Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-06-20
TO tho School Directors of Columbia
County.
MILLvILLE, Columbia Co., Pa, !
June Is, 1857.

superintendent OF OOnllnOn oCnoolS, ny lnc
first opportunity after receiving my COM
mission, desire to tender my thanks for
the confidence you hive manifested, and to
address you briefly through the public
press. l am aware that the duties Of the
office as specified by the law and as con-
templated by its trainers, which you will
in reason expect me to perform, are not of
q trivial character, but such as should call
into continual exercise a vast amount of
tact, experience and capacity, and though
others could have been selected more COM
potent than myself; yet accepting the
Office which at first [ reluctantly consented
to fill did it with the intention Of render
ing all the service in my power, and resolved
that all the time and talent at my command
should be freely given t. the educational
interests of the county. Ouc school law
was planned upon broad and liberal
scale, and if properly carried into effect
would redound to the lasting honor and
credit Of our Commonwealth. Much op-
position to the law has been mani estcd in
some localities, but as all efforts in that
direction have proved fruitless, it is hoped
that hereafter there will be more cheerful
acquiescence in the acquisitions Of the law,
and when, after thorough experiment, the
law is found to be inefficient, it will always
be open to amendment. Considering our
school system then as q fixed fact, perma.
nently engrafted upon the wise and bene-
VIOLENT institutions of our State, it should
be our pride and our interest as well as
our duty, 10 make it practically useful and
carry out the intentions of the law by well
directed efforts to promote the intellectual
development Of the rising generation. Pa
rents are mostly interested in the improve
ment Of their own children, but some in
their active exertions to promote it at the
public expense, seem to forget that the law
is impartial in its operations and was de.
signed TO benefit the entire community
without regard to rank or sex. In making
the law effective many important aids may
oft unite, but as school directors are elected
by the people to administer tho law, you
our executive officers arc in great mea-
sure responsible for its results. Upon you
important duties devolve, and to your care
are entrusted the best interests of the cause
Of education. Upon your judicious selec-
ton of teachers and the interest you man.
ifestin your respective schools, Will mainly
depend the beneficial results ol the system.
AS soou as We find out that the miud r.
quircs i's nourishment as well as the body,
and are willing to devote as much atton-
tion to the improvement Of the mind as We
bestow upon the improvement of our farms,
the culture Of our stock, &c.. our schools
will NJ doubt receive an active impul c
upward, but like indigenous weeds, they
will not thrive with ut culture, to be If
any bepef: to society. You select teachers
it is true, to have the immediate charge of
the pupils to impart instruction each in his
own peculiar way. but your poor teachers
want your continual advice and encourage
ment, and even your best teachers need
your sympath'z;ng care and oversi hit
they need your counsel and your frequent
presence as stimulus to exertion and an
indication that their abors ore appreciated.
L desire not to dictate, but at all times in
a friendly way, | shall strive to enlist your
feelings on behalf Of n orc active efforts fer
the benefit Of our common schools, and it
will always be pleasure for me to CO.
opcrste with you in devising measures
and perFecting plans for their improve
ment,
During the summer, l expect to visit all
the districts in the county, to make the
acquaintance of teachers and directors, to
examine teachers, to visit schools when
they may be open, and consult with the
friends OF education respecting the best
means Of elcyating their children. During
the winter or whenever any considerable
number of the schools, shall be open, my
principal business will be to visit the schools,
to aid and stimulate the teachers, to Gu
courage associated efforts at improvements,
to address the public on educational sub
jects when desired, and in various ways to
excite spirit Of emulation in the art of
teaching which will be pleasalt to both
teacher and pupils, as well as profitable to
the entire community.
To do all this SO that my private busi-
ness will not suffer by my absence, will
probably cost me moro than the compensa-
ton allowed, but as | have embarked in
the undertaking, l will endeavor to carry
it through to the best of my ability, and in
the most impartial manner. Directors
and those hayinp business who NAV find n