Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-07-01

a resolution passed az the County Convention
of School Directors held at Clearfield on the
first Monday of May, 1857, meeting of dele
gates from the various School districts of
Clearfcld county was held at the Town Hall,
CIearield, on Thursday June 25th, 1857. The
Rev. l.. L. Still was selected as President and
L.. ]. Grams and Robert j. Wallace, appointed
Secretaries.
The committee on text books submitted the
following report. To the President, &C.:
The Committee appointed for the purpose of
examining and selecting suitable school books
TO be used in the Common Schools of Clear
field county. beg leave TO report; that through
the kindness of several publishers in Philadel-
phia, New York and Boston, with whom they
put themselves in correspondence immediate
ly after their appointment they have been
abled to examine many school books of great
value. The saying Of Soloman ssof making
many books there is end'' seems as appli-
cable to the present, as it was to his time
From the examination which your committee
have made they satisfied that many books
which are highly recommended are books long
IN use-now out of date-remodeled, introdu-
cling slight changes of matter but no improve
ments. Your committee have been desrous
of recommending none but the best pu5ica-
tions. Among the books recommended will
be found some already introduced into our
schools. and few which have not yet found
their way into our county. Where your COM
rnttee have examined books by different au-
shors possessing equal merit various consid-
erations have induced them to prefer those
named in the report, among which, style of
publication: price, and the fact that the books
now in general use in our schools, have
had their weight.
The Committee recommend for adoption
81 the following
Sargent's Smaller Standard Speler and
Standard Speller.
Lynd's First book OF Etymology and Class
book Of Etymology.
Sanders 1st, End, Sd. 4th, 5th and High
School Readers, new series.
Greene's Introduction to Grammar and Ele-
ments of English Grammar.
Berard's History of the United States.
Trego's Geography of Pennsylvania.
Mitchell's series of School BIOGRAPHIES.
Warren's Physical Geography.
Legendre and Mensuration.
Gummere's Suveying.
Comstock's Natural Philosophy and Chem
istry.
Comstock's Elocution and Alphabetical
Charts.
Webster's Dictionary, (unabridged.)
Becker's American System of Penmanship.
The adoption, by the several school districts
throughout the county of similar school books,
and the exclusion from the schools of all other
works on the same subject, must be attended
withvery beneficial effects. Such course will
enable the teachers to properly classify their
pupils, and effect more good in a term of four
months than is now accomplished in six-will
greatly facilitate the County Superintendent in
imrarting instruction at his regular visits to
the schools, and in the end be saving to pa
rents in the purchase Of books.
Connected with the adoption of text books
the purchase by the several boards, of a suf
ticient number of books for the of their
schools which are TO be plrccd in the care of
teachers who are to be responsible for them,
seems to your committee to be q proper and
important subject for discussion and action
They vOuid also recommend tnat IN every
school regular record be kept and that pa
rents be informed weekly or monthly of the
attendance and progress of their children
Your committee think no better plan could be
adopted to infuse q spirit CT emulation in the
scholars, increase the interest of parents and
render our school system more efficient.
Respectfully submitted.
J.. j. Grams, Elisha Fenton,
r. J. Wallace, Jesse Broomall,
Vim. F. Johnston,
The report having been read it was on mo-
zion, unanimously
Resoi-ed, That it is necessary and proper for
ahe different school districts in Cleariield coun.
~, to adopt the same works as text books and
exclude other works on the same subjects from
the schools.
On motion, the books recommended by the
committee were considered separately. Da-
yies' ariihmetics being under consideration,
Mr.. Boynton moved as an amendment to strike
out Davies and insert Greeneaf Mr.. Broom
all moved to amend the amendment by insert
ing Vogdes. The amendment to the amend
ment and the amendment were lost, and pa-
yies' series adopted, with one dissenting voice.