Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1862-07-08
The Report of the School Superin-
tenient Of Union County.

tenuent Oh U1iOH county.
.Shooi Houses The only house cree,
ted during the year was the one ia the
independent District of Uuion aud Snyder
county. Its plan is modification Of
Class |, No |, in "penn'a ScAool Archi-
lecture" Brick, % by 3j f. Height Of
ceiling, l3 # clear Door facing 5 nth,
with two narrow windows on each side 10
give light 10 the closets or ante ROOMS.
Three windows on each side of the house.
S.ze as specified in the Architecture. The
veuti!ator opens into the bell turret.
Do1r-framc, brackets, and window sash,
painted white: doors, shutters, and other
wood work, drab. Coal stove about the
ceuter Of the room. 1t is the neatest and
best single school house in the county.
Cost S125, 81. Since they have a CON-
Portable house, the parents have com
mencci to visit the school; and, since
the children are no logger crowded. into .
,mril house with low ceiling, they 10
longer complain of headaches.
No. Of school houses in the county, %
- - - - unfit Il
.Shoyl Furniture ALL the school
houses in the county are supplied with
loutle desks, except those Of White Deer,
where they have loug writing benches,
extending from the center to the outer
aisles. Very few, painted. Many Of them
bear testimony of that "magic tool, the
pocket knife" but the boys al! insist that
that was when they first came to school.
We notice many hlcrogl lyhpics tha, would
puzzle the Learned Blacksmith himself
to read. la fact, the out-croppings OF
genius can be seen ia almost every desk
taat had been used when it was yet con-
sidered crime or a folly for pupil to
bring his slate and peacil to school before
he was old enough to cipher.
The furniture of . houses has been i'm
proved. That of IS is still insufficient.
No school is without blackboard, and
only few in which the amount ia not
eGIal to the demand. Globes, Maps, aud
Charts are still wanting in more thau ;a.se
fourths of the schools.
CruIeR .Srh3s,s.-All the schools that
can be graded TO any advantage, except
those at llartlcton and New Columbia,
have been graded at different periods
within the last seven years. In New
Columbia the directors are now erecting a
double house, which will give them the
Advantages Of two gradsd schools. ,u
Hartleton tho schools aud school houses
remain in "sii'u gto."
Tcqcicrs Er1DsineH-The number OF
teachers examioed during the year 1OJ
Provisional certificates granted VI
Professional
Visits to schools lS1
Hours spent in schools oJi
Miles travelled during eight months IN
visiting schools, attending Etucatlonal
Couventirns and other official duties 1903
Average No. hours in each school -
visits TO " -
Those that were open only four months
we're visited twice. As to visits Of Dlrec-
tors and others, | can make no estimate,
as | took no notes Of their visits last WIN
ter. | seldom call on Directors to accom-
pluy me, unless | know them to be at
leisure. have some times been told that
it was the Superintendent's business TO
visit schools, as be was paid for that duty:
he must not expect them to leave thcIr
work for a ,hankless office. But in the
winter, when they have more time they
cheerfully accompany me-, and some take
me in their own conveyance from school
to school. With one or two exceptions, |
was very kindly treated by them.
.Secreirries Of .Shool B1ards.-In one
or two districts, the Secretary renders gra-
tuitous service. In others, they receive
from s. to SO year. la Lewisbure
alone the Secretary acts as District Super
ntendent-receivos | believe, so year
for his services. The system works we'll.
District Ias,iiu'es--In Bufflloe, West
BufFaloe, Lewis, Hartley, llartleton, Kelly
and White Deer, district institutes were
held. Those | attended were we'll con-
ducted. The teachers manifested proper
interest in the subjects under consldera.
ton. They are, when properly conducted,
the most efficient agents to overcome the
prejudice still existing in some localities
against measures intended to improve the
condition of the schools. Saturdays being
Sc, apart as a time when teachers, direct
ors and others might meet me at home 70
attend to school business, | had but few
opportunities to attend them, as they were
held on Saturdays, except in White Deer.
Moral Msirucfioa-Tbe Scriptures are
used in all the schools, either as a moral
text book or in devotional exercises
Other books are also used.
ll1Ie Of Examining Teachers.-l have
changed my method, more or less, every
wear, to suit circumstances. Last year,
selected number of questions and prob
lens designed to test the applicants
knowledge of the principles involved IN
the different branches i'll which they de-
sired to be examined. After they were
seated at separate desks, with paper, pen,
and ink, read to them the questions |
wished to have answered upon the first
page of their paper While they were
thus engaged, | placed upon the black
board the problems or questions OF the
next branches, and arranged their names
upon a tabular page Of note book designed
to assist ne in filing out the certificates.
, r., A. G-, nara ,ras finished | got