. VALUATION OF TWO-ROOM PRIMARY DISTRICTS FOR YEAR 1932 M Valuation Number of Districts COOOOCCOOOOOOOOOO 4 $100,000. ... to ... $200,000. $00,000. OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ......OOOOOOOOOOOI 930,000. ......OOOOOOOOOOOOOC :00000000000000000 1 Table VIII. VALUATION OF DISTRICTS OTHER THAN PRIMARY FOR YEAR 1932. Name of District Teachers E ValuatiZj : : i Graded. : : Arcadia High.School ..........: 6 i 3 298,000 Brown Town High School .......: 2 : 103,000 Kaleva High School ...........: 6 : 165,000 Norwalk High School ..........: 2 : 121,000 Onekama High School ..........: 6 ; 421,000 Consolidated. ; : Bear Lake Agricultural .......§ 7 : 340,000 Copemish.Agricu1tural ........: 7 : 457,000 Dickson Agricultural .........; 7 ; 1,388,000 Township Unit; : 2 Norman Unit (5 schools) ......: 5 ; 326,000 \nVQJV I ...4]. Ill: ‘11:; -25- School Buildings - The standard school plan was inaugurated by the State Department of Public Instruction in 1913 for the purpose of improving rural school buildings. Up until six years ago (1927), little or nothing had been done in Manistee County to encourage construction of good school buildings. In 1927, the commissioner of schools with the help of the State Department instituted a drive for better schools. This drive lasted until 1930 when the economic situation became so acute in the rural areas that improvement of any kind was financially impossible. During the interim between 1927 and 1930 the number of standard schools was increased from.four (4) to twenty- eight (28) resulting in fifty-six percent (56%) of the open schools in the county becoming standard.8° This was a very worth-while project for various reasons, but chiefly for the impetus given to demands for higher stand- ards in all phases Of education. The following is a list of requirements for a standard school:9' A. 'Yards and Outbuildings 1. Ample ground of at least one-half acre 2. Some trees and shrubs 3. Good approaches to the building 4. Convenient fuel house 5. Indoor toilets, or two well kept widely separated sanitary toilets 8. Manistee County School Directory, 1930 - 1931. 9. Taken from list Of requirements for a standard school used by the Department of Public Instruction. -2q- B. The Schoolhouse ‘ 1. House well built, in good repair and painted 2. Good foundation. 3. Attractive interior decorations. 4. Hardwood floor. Interior clean and tidy. 5. Well lighted. Glass area should be 20 per cent of floor area, and must be at least 16 per cent. Windows should be set in back at left of pupils. 6. Good blackboards, some suitable for small children. Slate recommended. 7. Heated with ventilating floor or basement furnace which brings in clean air through the furnace and removes foul air from room. 0. Furnishings and Supplies 1. Properly placed desks suitable for all children. 2. Good teacher's desk. 3. Good bodkcases. 4. Good collection of juvenile books. 5. Sets of good maps, a globe, a dictionary, thermometer, sanitary water supply. Thirteen schools which.began a comprehensive program of improvement toward standardization have at this writing failed to fulfill the requirements. They have all completed at least seventy-five percent of the requirements for standardization and may be considered as second class.1°' The remaining sixteen schools.have less than seventy-five percent of standard requirements and may be considered as third class or fair.11’ Some schools due to valuation of district and the small enrollment may never become standard. Map No. 3 of county shows dis- tribution of schools according to quality class. 10. Thrun, F. M. Rural School Organization in Michigan Special Bulletin NO. 229.u Michigan State College, 1932. 11. Ibid. 6. Table VIII. DISTRIBUTION OF SCHOOLS IN MANISTEE COUNTY BY QUALITY CLASSES 252- A A Quality Class : Number i_._ : Schools Standard or First Class .................; 27 Second Class ............................§ 13 Third Class .............................E 16 Total Schools .......................... 56 Qualification and Number of Teachers - The progress of educational advancement of the teaching profession during the past ten years has been very marked. Manistee County, five years ago boasted of twenty-eight (28) teachers holding life certificates.12' In 1933 there were sixty or a gain of more than one hundred percent.13' The same advancement is apparent also in the number of teachers holding degrees. Five years ago there were eleven degree teachers. In 1933 there were twenty-one (21). The number of teachers holding County Normal and First Grade Certificates are becoming less each year. During the past two years very few teachers holding certifi- cates of less degree than life have been able to Obtain positions. 12. Manistee County Teachers Directory for Year 1928. 13. Manistee County Teachers Directory for Year 1933. -29- The number of teachers employed in the county has been quite constant during the past five years. The fluctuation in enrollment has not been in any one particu- lar school district but has been quite general throughout the county. Table No. II. gives the number and enrollment of teachers for the school year 1932 - 1933.14° Table IX. NUMBER AND QUALIFICATION OF TEACHERS IN MANISTEE COUNTY 1932 G 1933. Qualification § Number 3 County Normal certificates ssssssesessssses: 15 First Grade Certificates eesessssssssssssse; 20 Life Certificates .........................2 60 Total teaChers ......