Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1860-03-02
The superintendent and the Last
Institute.


Mr. OyER:-An article published in the
Inqu'rer By the County Superintendent, re-
aected discredit On upon those teachers who
were mol in attendance at the County Institute,
and requires some attention at our hands,
We, as teachers of Middle Woodberry Town
ship, feel IS much interest n solf-mprogem
Teachers Institutesand ,hesrls and progress
Of cur Educational, system, as any set of
teachers in the county, though We did not al
tend the Institute. W. had our reasons for
not attending:
The reason why We dii not attend the Coun-
ty Institute was, that there was not IN iota of
inducement held our, either upon the part of
the Superintendent, or upon the part of the
Directors. When the present term of the
ComuIou Schools opened we met in Woodbury.,
and organized Teachers Institute, and that
with the most promising prospects; every
teacher cxertiug himself to his utmost, to
bring about the most beneficial results in the
progress of our educational system; but alas !
majority of our directors refused to grant US
PERMISSION to hold any educational meetings in
any one of the school rooms under whatever
form we may have desired to form them. Yes,
they snatchod them from our hands, and put
township. However, am sure that the teach
ers in this part Of the County are doing their
duty maufulIy, and especially under the uula-
vorable circumstances under which we are la
boring, and the term ''not live teachers" is
certainly not applicable to US. OF the twelve
schools in our township, not single school
has been regularly visited by any Of the Di-
Iectors, or scarce by anybody else.
We have been looking Tor the SGperintend-
eut to visit our schools, and to deliver Us lee
lures upon the Art of Teaching, duty de-
volving upon the Superintendent, according TO
law, and as yet, be has not fulfilled his obliga-
tory duty, nor has be as much as held regular
correspondence with eithe. the Teachers or the
Directors, upon the all important sutjoct of
..school matters; therefore, Is It Ia be ex-
pected that We, who labor for the paltry sum
of fDenty 10 twenty,fow dollars per MONTH
will spend time und money, and go twenty
miles to attend an Institute for the benefit OF
two days instruction? No. emphatieally no !!
Not that we are opposed TO Teachers Inst-
tutes, bus for the want of proper encourages
meht. Should it be Mr.. Heckerman's ''good
fortune to serve another term as County Su-
periutendent," I hope he will more efficiently
attend to bis duty, aud initiate the labor of
the Superintendents of our nelghborlng coun-
ties Mr. Dean, OF Blair County, has, during
his term OF the SUPPLEMENTARY, icctured day
after day, and night alter night yes, trayers-
ed the county from Que epd TO the other, and
reared up edifces of learning, and now his
praises are sung around the hreside OF every
true friend of education, not only in Blair
County, but in the neighboring counties, and
/ mar We fnTt the Qf the
Superinteudenoy, and such man is j. K. DUR
borrow, tho author of "School Matters" who
has labored, as no other man in Bedford Coun-
~ has labored, for the advancement of educa-
ton, aud who, if elected Superintendent, will
spare no pains to raise the cause of education
to its wonted position.
Yours, ID. ID. ESHELMAN.
| Woodbury., Feb. Is, 1860