Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-10-29
Coufational Department.
To Teachers..and others.

<" DISTRICT INsTITUTES.-A District
Teachers Institute is an association, in
each District. or 7ounship, composed Of the
teachers and friends OF education In 1t,
the object of which is, in lhe.irst' place,
mutual instruction 10 the branches requir-
Cd to be taught in our Common Schools ;
and, in the second place, the discussion OF
such subjects as have necessary and im.
mediate bearing upon the Improvement of
the schools in the particular district. 1t
contemplates the attendance Of eyery tea
cher in the district, and the discussion Of
such subjects as are of local importance as
well as general interest
The above is found among the decisions
of the State Superintendent, in the late
edition of Penn'a School Laws, P. 1Os.
Although Union was among the first
counties Of this State to move in the or.
CARNATIONS of District Institutes, and,
where they have been properly conducted,
they have realized the just expectations
of the friends Of common schools, we have
Districts in which those good results have
not yet been seen, and hence an opposi-
ton exists against them. Some of the
teachers are ever ready to employ every
opportunity to improve themselves and
their schools, while others make all sorts
of excuses for not seeking the benefits of
those Institutes. "What shall we do ?"
they inquire eve see the great impor-
tance of being united in our efforts in ele.
waiting our profession, and improving our
schools but then the Directors will give
US neither the time nor encouragement to
hold Institutes, and they ought certainly
to be the friends of education. Besides
this, the citizens are chiefly opposed to
them"
What are you to do? We will briefly
say to all such: "Be sure you are right,
and 90 ahead" regardless Of discourage
meuts. What dare you shrink from what
you believe TO be right, and your duty,
simply because others do not see the SUBJ
ject in so favorable light as you do, and
therefore differ with you in opinion, or
perhaps oppose you? This is one evidence
that Institutes arc needed in your district
to correct public opinion.
You say that the Teachers are not all
willing to unto with you. and do not con-
slider it their duty What says the State
Superintendent on this point! 81: con-
templates the attendance Of every teacher
in the district"
"Well," says another, 81 am willing to
attend, aud listen to all that is said"
Aye, there's the rub! Suppose all would
60 for the same purpose; there would be
nothing accomplished. There is no step
more certain to bring Institutes into dis
repute, than that of teachers Offering ex-
cuses for non.performance Of duty, instead
of giving what information they have of
the subject under consideration. Where
a few teachers are expected to do all the
talking or teaching, an institute can not
long keep up its interest, for only those
who are engaged in the labor can have the
proper spirit in the work.
District Institutes are not self-support.
ing constitutions. In County Institutes,
or State Associations, it may be both ben.
efcial and agreeable to listen to learned
addresses Or scientific lectures, but the du-
ties of the District Institute necessarily
include the various local defects of the
schools, as we'll as the improvement of :Le
individual teachers All should, there.
fore, be united in this work. Iu my next
Annual Report, hope to have the plea
sure of reporting every teacher Of Union
county as an active member Of some dis
trict institute. When one District is too
small, however, two or three can unite and
form one Institute. D. DHEcKENDORN.
NOAH WEBsTER.-In speech, on the
23d ut, at the Maine State Fair, in Au.
gusta, Jefferson Davis paid Mississippians
tribute to Yankee spelling book: