The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-04-22
the scnOoL DiHECToRs, c0svEs..
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THE scHOOL DiRECTORS' CONvEN.
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4 is just that the publin shoui,a know lint
the present Supsrintendsnt Of Common
Schools does not ask or desire re-election
70 that office. Illihealsh Is the enly reason
iorthis dissemination, for the association
and connection with the schools Of the
county have been to him entirely agreeable
and pleasant. True, 1t has not been a
source of profit; but in the present condi.
! ton of public education the duties of the
office must be filed more as a labor of lopo
than for money. No man who seeks the
tposit;ouforproft rs fit for it; and Il wia be
4 well for the Directors of our county to re-.
member this at the Convention next month.
We were repeatedly urged to have our sal
| ary raised, but our answer always was that
we knew what the pay was when we took
the Office, and knew too what its duties
were. - b.,. ..,.s..-s.
ii the pay had been three times as large
we could not have served the cause any
better. 1t SO happens that there are only
about two months and half-from the mid
die of December to the first of March--in
which school visitations can be made. Take
out of these Saturdays and stormy days,
and there are not on an average over four
days in a.week which can be given to this
outdoor work. The wonder then is rather
that we visited as many as we did, than
that we did not visit more. The first wear
we held the office five months and visited
three fourlhs of the schools. The second
year we visited all but few which were
either closed or inaccessible by reason of
snow drifts when we were in the district
Last winier we did all we could, and visited
all except about % schools, Notwithstanding
sickness from exposure, and the bad roads.
But the most benefit resulting from su.
pervision of the public schools is in the
work at home; where almost every day
some teacher, director or citizen comes for
information or with bill of complaint. 1t
is in explaining the workings of the COM
mon school system, in reconciling Difficult.
ties, and in preventing feuds and lawsuits
that most good can be done. We found il
was not enough for US 10 examine the teach
ers who presented themselves, we were
obliged in many cases to Instruct them. We
rejected about a dozen each year, and would
have refused certificates to others if there
had been material with which to supply
their places. e. .a.
When we came into the office we found
that in several townships the provisions of
the commen school law had never been
complied with, and that the children had
been cheated out of an education. In Bea-
yer the Directors were removed, and in
pRoaringcreek were compelled 10 open the
schools, and we have the qualification of
seeing for the first time in the history of the
county that every township is acting under
the common school system when our offic-
al connection with it closes.
When we came into the Office we found
no concert of action between the teachers
for their improvement in learning or in
teaching. We organized Teachers Asso-
| citation which has held six sessions and
might benefit Teachers very much. But
we suggest that there ought 10 be more at
tention given by them to improvement in
the sciences and less to The exaction of high
wages. When true excellence shall be once
attained that will command good pay. No
doubt the fault lays very much with the
directors for not discriminating between a
poor and competent teacher. For if
good certificate was once paid we'll it
would become an object for which teachers
would try to prepare themselves. 1t is a
truth which may as well be told, for the
public ought TO know it,--three Jourths of The
teachers Of this county are only appendices
They have no doubt the average mental ca.
pacity of other young men and young wo.
men in the State, but they need much train
ing TO be teachers. Most of them frankly
confess this to us when they come to be
examined, and attribute it to their want of
proper instruction. But how will our schools
improve at this rates The only remedy is
for Directors 10 insist upon qualifications in
the teachers, and to elect Superintendent
who will be able by education and nerve
to examine teachers fully and fairly. When
ever it shall be once known that poor
teacher will receive poor pay, and will not
be hired at all where a good one can be
procured, the Directors will not no longer
be troubled with this class of applications.
Within the past three years the wages of
teachers has increased in most of the dis
tricts in this county, and in some of them
more than the standard of qualifications
But let these wages not be reduced--re-
quire only better teachers. The wages are
now such that teachers ought to prepare
themselves to earn them by organizing a
Teachers Institute. An Institute of three
or four week would work wonders, and
would not cost much. The Teachers As
sociation did much, but its members could
not be induced TO make its session long
enough.