Bulletin

responsibility to organize its educational system as it saw fit, the way was opened for establishing the beginnings of State policy with reference to public education. Moreover, the grants of land made for educational purposes and the creation of school funds, in the use of which local districts shared, brought early into the educational picture some form of State regulation. The receipt of aid from the State was accompanied by the necessity of making reports to the State, and this in turn evolved into compliance with other State demands as well. As a result, State officials were appointed to receive reports from the school corporations and to deal with them in matters relating to the apportionment of funds and other items of State policy.

The early duties of the officers thus appointed were largely clerical, statistical, and advisory with reference to the application of the State school law. But out of them grew the comprehensive structure of the modern State education department, with its chief State school officer acting in many cases as executive officer of the State board of education. Today myriad responsibilities of administrative, supervisory, and advisory services replace the original simple functions of tabulation of records and management of funds. State educational administration has become a challenging opportunity for exercising constructive leadership in the State's educational affairs.

Because of the individual authority of each State for its own educational program, practices and policies differ widely among them in many respects. Yet in the midst of differences there are also common elements of development. The U. S. Office of Education, in presenting this series of monographs, has attempted to point out those common elements, to analyze the differences, and to present significant factors in State educational structure. In so doing, it accedes to the requests of a large number of correspondents who are students of State school administration and who have experienced the need for the type of material offered in this series.

The sources of information have taken the form of both documentary evidence and personal interviews. During the year 1939, more than 20 representatives of the Office of Education were engaged in visiting State education departments throughout the country, conferring in each case with the chief State school officer and his assistants. Working in "teams" of from 2 to 7 persons, they spent several days in the State offices of the respective States, seeking accurate and comprehensive data, gathering all available printed or mimeographed documents, and securing from each member of the department who was

available, an oral statement of his duties, activities, and problems. Preceding this program of visitation and again preceding the compilation of reports, committees of chief State school officers met in Washington with members of the Office of Education staff, to assist in the drafting of plans and later in the formulation of conclusions. No effort was spared, either at the time of the visits or in studying and checking data subsequent thereto, to make of the final report for each State a reliable document.

The topics considered in the series include problems of administrative organization and relationships, financial control and assistance, legislative and regulatory standards, and various types of supervisory services. Each has been studied from the point of view of past developments and of organization existing at the time of the visit to the State. For some fields of activity a State-by-State description is given of policies, problems, and practices. For some, selected States are used as examples, with a summary of significant developments and trends in all States. The total series, it is hoped, will prove to be a helpful group of publications relating to the organization and functions of State education departments and of the boards of education to which they are related.

The report included in this monograph deals with supervision at the elementary school level. About 40 years ago the Wisconsin Department of Education first made definite provision for elementary school supervision. Since that time most of the 48 States have provided some type of elementary school supervision, although a few still limit that help to certain aspects of supervision such as State examinations, curriculum making, or inspection. A description of the organization and function of supervisory programs, and of the activities and working relationships of the State elementary supervisors is presented in this bulletin.

To the chief State school officers, to members of their respective staffs, and to other State officials who have assisted in furnishing data for this series of monographs, the U. S. Office of Education expresses its deepest appreciation. Without their wholehearted cooperation, the publications of the series could not have been realized. The entire project is an example of coordinated action, both on the part of Office of Education staff members who have participated in it and on the part of State officials who gave so generously of their time and effort to supply the needed information and materials.

BESS GOODYKOONTZ,

Assistant U. S. Commissioner of Education.

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Bulletin, Issue 6, Part 12