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. 95 Degree. ......OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO......OOOOOOIOOOO 21 14. Ibid. -30- Administration and Supervision - It was not until 1867 that provisions were made in the laws Of Michigan for a county Officer of education. The act of 1867 provided that the county superintendent should be elected by pOpular vote.15° NO educational requirements were required. The salary was paid for actual per diem. The chief duty of the superintendent was to examine and grant certificates to teachers. Along with this duty he was to visit each school in the county once a year, counsel with.the teachers aid the school boards, and devise some means of promoting educational proficiency in the county. In 1875 the office of County Superintendent of Schools was discontinued and the office of Township Superintendent was created. N0 educational requirements were specified. The chief duty was to examine teachers orally or by written examination as was preferred and grant certificates. Schools in the township were under his care and he might choose to teach school if he so preferred. An act of 1883 abolished the Office of Township Superintendent and created the office of County Beard of School Examiners. NO educational qualifications were required. 15. Progress in Rural Education in Michigan. Bulletin No. 56. Department of Public Instruction. 1929. -31- The law required that the County Board of School Examiners should examine teachers and grant certificates. The chief executive of the board was the secretary. He was given some very general supervisory powers. A Board of Township School Inspectors was also created. N0 educational reQIire- ments were demanded. The chairman of the board had immediate charge of the supervision of the schools in the township. Upon complaint of the chairman of the board, the Secretary of the County Board of School Examiners answered calls to respective schools in the township and summoned the teacher to appear before the County Board of School Examiners for a hearing. The office of County Commissioner of Schools was created in 1891 and for the first time in the history of our schools, the person appointed to supervise rural schools was required by law to have some educational qualifi- cation.16‘ The law required that to be eligible to the office of Commissioner of Schools, a person must be a grad- uate of a reputable college, university or state normal school, or hold at least a First Grade Certificate except in small counties. The powers of the Commissioner of Schools as fixed in 1891 were practically the same as they are today. New duties have been added from time to time until the com- missioner is now unable to do Justice to all the requirements of his Office. 16s Ibide 68 p. -32- The duties of the County Commissioner Of Schools with respect to supervision are stated by law as follows: ”It shall be the duty of the County Commissioner of Schools to visit each of the schools of the county at least once each year and examine carefully the discipline, modes of instruction, the textbooks used, the apparatus belonging to the school, the library, the progress and proficiency of the pupils, the condition of the school property, whether the attendance of the schools is in compliance with the law, and to make a careful record of these items; to counsel with the teachers and school boards as to the course of study to be adopted and pursued, and as to any improvement in the discipline, instruction, and management of the school; to promote by such.means as he or she may devise the improve- ment of the schools of the county and the elevation of the character and qualifications of the teachers and officers thereof.'17' It is estimated by County Commissioners and department heads of the Department of Public Instruction that administrative duties of a Commissioner requires fully one half of his time. The clerical duties 17. General School Laws. Revision of 1929 - Section 640. -33- require approximately another one-quarter leaving only one-quarter for actual supervision. It is impossible for one person to do all of the administrative and clerical work that a cOmmissioner must do and actually supervise the work of schools scattered about in the average county. The need for competent supervision in instruction in the rural schools was keenly felt at a very early date. Superintendent Gregory quotes in his 1860 report, "The county that pays $20,000 annually for teachers' wages would have better schools and get more for its money if it would pay $1,000 of the same to an intelligent and efficient superintendent who should see that the remainder was properly expended or the teachers employed by it perform their labors skillfully and efficiently.” The law is extremely inadequate in making provisions for efficient supervision in rural schools. The history of supervision in Michigan has been the history of supervision in Manistee County. Except for an annual teachers' institute and bi-yearly visit of the commissioner little has been done until a few years ago to actually supervise. It is the purpose of the author to discuss in the succeeding chapters a plan of supervision that may in part at least be practical, economical and utilitarian. It will be an attempt to do the best one can--with.what one has to do with. -34- IV. