Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-10-15

testimony that it has met with unprcce-
dontcd success.
Progress Of Improvement.
The present school year opens with all
unusual degree of interest on the part of
most of those directly or indirectly con-
ncctcd with the Public Schools Of Union
county. We can only determine tho r0al
improvement in school affairs, by contrast
iny one period with another And COM
pairing the present with the spiri. that was
manifested in school matters only three
years ago, we have abundant reason to look
to the future for brighter sky-to breathe
an atmosphere less contaminated with that
influence which too often pOisons the miud
of the young, and bids the old war against
that light which alone can perpetuatc those
incstimable blessings We now enjoy.
la the fall of 1855, met thirteen School
Directors and examined fourteen Teachers
at the different appointments for Union
county. At nearly half the places ap-
pointed to examine teachers, found nei
thcr Directors nor applicants. This Fall,
at the examinations which have recently
closed, l met fhy tour Directors, and ex-
amincd niney.fre applicants for schools.
Add 10 This number the ten teachers who
held pcrmanen. certificates, and it will be
seen that instead Of aoantiny teachers, We
have thir,y..hrcc more applicants than
schools.
In point of intellectual attainments, the
average number of those examined the
present year have also improved on those
of 1855, though many of them are young
and inexperienced. Time alone can fully
decide their success in the school room.
In some Districts, the Directors have
heretofore been il the habit Of assigning
to each member Of the Board those schools
most convenient to him, for the purpose Of
providing fuel, attending to the repairs
and general wants Of the school houses,
and employing the Teachers for their par.
.icular schools. To this arrangement,
there seemed no particular objection, as
it appeared to cconomize time, and save
trouble. And as School Directors receive
no direct compensation for the time devo-
ted to the transaction Of school business,
there appeared no plausible reason why
they should not atridge that time as much
as possible. But, let US examine the re-
sults of this system. Where it was agreed
that each Director should employ his own
teacher, it was also understood that the
other members of the Board should be
satisfied with that choice. Now, if our
schools were all of the same grade; our
teachers were all equally qualified to
teach any school, the Directors had no pri-
va.e preferences, and the opinion of one
man was just as good as the opinion of the
majority of the six who constitute the
Board, then there could be no serious OBJ
, lection to this system. But, schools diff,
fer in advancement, and teachers differ in
their qualifications. 1t is supposed that
the Director should know the requirements
Of his school, and employ teacher to suit
them. But this, unfortunately, has not,
in all cases, been done. Too often the
first person that offered himself as a teacher
was employed, regardless of his qualifca.
tions. "Have you a certificate 2" was
perhaps the only question asked in regard
to his ability to teach. In other cases the
most competent teachers were obliged to
give way to the most inferior-simply be-
cause they had first applied for the school,
or chance to be particular friends of the
Director. From the State Superintend.
ent's late instructions to "Directors and
Teachers" published in the Sept. No. of
Ihe Psnn'a School Journal, judge that
this has been q general practice through
ou. the State, and the evil results of it no
doubt caused him 10 issue those instruc-
tons.
| lam very happy to report change for
the better in this respect also, for, in the
majority Of Districts, the Directors this
fall met their teachers at the examina-
tions, where those who had the best GER
tifcatcs were employed, BY the vote ofthe
majority Of the Directors. To this, l
found but two exceptions. In one, the
citizens had taken the power out Of the
Directors hands, and had elected their
teacher before be had been examined. In
some Districts, the Directors pay accord.
ing to the grade Of certificate the teacher
holds, taking into consideration at the
same time the age and experience of the
teacher. Several experienced and success
fu! teachers, remain unemployed, because
they were considered too defective in their
. articulation and pronunciation.