Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-08-25
educational.
Correspondence OF the Charles City In,elligcnccr.
Letter from the Go. Superintendent.

Letter from the Co. Superintendent.
FLOYD, Aug. 9th, 1864.
Mn. EDITOR Il wish, through your
paper, to make an apology to the peo-
pie of this county, in regard to the WIS.,
itation of their schools. When the
news of the alteration of the school
law in regard to the duties of the Coun-
ty Superintendent was first announced,
it was supposed the whole matter of
visitation was left entirely in the
hands of the Board of Supervisors.
Acting under this impression, sent a
communication to our Supervisor, Al
den Flint, Esq, and also one to j. v.
w. Montague, Esq, Clerk of the Board,
previous to their special meeting last
spring, for the purpose of ascertaining
their wishes in regard to visiting the
schools. Not getting any reply to
either of these communications, | en-
gagged to teach here at Floyd for a
term of nine months, four and half
in the summer, and four aud half in
the winter. Anticipating, however,
that something new might yet turn up
in regard to the law, l reserved a va
cation in the summer term of three or
four weeks for the purpose of visiting
schools, provided the Board should, at
their regular meeting in June, make
it my duty so to do. The law, how
ever, having made its appearance, and
being by that commanded to visit, |
dismissed my school for that purpose
on the l4th day of July. On the 18th
| tumbled out of that swing and
now, OH the LIST day of August, start
out again to fulfil my missionl among
the schools. ! shall not now, howev-
er, be able to visit all the schools of
the county this year. Should the peo-
pie of the county desire it, and the
Board Of Supervisors indicate such
wish, / will endeavor to reserve time
enough in the coming year to serve
them as long as they may desire. ]
will give you, Mr.. Editor, from time
to time, a synopsis of my doings in
these visitations if you think the pub
lie will bo benefited thereby. Not be-
ing able to 60 great way from home,
| commence with sub-district No. 5 in
Floyd township.
Aug. lst, A. M. Visited the school.
School house new one built of stone.
Large enough perhaps for the number
of scholars now in the district. There
are a great number of school houses
to be yet built in the county, suggest
the Importance and propriety of build
ing them large and commodious, SO
that they may accommodate much
more density populated country than
ours is at present. The apparatus in
this school is small wooden black
board and Webster's dictionary
James Raymond, Esq, sub-director.
Miss Lucy Clough, teacher. Wages
$3.50 per week and boards herself.
Scholars present, Q. on the list, 81.
Miss Clough is an Industrious and hard
working teacher, and with ordinary
means would be efficient. Adversely
of text books has been q damaging
defect in this school ever since its or
ganization. II seems as though each
parent desired his own scholars to
read alone, to spell alone. and to study
arithmetic alone. Classification is out
of the question and the result is,
backwardness, generally. A few toi-
cradle scholars is the exception.
When will patrons Of schools learn
wisdom 2" Better that each scholar
should have only an almanac with uni
formity, than the best Of books with
such a diversity.
Aug. LIST, p. NJ. Visited the school
ia sub-district No. 8, Floyd township.
School house little, old " seyen by
nine /" wooden building, built several