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF EDUCATION Before entering into a discussion of a plan of supervision it will be helpful to consider first some of the aims and objectives of education. The aims of education are many and may be defined from different viewpoints and philos0phies. The fellowing quotation taken from.Courtis is a good example:l‘ "What is the aim of education? The student says books, the scholar says knowledge, the preacher says character, the minister says service, the philos0pher says ,truth, the artist says beauty, the epicurean says happiness, the stoic says self-control, the Christian says self-denial, the democrat says self-government, the statesman says co- operation, the ruler says loyalty, the sage says wisdom, youth says achievement, the editor says success, the manu- facturer says efficiency, the banker wealth, the dreamer says vision, the child says play, the man says work, the ' pedogogue says persOnality, the physician says health, the geologist says growth, the physiologist says unfoldment, the sociologist says adjustment, but the true educator says all of these and more.” 1. Courtis, S. A. Philosophy of Education. Michigan, Edward Brothers 1930. 68 p. -35- Educators in ancient times as well as modern have given us their viewpoints as to the ultimate aim of education. It is interesting in passing to note a few Of these so called definitions of education which.have been given us by authority: A. B. C. 2. Ideal of the Athenians in the Age of Pericles, B. C. 450. 1. Education is the training which results in harmony between the inner thought life and the outer life conduct. Plato. B. C. 400. 1. Education is the process of developing guardians of the state who are philosOphical, high-spirited, swift-footed, and strong. Bacon. 1600. 1. Education is the transmission from one generi- tion to the next of the substance of learning and culture of the past. Milton. 1650. 1. I call, therefore, a complete and generous education that which fits a man to perform justly, skillfully and magnanimously all the offices, both private and public, of peace and war. 2. Ibids 69 ps -36- E. Locke. 1700. 1. Education is that which trains and disciplines and fortifies the mind. F. Rousseau. 1750. 1. Education is the preparation necessary to meet and master the ordinary conditions and acci- dents of life. G. Pestallozi. 1800. l. EducatiOn consists in developing according to natural law the child's various powers, moral, intellectual, and physical, with such subord- ination as is necessary to their perfect equilibrium. H. Froebel. 1825. 1. Education consists in leading man as a thinking, intelligent being, growing into self-conscious- ness, to a pure and unsullied conscious and free representation of the inner law of Divine Unity, and in teaching him ways and means thereto. I. Herbart. 1800. 1. The one problem, the whole problem of education may be comprised in a single concept, -- morality. Lead the pupil to realize his own free personality in choosing the good and refusing the evil. J. M. -39- Dewey. 1. Education is living and growing. Thorndike. 1. The aim of education is the change of human beings for the better, so that they will have more humane and useful wants and be more able to satisfy them. Encyclopedia Brittanica. 1. Education is the conception that it denotes an attempt on the part Of the adult members of a human society to shape the development of the coming generation in accordance with its own ideals of life. Commission on Reorganization of Secondary Edu- cation. N. E. A. 1914. 1. Education within a democracy, should develOp in each.individual the knowledge, interests, ideals, habits, and powers whereby he will find his place in society and use that place to shape his place in society and use that place to shape both.himself and society toward nobler ends. -58- Recognized authorities of education have long sought to state in one form or another the great Objectives which should be attained through education. Some examples are: A. Spencer. 1861.3° 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Self-preservation Ability for gaining a livelihood The rearing of children Citizenship Relaxation B. The Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education 1918. l. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Health Command of fundamental processes Worthy home-membership Vocation Citizenship Worthy use of leisure time Ethical character 6. Bobbitt. 1924.4~ 1. 2. 3. 4. Language activities; social inter-communication Health activities Citizenship activities General social activites - meeting and mingling with others 3. 