Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 6.djvu/128

 "THE QUINCY METHOD."

THE people and teachers of Quincy, Mass., celebrated the twenty- fifth anniversary of the " Quincy Movement " in education April 20 by meeting in the old Stone Temple. Colonel Porter, the first mayor of Quincy, presided, and Dr. William T. Harris, United States com" missioner of education ; Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler, dean of philosophy in Columbia University ; Robert C. Metcalf, supervisor of schools, Boston ; Orville T. Bright, superintendent of schools in Cook county, Illinois; and Colonel Francis W. Parker made addresses.

The following is the substance of Colonel Parker's address :

There was an opportunity, a sensible school board, a board that con- ducted its affairs upon sound business principles, upon a plan that has always, in all times, brought success, a plan that the entire business world unqualifiedly indorses. No other plan has or will ever succeed. To appre- ciate this famous board, it must be compared with other boards of the same functions. To have been for forty-six years a teacher of the common schools gives one a fair basis for comparison.

One of the profound mysteries in this world is the marvelous psychological change that comes over respectable, intelligent, and otherwise wise laymen when they are elected by their fellow-citizens to serve on school committees. Persons who would never dream of superintending an electric plant, manag- ing a railroad, building a bridge over Niagara, leading an army, or command- ing a ship, enter upon the duties of a school committee with the astonishing presumption that they can with safety minister directly to the welfare of children, mold society into right living, and shape the destinies of a nation by means of common education ; that they can make courses of study, select teachers, examine pupils, and manage the internal and pedagogical affairs of a school system. This prevailing state of affairs would be ridiculous were it not so awfully solemn. The presumption of school boards is the acute dis- tress of the 'nation; it is the culmination of bad politics, the very worst by-product of democratic evolution. For this presumption millions in money are wasted every year, countless children suffer, and free government is imperiled.

The members of the Quincy board of education made up their minds, after the most careful and thorough consideration, that they were not equal to the task of managing the schools which the good citizens of the town had intrusted to their care.

It is often said that when a school board gives up its authority to an expert its duties are ended, that indeed it has nothing further to do. This

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