Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-05-28

superior school edgce. In Orwell a fine
building for graded school has been erected
! FURNITURE.
! We have no school houses that are supplied
with the '' Boston fEratsrs," still our new
ones have most of them furniture that il
congenient. Nearly all cur old hors IS have fur
nlture that is both inconvenient and urcom
; Portable. aud as they are soon to be displaced
by new ones there will probably be no change
made in their accommodations
APPARATUS.
There are maps in majority of cur houses
in our new ones, good Hack boards and in some
few, photographed arts Nearly all have
black noards but md of them are poor
Some of the teachers have maps, charts and
globes of their own, which they use. Where
these are used, pupils generally are more ia
mlar with the principles Of the subjects stud
led than those are who have not these advan-
tages.
THE SCHOOL
| There are no more properly graded schools
in operation in this county now than there
were at the date of my last report, although
! there has been one house erected for that pur
| pose, but it is not yet occupied In several OF
the small villages of the county, schools of
this kind are needed, but the citizense of the
| townships are opposed to appropriate suffi-
cient amount OF tax to erect houses for that
purpose. To obviate this difficulty, some of
these villages have made applications to the
| courts to be set off as independent districts,
aud some 10 be Incorporated as boruughs.
| believe that all the schools in the county
are classified, but not as We'll as they should
| he in some cases Hardly q teacher can be
found in the county who would he willing to
atlenp to teach al unclassihed school.
TEACHERS.
Our teachers have us general thing, given
satisfaction, although some have failed entire
~ 10 gain the confidence OF either parents or
pupils aud u few instances, the schools have
been discontinued either by the voluntary act
of the teachers, or by their dismissal by the
directors In every case where this has been
done. the complaint was want of capacity to
govern. We have had q greater nsmber oi
Inexperienced teachers this year than formerly
and in some schools such persons did lot sue
ceed as we'll as could be wished.
There were examined this year sixty nine
less male teachers than were inspected the
year before The females have been as sue
ccssfnl in teaching aud governing their respect
i've schools as have the male teachers, aud
believe that the instances of entire failure have
been more generally with the males Tue
prevailing opinion, however, is in many Of our
districts, that for large winter schools male
teachers are to be preferred.
vIsITATIoNS.
With few exceptions, all the schools in the
county have been visited either by myself or
by D j. Chubbuck, an experienced teacher
who acted as deputy during my illness. The
average duration of my visits vas about One
and one third hour. a longer time for each
school is desirable, hut the humber schools is
so great, and the terms are So short, that il is
not practicable ; if the schools are all visited
each year.
Parents in this county, as in most others,
neglect II cir schools too much, seldom visiting
them. This is not owing, in most cases, to a
lack of interest in the welfare of their children,
or desire for their improvement, but to
want ufinformation upon the uhj.ct. They
are not aware how much their presence will
be,,il the school, and encourage their own
children. When parents have been in the
habit of frequently calling upon their schools,
the good effect has been almost immediately
perceplible. Directors quite generally vis:
their respective schools once during each
term.
DISTRICT SECRETARIES.
The secretaries of eleven boards have visit
ed the schools in their respective districts once
each month, and their visits have been of
pl eat benefit TO their schools
DISTRICT INSTITUTES
District Institutes have been held during
the winter term in all of our townships except
three In few instances the experiment
proved a failure Uut as general thing they
were successful Iu some districts they start
ed off well, but soon all interest in them was
lost. ln some of our districts We have but
four or FIVE schools, and it being extremely
difficult for the teachers 10 unite with those of
Other districts, it made the institutes rather
dull, 10 some instances, also, there was no per.
sou of experience to go forward in the matter
Early in the season | published a pro-
graGme for the exercises, of the institute,
which was generally followed, by those hav
ing char4e of them. Uuil further trial of this
new feature of our school system, do not
feel prepared to decide as to its utility, or the
good that may result. This, as well as every
thing else, connected with our schools, should |
have fair trial and be judged by its fruits.
The sanguine friends of the law should not be
too urgent to declare it success, nor should
It's willing enemies be over anxious to condemn
i until it has been further tested.
MORAL INSTRUCTION.
The Bible was read in about three-fourths
Of our schools, either by the teachers or the
pupils. am not aware that any marked ef-
ect was perceptible in the department of the
pupils general rule, st i'll in some instances
he good influence was to be seen through
he day. No other mode of communicating
moral instructions was sdopted. than to incl.
lv call nm such snbiectS while ma kinr re