Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-02-11
Abstract Of the Report of the Superintendent
OF Common Schools for 1876.


Philadelphia, was 1867, being an increase of
228 over the previous year, and an increase of
1870 over the total of the year just prior TO the
enactment of the school law of May Sth, 1854.
The average time during which the schools
were kept open was five months and twelve
days, being an increase of two days over the
total of last year, and Of twelve days over
| 1853. The number of teachers in the COM
mon schools of the State, exclusive OF Phila-
deipha, was l2 ,357, being an increase of pa
| over last year, and of Il27 over the year 1853.
Including the city of Philadelphia, the total
number of teachers was 10 ,32T, of whom S0l5
were males, and 53l2 females. The average
salary of each male teacher per month was
! S23 90, being an increase per month over last
year of 995 cents, and Of 81 Gi5 per month
over the year 1853. The average salary of
each female teacher per month was Sl5,S5, be-
! ing an increase of SO cents per month over
last year, aud of $3.50 per month over the
year 1858.
The whole number of scholars in the public
schools, exclusive of Philadelphia, 531,-
729, and including Philadelphia, $50 ,743.-
! The former aggregate shows a decrease Of
1897 since last year, and an increase of 81 ,l7l
over the year 1858. The decrease since last
year was occasioned by the almost unprece-
dented severity of last winter, which compell-
ed many pupils TO remain at home, and, on
account of the snow drifts, stopped some
schools entirely. The County Superinten-
dents suffered severely from the intense cold
during that period, and one of them narrowly
escaped freezing to DEATH Still these figures
show large improvement over the condition
of things prior to the passage of the new
school law.
The average cost of teaching each scholar
per month Is 81 cents exclusive of the build
ing expenditure, or 625 cents including it..
The amount expended during the year for pur-
chasing ground, building school houses, re-
pairs, &C., was 1892, ,125 y, being an increase
over last year of sG5, ,926 81, and over the
year 1853 of s1S4 COS 81, and an increase Of
S36,674 90 over the highest amount in any
former year in the history of the school sys-
TEN. The amount expended for tuition, fuel
and contingencies. outside Of Philadelphia,
was 81 ,2S5, ,3f5 Gl, being an increase of Sl34,-
800 over last year, and s4704f3 81 over 1858.
Including Philadelphia, the whole amount for
the State was 81 1895 454 81. With the build
ing expenses mentioned above, the total school
expenditure for the year was s.. .227 $40 9S.
The average rate of local taxation for school
purposes, as calculated from the returns in
1887 districts, (fve-sevenths Of the whole num-
ber,) is five mills and five hundredths upon
the dollar.
In forty-three counties, the number Of
school houses reported as sufficiently we'll a.
dapted to the purpose or grade of school for
which they are intended, is 1i04; those which
are not, in their present condition, so adapted,
but are so susceptible of alteration and i'm
provement as to become so 32G2; those which
are, in all respects, or in any essential partic-
uar, unfit to be the training places of youth,
22jS. Twenty-one counties report the NUM-
Der of school houses with furniture in of the
first class at 54j; number in the second class
at 1858 in the third class at 1852 Twenty
seven counties report the number of graded
schools at 500; number of schools in which
any successful attempt at classification has
been made, 22o5 those in which there is nei-
ther grading of the schools nor classification
of the pupils, 1914. Thirty-cight counties re-
port the teachers ages thus: Under seventeen
years, 302; between seventeen and twenty one
years, 202G; between twenty one aud twenty
five, 1856; between twenty five and thirty,
1900; between thirty and forty, 90S between
forty and fifty, 1923 over fifty years of age, 19l.
In thirty-two counties, many of them border
counties, the number of teachers born in Penn
sylvania is 500; and of those born out Of Penn
sylvania, Si3.
Thirty-four counties report the number OF
teachers who have taught less than one year,
1898 who have taught between one and three
years, 2035; who have taught between three
and six years, lO5S who have taught between
six and ten years, 612; who have taught be-
tween ten and twenty years, 989; who have
taught over twenty years, l23 In thirty-one
counties 2201 teachers have read books and
periodicals on teaching, and 32i1 have not
In thirty-two counties there were 273j of the
teachers who intend to make teaching per-
manent business, and 3OI9 who do not Out
side of Philadelphia, not two per cent, of all
the teachers are graduates of colleges or nor
NAL schools Not twenty per cent, are grad
yates of academies or private seminaries-
About twenty-five per cent, have had the ben
eft of tuition for brief periods in academies
anG private schools, and about fifty per cent
have received their educational training in the
common schools of their respective neighbor-
hoods. During the last two years, under the
influence Of the County Supcrintendents, and
the stimulus of the graded temporary certifi-
cate, vast Improvement has baen mada on tba