Public school supervision in the United States has been historically influenced by its roots in western Europe and unique characteristics of the American educational system. Much history of school supervision describes it as a series of disjointed and unrelated events. And supervision appears to simply reflect greater social and educational…

The development of public school supervisors has been varied and complex. Examined are the factors that led supervisors, in the early twentieth century, to move away from autocratic and bureaucratic methods and adopt more professional standards. (SI)