4. Ibids p. Bobbitt, 88 Franklin. How to make a Curriculum.Houghton Mifflin COO 1924. ps 450 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. -39- Keeping one's self mentally fit -- analogue to the health activities of keeping one's self physically fit Religious activities Parental activities, the upbringing Of children, the maintenance of a prOper home life. Unspecialized or non-vocational practice activities The labors of one's calling From the foregoing definitions and statements, it is apparent that education may be defined from.as many viewpoints as we have educators. The Old aim of education was culture. follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. The new aim is direction characterized as Supplies direction Must grow out and be part of the Educative Process Is an outgrowth of existing conditions Is useful in bringing about change Must emphasize activity Should be flexible There are many goals or objectives and many aims or methods of achieving these goals. Summarizing, the purpose of education is to take the child from where he is, and help him to where he ought to be. -40- V. PRINCIPLES OF SUPERVISION Supervision although it has been a part of the educational progrem.for many years has just recently been recognized as a specialized phase of the program. It is now recognized as the foundation upon which all programs for the improvement of teaching must be built. One of the earliest definitions of supervision was cited by Coffman. ”The business of a supervisor is to cast a genial influence over his schools, but otherwise he is not to interfere with the work.“1° In 1914 Elliott defined supervision as follows: ”Supervisory control is concerned with what should be taught, and when it should be taught; to whom, by whom, how, and to what purpose.”2‘ In 1920, Nutt proposed a definition of supervision in eight points:5° Supervision has to do with: 1. Laying the basis for cooperative teaching 2. Selecting and organizing subject matter and courses of study 3. Teaching for the purpose of experimentation and demonstration 4. Directing systematic observation of expert and inexpert teaching performance 1. Coffman. ”The Control of Educgtional Progress through School Supervision, Proceedings of the Nation- 'al Education Association, Vol. 55 1917, 187 p. 2. Elliott. City School Supervision. WOrld Bodk 00.1914 p. 12 3. Nutt. The Supervision of Instruction. Houghton Mifflin 00 23-32 pp. -41- 5. Directing teaching activities 6. Checking pupil progress 7. Measuring progress and efficiency by teachers 8. Measuring the efficiency of supervision Strayer and Engelhardt emphasized five points in setting up a definition of supervisionx4' l. Maintaining a uniform and workable course of study 2. The improvement of teaching 3. Experimental work 4. Improvement Of teachers in service 5. Rating of teachers William.H. Burton in 1922 by combining and eliminating some Of the common essentials found in the definitions Of supervision by educators, proposed a definition which has become widely usedzs’ Supervision consists of: 1. Improvement of the teaching act 2. The selection and organization of subject matter 3. Testing and measuring 4. The rating of teachers The foregoing definitions outline the field of supervision. It is very evident that supervision includes more than visiting classrooms and holding conferences. 4. Strayer, G. W. and Engelhardt, N. L. The Classroom Teacher. American Book Company, 1920. 42 - 51 pp. 5. Burton, William H. Supervision and the Improvement of Teaching. Appleton & Company 1922. 9 - 10 pp. -42- The chief function of supervision is to further the pupils learning and growth.6' Supervision therefore must deal with the things physical and spiritual which are primarily concerned with bettering the conditions which surround leaning; namely, selection Of subject matter, supplies and equipment, scientific study of teaching pro- blems, the development and maintenance of professional spirit, morals, etc. The principles of supervision are as varied as the authors. W. H. Burton compiled the best from all earlier statements. They are as follows: 1. The aim of supervision is the improvement of teaching. 2. Supervision will inspire and encourage the good teacher toward further study, toward experimen- tation, toward preparation for higher positions and more responsibility. 3. Supervision will redirect and improve the work of average and mediocre teachers. It will eliminate those teachers who fail to measure up to definite standards of good teaching. 4. Supervision proceeds upon the basis of definite, well-understood.standards. 5. Supervision proceeds upon the basis of a definite, organized program. 6. Ibid. 10 - 12 pp._ 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 15. 14. -43- Supervision is essentially a cooperative pro cedure. Supervision must supply the means of enabling teachers to live up to the standards set and to carry out the program outlined. While the application of the standards and the realization of the program.must be authoritative, scientific, and impersonal, there must be mani- fested a kindly and sympathetic spirit. Supervision must develop and encourage on the part of the teachers initiative, self-reliance, intel- ligent independence, and the successful assumption of responsibility. It must capitalize the teach- ers' ability and experience. The administrative aspect of supervision is secondary to the pedagogical. When supervision is inspectorial, it should never be simply that and nothing more. Supervision must be judged by its results. The supervisor must be specifically and definitely trained for his work. The type of demOcratic leadership involved in supervision demands the highest type of well- rounded, posed personality. -44- Summarizing from the foregoing definitions and principles of supervision we