Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-01-06
G0ututional Departnlellt.


lowing, from the Hon. II. C. Hickok. Super
intendent of Common Schools, taken from the
School Journal, is deemed of such practical i'm
portance to Teachers, Directors, and the friends /
of Education, that l send it to you for inser- /
tion in the Educational Department OF your
paper:
ssTeachers E. Instifutes.-The duty Of Teach
ers to attend Institutes is not less imperative
than the obligation of SuperintendentS 10 hoId ,
them. and is to be taken for granted Live
teachers who love their profession, realize lis
hopeful and cheering future. and are awake 10
the magnitude of its responsibilities, VIII need
no prompting from any quarter. IN regard 10
institutes but will hail any opportunity thus
offered, for improvement and genial inter-
course with their fellow laborerS. Aechanicai
teachers, whose capacity or ambition Is llh.i-
ted to the assignment of lessons from the
printed page to be conned and reclted by the
efforts of verbal memory, without reference
to ideas or principles and who pursue ihelE
calling rs an occasional trade, merely for Inc
income it Yields, will scrupulously avoid IN
stitutes and Associations; but their numbers
are rapidly thinning, and but a very few years
will elapse until they will be driven from the
field, aud their places supplied with the faith
full and competent"
ssPost naortean GminatioHs.-It appears that
Teachers are still in the habit OF teaching
4
out, applying for certificate in order to get
their wages. This practice is Illegal and for
feits both the teachers wages and the State
appropriation to the district employing them.
Superintendents not at liberty to grant GER
tifcates under such circumstances, or for such
purpose. Every such application should be
reported to the Department, giving the name
of the Teacher, and the name OF the President
or Secretary OF the District"
These remarks Of our worthy State Super
intendent should be carefully perused. OF
that class OF teachers, who feel no interest to
attend Teachers Institutes and Associations.
but who make teaching business for the time
being merely, or principally, for the profit it
affords, he but too justly predicts the DOOM
Before the onward march of educational i'm
provement they must give way, and their pla-
ces be supplied by better ones; and they ought
to give way TO better ones. SO will say every
parent, patron and friend of education. and
every good and faithful teuchcr-nay, they
themselves must utter the amen.
In regard to ':post mortcm examinations,
we announce it as intention strictly to fol-
low the State Superintendent directions
We will hold no post mortem examinations of
teachers. Those teachers must forfeit their
Districts employing them, the State appropri-
alton, for shall report as the State Superin
tendent has requested, should any such case
or cases occur. We think. however, we shall
have no occasion for the performance of this
sad duty, although the warning note is not out
of place. [. I. STILL, Co. Szpt.
MR. EDITOR Tho adoption OF series Of
books by the School Directors of the several
districts throughout the county, with strong
effort on their part TO effect their introduction
into the schools. is subject which 1 think is
too much neglected. At a convention OF
School Directors held in Clearlield on the 18th
of june last, after q careful examination OF
sample copies, and i free and, trust, protita
ble discussion of the subject, a series Of books
were recommended. This list may or may not
be adopted in iot5 in every districts hut il is
certainly very important that each and every
Board OF School Directors in the county should
adopt and establish system or series OF books.
TO be used in the schools. II must lie appa-
reat 10 every observer, that the advantages 20
be derived from such a course, over the old,
and to considerable extent still existing
practice of each scholar having his or her own
set of books, regardless OF all order or CLASH
fcation with others, would be very great, not
only to the scholars. but to the teacher, whose
time might be greatly ecOnomized thereby.
The time has come when great changes are
to be wrought in the manner of conducting
orr schools; old and worn-out rules are to be
set aside, and new and practical theories to be
adopted. and wherever Directors do their du-
ty, with the aid of the County Superindency
this important fact Will be demonstrated, that
our common school system is built upon an in
destructibIe foundation, and is destined to &c
on prospering and to prosper, with Progression
for its watchword, till cavillers will be silencee
by the happy and widespread influence of 81
great and ennobIing an institution. J. R.
Pennsville, Dec. 1857.
Many persons like to use what are generally
termed 'sbig words.' This is wrong. Sim
plicity of expression is always desirable. Tht
absurdity of using uncommon words is mani
tested in the following language said to be en-
ployed by Professor in one of our Universi
ties -
ssViewing this subject from the esoteri
standpoint of Christian exegetical ANALYSIS
and agglutinating the polsynthetical ectobast
Of homogeneous asceticism, we perceive q
once the absolute individuality of this entity
while from that other standpoint of in2redu
lous syntheSie, which characteriSe the Memo
cratic hierarchy Of the Jews we are CONSTANT
impressed with the precisely antiperistati
quality thereof
ssClear as mud,'' thati Isn't it9
man can be misled by the shallowe;