The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-11-14
THE COUNTY INSTITUTE.

THE COUNTY INSTITUTE.
The executive committee OF the Bedford
County Teachers Association met at ST..
Clairsville, on Wednesday evening, Novem-
Der 5, 1862.
On motion, the following preamble and
resolution were unanimously agreed to:
Whereas, various circumstances combine
to make the Holidays an unfavorablc time
for holding successful Institute; and where
as, information from different parts Of the
county leads your committee to suppose that
the attendance at such Institute would be
unusually small; Therefore,
Resolved, That the executive committee
recommend that no Institute be held during
the coming holidays, but that the associa-
tion hold its next meeting. on Friday and
Saturday, the 18th and 14th of April, 1868.
On motion, the following address was Or
dered to be published in the county papers:
TO THE TEACHERS OF BEDFORD COUNTY:
Your committee unwillingly came to the
conclusion embodied in the above resolution.
They felt that grave responsibility rested
upon them, whatever their action might be.
They must be chiefly responsible for an un-
successful Institute, If, as they had good
reason to fear, it should prove unsuccessful,
and for its postponcment, if postponcment
were deemed best under the circumstances.
This being the case, they have considered
their course carefully, and taken such steps
as seem to them best calculated to promote
the great cause for which the association was
organized.
These are times in which education or,
indeed, any of the ordinary pursuits and in
tercsts of life command but little attention.
So.iciiude on account of our national ,rou-
bles absorbs every other feeling; and nei-
ther teachers nor others are giving the same
hearty attention to the work in which they
are engaged as formerly. This feeling alone
would, it is thought, make an Institute, du-
ring the coming holidays, doubtful exper-
imcnt; but other reasons point to the same
conclusion.
Many, indeed nearly all, of the teachers
who attend the annual Institute and take an
ac'ive part in its proceedings, are no longer
IN the county. A number OF important pla-
ces III our program of exercises have thus
become vacant. Your committee have not
been able to procure lecturers from abroad
as they were instructed and confidently ho-
ped TO do. In some parts OF the county the
salary has been reduced--a fact to be dep
recated by every friend OF free schools.
The expense of attending the Institute will
be greater than usual, owing to the action
hast winter with reference to gratuitous en-
tertaiHment. The amendments to the school
law passed last winter, obIige teachers to
keep up se1ni-rnonthly District Institutes,
and many teachers will feel tlrat this is as
much as they can, in such times as tllese,
afford 70 do. As Christmas and New Year
come IN the middle of the week, and as the
schools arc nearly all dismissed on these
days, a weeks vacation besides for the In
stitutc would cause mo4e than usual inter-
ference. 1t reed only be added, that the
County Superintendent, who has, during his
recent examining torrr, seen and convcrsed
with nearly all the teachers IN the county,
cordially agrees with your coqnmittcc in their
recommendation.
But while your committee earnestly re-
gret the seeming necessity for this postpone
ment, they rejoice that teachers now have
within their reach means of self-irnwvvc-
ment at once more thorough and valuable
than ever before. We mean the district
institutes now required by law. These
should, and will undoubtedly be, organized
in every township. 1t is not, however, the
spirit nor intention of the law, that they
should superseOe the annual County Insti-
tute; but at the present time they are prac-
ticable, while it is not; and the discipline
acquired in them is just what is wanted to
make the annual meetings more spirited, in
teresting and profitable. When we reflect
how few have heretofore been ACTIVE WORK
ERs, this becomes consideration of no small
Importance. 1t is therefore earnestly hoped
that each will become acorking member of
his district institute.
by order Of the Esecunue Committee,
j. GILBERT FISHER, Chm.
While / can only regret that no County
Institute is to be held, nevertheless, cor
daily agree with the committee in their rec
ommendation, believing that the circumstan-
ces of the case justify their action.
GEO. SIGAFOOS, Co. Sup.
Coal OIL.-The amount of coal oil shipped
to Europe, from Philadelphia, between the lst
of january and the list of October was l,S77,-
Isl gallons, valued at S329, 1886, and the total
amount exported from the United States, during
the same period, was 6,294 8i9 gallons, being