may say that the function of supervision is the improvement of the teacher-learning process. It is the encouragement of good work and the elimination of inaffective methods, efforts and misapplied energy. Expert supervision should lead teachers to a broad vision of teaching problems, to a broad range of experiences. It should lead teachers to an understanding of needed visions, of necessary growth, and the final outcome of in- struction. Supervision should help teachers to teach. -45- VI. "PLAN OF SUPERVISION Administrative Organization - The organization of supervisory administration. is as varied as the school systems represented. The types of supervisory programs vary with the size and financial status of the district. According to the most generally accepted terminology there are four types of supervisors:1' l. The general supervisor (superintendent, super- visor of elementary grades, supervisor of the upper grades.) 2. The departmental or Special supervisors (art, music, reading, arithmetic, etc.) 3. The building principal 4. The critic teacher County supervision in the State of Michigan is largely in the hands of the Commissioners of Schools. According to Annie Reynolds, Associate Specialist in School SuP6r71810n.2' Michigan had but ten regular supervisors in 1930. These supervisors were distributed in four counties. In the remaining counties, whatever supervision was done, was carried on by the Commissioner of Schools himself. As discussed in Chapter 3 of this thesis, there is little time for supervision by the Commissioner. 1. Barr & Burton. The Supervision of Instruction. New'York Appleton, 1926 p. 28. 2. Reynolds Annie. Su ervision and Rural School Im rove- ment, Bulletin No. 3 . U.S. Dept. of Interior 193 , p. 3 -45- As estimated; one-half of the Commissioner's time is de- voted to administration, one-quarter to clerical work, leaving only about one-quarter for actual supervision. As most counties have schools scattered widely much.time is Spent in traveling. The plan of supervision in Manistee County must meet the estimated allowance of time. The average school is visited by the Commissioner four times during the school year. At best there is little thme for lengthy conferences with teachers as each visit must not average more than a quarter-day. The types of supervisors are as follows: 1. Commissioner as general supervisor 2. Members of Board of Examiners as special supervisors 3. Principals and superintendents 4. County Normal principal and critic 5. Teacher committee The commissioner of schools is the general supervisor and does practically all of the supervising from a county stand point. Almost all of the field work is done by him. The principals and superintendents have general charge Of their respective schools. Members of Board of Examiners, County Normal principal and critic, together with special teacher committee appointed act as aides to the commissioner. Collectively these supervisors act as a Supervisory Council. ..‘7- The function of members of supervisory council individually and collectively is as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. Commissioner a. General supervisor b. Class-room visitation c. Conferences d. Supplies 0. Group meetings Members of Board of Examiners a. Testing program and interpretation of tests b. Text-book selection 0. Examinations and promotions d. Outlines and course of study County Normal Principal and Critic a. Supervision of teachers that are graduates of County Normals b. Text-book selection 0. Method and technique d. Outlines and course of study 6. Demonstration lessons Superintendents and Principals a. General charge of supervision in respective buildings b. Co-Operative administrative work 5. -48- Special Teacher Committees a. Text-book selection b. Demonstration lessons 0. Research d. Curriculum revision 6. PrOpoganda campaign As members of Board of Examiners devote a considerable amount to time to aiding the commissioner of schools in his supervisory duties, they receive com- pensation and expenses per diem as provided in The General School Laws. Other members of supervisory council receive only expenses incurred. In Order to make the principles of organization as effective as possible the following points are considered as basicna' 1. The commissioner of schools shall visit each school averaging four times during the schoOl year. 2. The commissioner of schools shall also be subject to call by the teacher. 3. The work of Commissioner Of Schools shall be cc- ordinated through the supervisory council. 4. Teachers shall get all announcements, notices, etc., directly from the county commissioner or through the principal. 3. 0p. cit. p. 66. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. -49- The superintendent of schools in all districts employing such is directly responsible for the general instruction policy Of his school regardless of any action taken by the commissioner. Principals are both administrative and supervisory Officials. Principals are directly responsible to the super- intendent in five-teacher schools and to the commis- sioner in schools employing less than five teachers. Special supervisors have no administrative duties Supervision shall be a cooperative undertaking by commissioner, superintendents, principals and special supervisors. Supervision shall be thoroughly democratic in spirit. -50- Specific Objectives - The general objective of supervision as dis- cussed in Chapter V of this thesis is the improving of the teacher-learner process - it is helping teachers to teach. In order to generally improve supervision, it is necessary to study the educational system as it actually exists and set up definite specific goals or objectives. It is necessary to have a clear-cut outline of the means, devices and procedures to be utilized in the attainment of these ends.4' After following out clearly and definitely the outline toward each objective, it is then necessary that some criteria of checking or testing be devised to determine the success or failure of the program. The author after studying actual situations in the system over a period of four years arrived at certain specific objectives by means of the following: 1. Visits and conferences with teachers. 2. Use of various testing programs. 3. Study of records of system. 4. Recommendations of authorities in rural education and suggestions of teachers. 5. Experimentations and trying-out of new methods. ——— 4. Ibid. p. 107. -51- The specific objectives determined by the author as necessary to attain in order to improve educational conditions actually prevalent in Manistee County were as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Determine weakness of system by use of standardized tests and reemphasize work that ought to be of a higher standard. Prepare materials and improve instruction. Diagnose individual needs and give remedial treatment. Clarify interpretation of program course of studies. Encourage teachers to become more efficient. Organize committees of teachers for research and experimentation. Create a better school spirit. -52- Means of Achieving Objectives - Determination of weakness by Standardized Tests - In order to analyze conditions existing in Manistee County relative to educational status, Standard- ized Tests were administered.5‘ The Otis Group Intelligence Test, Form A and the Stanford Group Achievement Test, Form V was given in October 1932. Again in May 1953, at the close of the school year Stanford Achievement Test, Form W was given. Retesting was done when the results of tests seemed obviously in error. The purpose of these tests were: 1. To grade the schools fairly and accurately. 2. To measure the progress of pupils. 3. To measure the ability of the teachers.‘ 4. To find a practical method of supervising study and of teaching how to study. Otis Group Intelligence Tests were given to give teachers and commissioner standard data as to the Intelli- gence Quotient of all pupils in grades four to ninth. The test would justify achievement ability of pupils based upon intelligence ability. It frequently happens that in some of the smaller schools the majority of pupils in a certain grade have either low I. Q's or high ones. Consteently Intelligence Quotients play an important part in compari- sons. Example of record is given in Table No. IX. 5. Brooks, 8. S. Improving Schools by Standardized Tests. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Company 1922 10 p. 53 Teacher Dist. No. Township Highest I. Q. Medium I c Q. Lowest I. Q. cape moHHu>DBHsHmwoupam some ow zobdww >UHHHGM Home mamaubow movoow . I, funds on MNwBHbdeoa m. I] m S m ; ulllllle no as Illlllll E L C N E. nu Tl IIIIJ m ; IIIIIIIIIIIL. m b IIIL me no IIIvlllllullL. w es IIII-IIIIII: O X III-Ill. O I no IIIIIIIII; N Ilail u .I..L T a n i _ -54- To insure uniformity, all Otis Group Intelligence Tests were conducted by the author. As this test may be given to the entire school at one sit— ting lasting not more than forty minutes in all, the entire county was given the test during the month of Octdber. Correcting and scoring of tests was ably ac- complished by the members of the County Normal Class under the direct supervision of the principal. The results of test are given in the following table: Table No. XI. MEDIAN INTELLIGENCE QUOTIENT OF GRADES 4 to 9, YEAR 1952. —:::_ _ ‘=E3‘-‘3=============::-3===-——-£fi Grades ; Median I. Q. 1 Fourth . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 83.3 Fifth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 85.1 Sixth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 88.0 ' Seventh. . . . . . . . . . . . . i 90.6 Eighth . . . . . . . . . . . . . g 93.0 i Average of all grades ...: 88.0 According to the author's norms, the average I. Q. for any grade should be approximately 100. The low score of the several grades may be due to two reasons: First, unfamiliarity with type of test. Second, Poor comprehension in reading. B atfi512ww mefiewoa we. mo;;>H c.0rmu mxea.bmao b N. x mm. H. aces meal finds _ moo vmo Mo¢H< INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT RECORD SHEET TABLE N0. XII. mam mabmmmma EmmHndwmn a flame mospmrwu mewwwow fie. mowoow flowered maea.bnao MERE. weqmqu bwwww. mew. asam UHOI Fae; Ewe. mend Deon pram moan anew snanw madam ofiaos 08mm moW_H Eons Hons an.u dmo moowo >2o baa mogw<. Qanmo aoamw mooHo I . momm pd mpxdo mamas m“ mm Honey moouo I we .QHHHm pd muxav onmao I In% eoemw mooeo I no runaweo mpxds Osman E 3 r b4oummo mooHo I nmsduuo mpxdfi meson rl‘ aoamp moose I “mmwm as New Gamma aodmw moon» I nmmuwm pa go mega eoemw moouo I anaHHo New mango >