The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-02-28
OUR COMMON SCHOOLS.

a neatly bound copy of the "Report Of the Su-
pe,4atenlent Of tie Common Schools" from which
we take the following in relation to the schools
of our county. 1t is rather favorable report
of the system in this county, but Directors will
find some hints for improvement in their sever
al districts
School oolHouscs-suificent in all llrespects:--Bed-
ford Dor. l, with seven rooms Monroe Ma
pier 81 E. Providence 2; w. Providence 3; St.
Clair 2; Snake Spring 3; Union L S. Wood
berry PLY.
Insufficient school houses bedford township
8; Broad Top2; Colcrain l Cumberland Val
ley o; Harrison 4; Hopewell 2; Juniata 4;
Londonderry 5; Monroe 81 Napier 4 Provi-
dence, East Il w. Providence 2 Schellsburg 2;
ST. Clair 5; Union 5; Mid Woodberry 3; s.
Woodbery 2-59.
Broad Top 4 schools; Monroe l; Napier 3; E.
Providence 2; w. Providence 3 ST. Clair 2
Snake Spring 2; Union L NJ. Woodberry 2;
S. Woodberry 3-27.
Insufficient furniture Bedford Dor. room ;
Bedford township schools; Broad Top l Cole
rain 2; Cumb'd. Valley O; Harrison 4; Hope
well 2; Juniata 4; Londonderry5; Monroe 10;
E. Providence 2; w. Providence 2; Schelsb'g
2; St. Clair 8; Union 6; NJ Woodberry s.; s.
Woodberry 1-68. y
Schools-properly graded:-Bedford Dor. 81
in the new Union school not yet fully occupied
-5
Neither graded nor classified: Bedford bor
(colored schooD 1; Bedford township 5; Broad
Top 8; Colerain s.; Cumb'd. Valley6; Harri-
son 3; Hopcwell 2; Juniata 4; Monroe 81 Ma
pier 5; w. Providence 4 ST. Clair 81 Union
3; nj. Woodberfy 80
7eachers.-The scarcity of teachers will not
Justify the raising Of the standard of qualifica-
ton for provisional certificate the ensuing year.
Last year the lowest figure was 81,
Tssitaton-Schools visited once 1888; twice Z;
not visited at all 81 average length of visit p
hours Regular visitation was commenced in
November, but found SO few pupils present in
many, that thought it better to devote the time
to those in each district that were comparative
ly filled and in care of inexperienced teachers,
to the visitation of which a longer time was
given Much time was also lost in procuring
teachers for unsupplied schools. The county is
so broken by mountains, and the schools so dis
tant from each other, that not more than two
day can be visited; but the ensuing year it is in
Ill in,
Directors of the following districts sccompa-
MED me dnring my visitation of their schools:
Bedford township, Broad Top, Colerain, Cum
berland Valley, Harrison, Juniata, Napier, Z.
Providence, Sc. Clair, Union, M. Woodberry
and S. Woodberry.
Lastitutea-Tnc annual meeting of the Coun-
ty institute took place in Bedford borough in
December, was largely attended by teachers and
citizens, and was o. more than usual interest
and utility The semi-annual meeting of the
county association was held in April, and was
well attended.
District institutes were organized and gene
rally we'll attended, in Colerain, Hopewell, Lib
crty, w. Providence, ST. Clair, Union and in
M and S. Wooiberry. As n general rule, it
may be said that these useful institutions existed
in ell the districts whose directors only required
twenty-five days to the teachers month, allow
ing tie other two for this purpose. This is
most beneficial practice, and one which should
generally prevail.
Progress IN Dist,7cts-Bcdford borough has
been furnishing its large union school, and fen
eing and ornamenting the campus during the year.
Cumberland Valley has advanced the salaries of
teachers and graded them according to certif-
cate. Its school houses are yet Insufficient
particularly that at Centreville; but it is under
stood they are to be improved. Bedford town.
ship, Broad Top, Colerain, Liberty, f. and w.
Providence, St. Clair, Snake Spring, Union and
the two Woodberrys are making considerable
advancement by improving houses, seeking good
teachers, and encouraging district institutes
Some of the houses in all the districts, except
Bedford borough, Napier and S. Woodberry, are
lamentably deficient in furniture.
Southampton still rejects the school law. One
general objection is to the provision which re-
quires the schools to be kept open four months
each year; when, it is asserted, that owing to
the distance from the Schools the difficulty of the
roads and the employments of the people, they
can only be respectfully filed only three-the