The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-04-22
THE SCHOOL DIRECTORS, CoNvEN.

The SCHOOL DIRECTORS CONVEN.
TION.
tbs just that the public should know that
the present Superintendent of Common
Schools does not ask or desire a reelection
to that office. III health is the only reason
for this determination, for the association
and connection with the schools of the
county have been 10 him entirely agreeable
and pleasant True, it has not been q
source of profit; but in the present condi
tion of public education the duties of the
office must be filled more as n labor of love
than for money. No man who seeks the
position for prof is fit for it; and il will be
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.
If 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 Il half-lrom the mid
die of December to the first of March-in
which school yisitations can be made. Take
out of these Saturdays and stormy days,
and there are not on an average over four
days in week which can be given 10 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 year
we held the Office five months and visited
I three lourlhs Of The schools. The second
year we visited all hut iow which were
either closed or inaccessible by reason of
snow drifts when we were i'll the District
| Last winter we did all we could, and visited
all except about 25 schools, Notwithstanding
sickness from exposure, and the bad roads.
But the most benefit resulting from SUI
porvision of the public schools is i'll the
work ut 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 rocouciling Difficult. |
ties, and in preventing icuds and lawsuits
that most GOOD can hc done. We found II
was not enough for us 10 CrImnc the teach.
crs who presented themselves, we were
obliged in many cases to instruct them. We
rejected about do2cn each year, and would
have refused certificates 10 others ii there
had been material with which to supply !
their pacos.
When we came into the office we found
that in several townships tho provisions OF
tho commcn school law had never hccu
complied with. and that the chlldrrn had
been cheated ont of an education. In Boa
yer .hc Directors were removed, and IN
RoarinGcreck were compelled ,o open the
schools, and we have the qualification vi
scclng for the first timc in the history ct the
county tha, every township is acting under
the common school system when our othci.
al connection with II closes
When We came into tho office we found
no concert ot acton between the teachers
tor their Improvement in learuiug or in
teaching, We organlscd Teachers Asso-
citation which has held SIX sessions and !
miGh benefit Teachers very much. Rm /.
We suygcst that there ounhi to I've more at !
tcu,lou given hy them to Improvement IN !
the sciences and less 10 The CNaC,iou Ct high |
wages Whcu tur excellence shall We once
attained that will command ycNd pay. No
doubt the fault lays very much with the
directors tNr rot dlScrimuaiiuG between u
poor and u competent teacher For ua
good certificate was once paid we'll i,
s>,>b.NrS
would try 10 prepare themselves, |; is
truth which may as we'll he told, tor the
public ought to Know Il,--ik,es fas'IAs of tAe
ic,,tkSS q his co,Hts are ents cn9'tR'sccs,--
They have no doub, the average mental ca,
pacty OF other Young men and young wo-
men IN the State, but they need much tram.
ia., IL ke teachers. Mos, oi them frankly
confess this to Us when they come t. be
examined, aud attribute il 10 their wan; OF
proper instruction. Hu; how will our schools
Improve a, ihlS rate The only rcmc,iv is
;or Directors 10 insist Upou qualifications III
the teachers, and 10 e,o,'i \ Superintendent
who viii be able hv education and nerve
10 examine teachers tUllv ana fairly. When
ever II Stt2k CS cNCS NI'NNA lhIl - gNNtE
teacher wi, receive poor pay. and viii uo,
he h,pci n all whcrH good one can hc
pr>cuycl, The n;Osc,oyS will ~. no loUrey
be ,rouh,ei with this class Of applications,
Within the past three years the wages {;
Tea ,htrS has Increased m mos; u the dis
trici< in ,hiS cnuN,N; ana II some ot them
mon, ,hau The standard .. lualitira,ionS.-
Ra, lsi these wages not be rN!&ced-rH,
crio, only letter n>S'Ae7S The wages arS
now Such ihaI teachers ouya; u pTYaye
themselves - cam iasn by organizing
Teachers InS;i,u,e. An la>'l;uts q iases
- t,ur week wou& work wonders, aad
would No; COS; mach, The Tc&caEvS As
S,>,:a:io-, i;i ,a,.eh, IN, i;S ulstaee7S could
rI hc iaiucel - make ~ session s,.S
enough
SNsw S7cSN-l: vii b. - news - ir.