Michigan Trails through Chippewa County
A. Jay Murray is the efficient superintendent of the public schools of Saulte de Ste. Marie. Even in the half barbaric ages the man of education took rank above others, and as time has passed its importance has been more and more recognized as one of the leading factors in securing good government and good citizens. The man who has acquired a broad and thorough general knowledge and can readily and successfully impart it to others takes rank with the representatives of any other profession, and the benefit of his labors canot be measured.
Superintendent Murray was born in Washtenaw county Michigan on the 16th of April 1863, and his early life wsa spent on his father's farm, but he did not wish to carry on agricultural pursuits throughout his life. He was possessed of a laudable ambition and an earnest desire to secure a better education than could be obtained in the schools of the neighborhood, and, accordinly, when 16 years of age went to Ypsilanti, where he earned some money as bookkeeper, reporter and editor-in-chief of the Normal News; thus he aided in defraying his expenses. He belonged to a family of worth and prominence. His father A.J. Murray, was descended from General Murray of N.Y. and his mother, Marietta Bradford, was descended from the famous Governor Bradford of Massachusetts. Their children were: Edwin, a student of the Michigan State Normal School; Benjamin, graduated from the State University of Michigan as Ph.C. and is now a student of chemistry in that shcool; Miss Mildred, graduated at the Ypsilanti Conservatory of Music, and is now teaching music in Geneva, N.Y.; Miss Ellen, a graduate of the medical department of the Univ. of Michigan, E., and A.Jay, whose name heads this record.
Superintendent Murray, having made preparations for further study, entered the Michigan State Normal at Ypsilanti and completed the regular course in 1884. He was an earnest, thorough student, applying himself diligently to his work, and his standing in his classes was always high. For the past eleven years he has been principal of the schools in Sault de Ste. Marie and has developed one of the best graded school systems of the State. When he entered upon his work here in September, 1884, school was being held in a four room brick building, now a part of the high-school building. A corps of four teachers was employed, including the principal, and certain crude of study was followed which did not provide for graduation, and the school had no standing with any of the colleges of the State. The city now owns a beautiful, modern, central high school of twelve rooms, equipped with appliances that enable the teacher to produce superior results, and whose hygienic properties maintain in the the pupil an unimpared normal condition.
There are also six ward buildings with two rooms each, and two buildings of one room each. A corps of 30 teachers is now employed, including a special techer in music and calisthenics, a special teacher of drawing, and an ungraded instructor who does individual work. This departure is a new feature in the public-school work which has just been introduced (1895) and the results produced have already shown themselves to be beneficial. A librarian has charge of one of the best public school libraries of the State, containing two thousand volumes, including the best works in biography, essays, history, fiction, poems, science, travels, works on education and books of reference. There is a training-room, which is in charge of two honor high-school graduates, who twice a week inspect the work of proficient teachers and also attend a course of professional readings given by the superintendent. In compensation for the services which they render these graduate tutors receive half-pay. Thus high-school pupils may be drilled for useful work in the school-room and enter upon their duties with a fund of experience, together with some knowledge of the science and art of teaching.
In the schools of Sault de Ste. Marie are taught five high-school courses of four years each, all of which have been approved by the State University, and the completion of which admits the student into the freshman class of that renowned institution of learning. The high and grammar schools are organized upon the department plan. Each teacher of the grammar schools has about 50 pupils in charge, conducts opening and closing exercises, has the moral, aesthetical and physicla training in her hands, for the above number o fpupils, and in one or two branches the intellectual. The teachers change rooms at the close of recitation periods and teach only their special subjects throughout the day. At most four teachers are in one system, and the benefit of the teacher's personality is thus obtained, while the advantage of a teacher presenting only congenial topics is very evident. Six months of the four-year primary course is given to kindergarten work, and thus the little ones have a pleasant preparation for the subsequent mental study. The four departments of the high schools are under competent instructors, and one hour in each two weeks is given to society work, with an especial object of giving drill in parliamentary law and the development of oral language. For the past 2 years the young men of the high school have been holding weekly Friday night meetins under the supervision of Superintendent Murray; and the club periodical, which is called the Soo Statesman, is an important auxiliary as a practical educator. A high standard of excellence is required in the teachers of Sault de Ste. Marie.
A high-school teacher must have a life certificate or its equivalent, granted by the University, Normal School or State Board of Education. For the grammar schools the teachers must hold at least a first-grade certificate; for the second, third and fourth grades in the primary department teachers must hold at least a second - grade certificate or its equivalent, that is, must be a graduate of a recognized high school, have had experience as a teacher, give evidence of having read at least three works on theory and art of teaching, and present a written thesis on each of three books to the city examining board. At the city teaches' examination questions equivalent to these prepared for the State department are used, and credit is granted for the following professional topics; Interest and sympathy, discipline, instruction, progressiveness, hygience and aesthetics, music and calisthenics, and presence and manner. For the first primary department it is required that teachers have 8 weeks kindergarten instruction. Applicants for certificates must be interested in educational work, as shown by their attendance at summer normals and teachers' institutes; reading educational books and journals; pursuing an advanced line of reading and visiting schools or using other means of general culture and professional development usually so recognized. The city examining board is composed of the president of the School Board, County Commissioner of Schools and the City Superintendent. This board renews certificates of teachers who are progressive and accepts these of undoubted standing.
On the 15th of July 1885, Supt. Murray was married to Grace Ainslie of Onondaga, N.Y. a daughte of M. Ainslie, who was of English birth. The lady is a graduate of the State Normal School of the class of 1884, and was for one year engaged in teaching in Calumet. To Mr. and Mrs. Murray have been born the following children; Florence Grace now 8 years of age and Willa Marietta who is age four.
Mr. Murray is a member of the National Teachers' Assoc., vice president of the Michigan State Teachers' Assoc., and an active member of the North Michigan Schoolmasters' Club. He is ex-president of the Michigan State Normal Alumni, and is a contributor to educational journals and periodicals. He ranks among the leading educators of the State, his ability being of a very high order, and under his able management the schools of Sault de Ste. Marie have taken rank among the finest in the State. Socially he is a Knight Templar Mason and a Republican.
