The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1861-08-07

aud winter sessions DelQfe coulu ieaCH III
and one in Sweden had school in the fall when
/ could net attend to it. Portage has not been
visited Mt nil. | was nnder the impression
that Superintendent would be appointed Tor
Cameron county, until received notice in the
Sciool Journal, then, before | could get there
7 learned that a Superintendent had been
elected for Cameron by acommittee OF Direct
ors. supposed to be in accordance with an Act
of Assembly passed for that purpose.
Diresors. in the county, ia; who VS.
tied schools with me, SO Had ] been able to
announce beforehand the time of my visits to
the various schools, the number of those who
accompanied me would have been much
greater.
Tnstitutes.-Three County Institutes have
been held during the year One held IN Lew
isyille commenced Nov. 18th, 1860, and con-
tinued two weeks 1t was conducted by Prof.
G. w. Sanders. About eighty teachers were
in attendance, and many citizens were present
most of the time Much good was effected by
this Institute, in qualifying teachers, particu~
larly in giving them nobler views of their pro-
fession. and in creating general interest in the
cause of education. The evenings were de-
voted to discussions and lectures, and to select
readings by Prof Sanders. A large and intel
ligent audience collected, each evening to the
intellectual feast. The teachers held a levee
on the last evening. The social enjoyments
were of high order, and all present entered
into them with hearty zest. The teachers
will long remember this Institute as a season
| of pleasure and profit.
An Institute was held in Coudersport. March
18th, 14th, 18th and l6th 1861. Prof Coop
or, of Ulysses Academy, conducted the exer-
cises. The weather was very unfaYorable,
and the roads in a wretched condition. About
thirty-fye teachers were present, mostly of
the immediate vicinity Though so few were
in attendance the session was good one.
The occasion was more than ordinarily inter-
esting from the fact that Rev. John Pierpont,
of Boston, then in Coudersport, lectured and
read Poems before the Institute
An Institute was also held in Louisville,
April Ilth, 18th and 18th, 1861. S. P. Bates,
Deputy Superintendent of Common Schools,
was present, lectured, and assisted in all the
exercises. Here also the weather was very
unfavorable, but the Secretary's roll exhibited
about sixty names. The session would have
been a good one without the presence of Mr..
Bates, but BY his labors, these three days have
become memorable ones in the experience of
our teachers.
District IastituteS-The one in Homer, men
toned by my predecessor, has not been in op
Grafton for nearly tSo years. The one in Ulys-J
ses and Allegany held its last meeting just
previous to my coming into Office. No new
ones have been organized
District Secretartes-The schools Of Harrison
District were under the care of Mr. Beebe, rs
District Superintendent during the winter
term. For his services as Secretary Of the
Board of Directors, and as District Superin-
teudent, Mr.. Beebe receives $50. From my
own observations, l think considerable i'm
provement in the order and discipline Of the |
schools was man tested in this District during
the year, no small share of which was due to
the eXertions of the District Superintendent. |
Some Of the teachers Of this District nave vol |
UNFAIRLY spoken of the beneficial effect of the !
District Snperintendency, and the Board of
Directors have employed Mr.. Beebe for the
present year at a salary of $50. In no other
District has the Secretary acted as District
Superintendent. The amount paid by the va
rioUs Districts for services Of Secretary, are as
follows: Those paying 81, 90 are Abbott Allie !
gany, Bingham, Eulalia, Hector, Homer, Pike,
Sharon, Ulysses and West Branch. Those |
paying $1,000 are Hebron, Stewardson ana /
Summit. Those paying $500, Coudersport, !
Sweden and Woodyille, Clara paid $500, |
Pleasant Valley So 80, Lewisyille $500, and |
Wharton 81 90. Genesee, Kcating, OSwayo
and Portage, paid nothing. Concerning Gen
esee Fork, Ind, Jackson, Roulett and Sylyania
| am now unable to report.
Progress in Districts-No District in the |
county has retrograded in educational interest. !
lKeating is perhaps an exception to this, as no
school has been kept there for year, There |
are, however, several Districts in which finan- !
cial embarrassment has been experienced. |
Some of the difficulty is attributable to former
mismanaSemcn but more TO a cause over
which Directors have no control. When first
settled our county had abundance of Uuseat- |
ed tax and few scholars, and, although teach
ers were imported, at considerable expense, |
the funds were equal to the outlay. AS the
settlements extended unseated tax diminished
in exact ratio, while the increase in taxable |
property bore no proportion to the increase Of
scholars to be provided with suitable schools.
Even before they were aware of it some Dis
trcts ran into debt and formed more schools |
in the District than the highest tax on prop
erty would keep in successful operation. This !
state of affairs seems to me to be crisis thro' I
which all new counties, with a school system |
like ours, must inevitably pass. Some Dis
tricts have already passed this crisis, among
which Bingham, Harrison, Roulett and Ulys- !
ses may be mentioned some are in the most
trying portion of it, among which are Allega- I
ny, Hector, Pike and Sweden; and some are
just now entering it, among which Hebron
stands most prominent. Imay add that some
Districts in which the finances are now in an
excellent condition, may yet be compelled to
experience the evils attendant upon transit /
ton from wealth in wild lands, to wealth in
personal property and cultivated farms.)
Another cause of financial depression at
present is the Insolvency and death Of the late
County Treasurer. Many Districts have not
yet received their quota of the unseated tax,
and the opinion is quite prevalent that the
sureties of the late Treasurer are not legally |
responsible for the school tax on unseated
lands entrusted to his keeping. Should this
opinion prove correct, the loss to the several
Districts is estimated at nearly $4,000. Stew |