Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-01-17
educational 9tpartmeat.
The Election of School Directors.

| Directors, who in conj junction with their asso-
! ciates already members of the board are to
manage the educational interests of their re-
spective townships for the ensuing year. This
| being the case we deem it q proper time to
say something upon that subject, and here let
us heartily recommend an article upon this
question that appeared few weeks since in
one of our village papers, excepting the clos.
ing paragraph which was so highly complimen-
tary to one of tie editors of this Educational
conmn. We hope the readers of that paper
will give good heed to the advice then given
Directors are,we believe, the only officers in
the township that are required to labor with
out pay but they are not, therefore required
to perform duties that are of little or no i'm
portance to themselves and their fellow citi-
zens, far otherwise. Their acts are of more con-
sequence and have more to do with the best
interests of society than most other town Off
GERS. Why then they are expected to labor for
the welfare of their neighbors and the ad-
vancement of education without pay, it is not
easy for Us to discover, but such is the law
This being the case it is frequently difficult to
find the best, most suitable men who are will
ling to serve as School Directors, s,-perhaps it
would still be the case if they were paid,
pens, that the most unsuitable men in the
whole township are elected to that Office
whereas, in our Judgment we should have the
very best men that the township Affords
Their duties are responsible, and often require
the exercise Of the best judgment-the wisest
discretion and the soundeSt wisdom Their
acts bear upon the we'll being of the children
of the country, those who have no legal power
/ . IL, 1aolf h- h.
not by law, call those to account who defraud
them of their rights The duties of Direct
ors are manifold and many times difficult OF
performance ce,-they are frequently brought by
! the faithful discharge of these duties in COLI
sion with their neighbors who feel that every
cent paid tor education of the youth is SO
much money thrown aWay,-who deem all
money paid for building comfortable School
! Houses, as so much extorted from them by the
school law and its officers. Directors should
| therefore be men who are willing and deter
mined to do their duties, to labor for the best
interest of the cause of education men who
will not be driven from their right convictions,
because some complain or find fault, men who
will administer the law faithfully but judicious-
ly, who esteem the well being of the youth of
more consequence than mere money.
! One important duty that Directors are call
ed upon to perform, is the location Of School
Houses. This many times requires more nerve
than all our citizens possess. In many of our
districts, where new houses are to be erected,
there are more schools than can well be sup
ported and more than one are needed. Now
the country is cleared and the roads are good,
TO locate a house SO that one or more old
schools shall be discontinued, and some inhabi.
tauts who have always lived near the school,
half or three fourths of a mile from it, fire.
ouenuy introduce as bone of contention into
the neighborhood and calls forth denunciations
against Directors, which they are not willing
to incur, even if they feel that right requires
the thing to be done.
The selection and adoption Of q series of
text books for the schools is delicate task,
and one from which many directors shrink, or
rather one which they utterly refuse or heed
lessly neglect to perform, but duty, enjoined
by the law as positively as the employment
of teachers, and one which is of great impor-
tance to the advancement of the schools
These and other duties deVolving upon school
directors, require our most intelligent, judi
cious, prompt and independent men for their
faithful performance.
The practice OF electng men as directors
who have no direct interest in the schools is a
very bad one, as it seems to US, candidates are
sometimes selected because they are large tax
payers, and will consequently oppose raising
any more money than just enough to keep the
schools open four months, sometimes because
they are opposed to the building tax, some
times young men are elected who have no
families, merely to bring them before the pub.
lie in some official capacity. Any one can see
that such school officers, as a general thing,
will injure the system. They have no desire
to improve the schools
Men should not be selected merely because
they are heavy tax payers. still there should
be those on the board who will be called upon
to pay large taxes they have pecuniary in
terest in the matter at heart, and if good men
in other respects, portion of the board should
belong to that class The poor man has as much
interest in our common schools as the rich, and
perhaps more; he too should be represented on
the school board No man should be elected
because he is rich or because he is poor man,
but because he is good man for the post,
and will perform his duties as director faith
fully and fearlessly.
Let the electors see to this matter in season,
and bring forward their good men for this i'm
portant, but payless, position. Let all classes
who have direct interest in the schools be rep
resented, so that all shall feel that their inter-
ests and their rights will be protected, and the
schools of the district be improved; select men
who will provide well for the schools in every
department, by evying tax judiciously, and
expendng it pro6tably, but with proper regard
to economy who will locate school houses
properly and build them substantially and with
reference to comfort and convenience-men
who will see that we have good schools.