Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-07-20
COUNTY sUPERINTENDENT's

ending June 9th, 1864.
SCHOOL HoUsEs.-Whole number O.
School houses in the county, l39; number
still unit for use, "a number built during
the year, s viz: Beccaria, / Chest, Bra
dy, Ferguson, /; Lawrence, Jordan
l; Pike, Graham, J. These are all
neat and substantial frame buildings, erect
ed on improved plans, are suitably located,
well ventilated and in every respect an i'm
provement on The old houses which they have
superseded. There are no suitable play
grounds, or proper out buildings attached to
lany of them. Of the houses unfit for use,
Bell has Bradford, 8; Chest, /; Cow
| ington, 2; Decatur, 2; Ferguson, q Gra-
ham, Guelieh, 2; Jordan, l !; Lawrence,
4; Penn, 2; Pike, l Woodward, 2 The
prevailing defects in the above houses are,
that they are too small, too low in the cell
ing, uncomfortably furnished, and without
means for sufficient ventilation / take
pleasure in being able to report, that at
and more convenient buildings during the
ensuing school year.
FURNITURE number of houses
properly furnished, 40; number of houses
with unsuitable furniture, ST. Except the
new houses, none have been supplied with
| furniture during the year They have been
furnished with comfortable and convenient
seats and desks, graded, large enough TO seat
| two, and so arranged that one pupil in leav-
ing his seat is not obliged to disturb the 9TH
er. Most of those given as unsuitable, have
the long steep desks, and high seats, gener-
ally without backs. Additional black board
| surface Is very much needed in many of the
old houses.
APPARATUS Whole number of schools
partially supplied, rs; number wholly
| without, %. In this respect nearly all our
schools are deficient. None fully supplied
within the year. All the new houses are
provided with ample blackboard surface.
Many OF the schools have large reference
map, few have outline maps, and primary
charts; but beyond these we have no apps-
ratus worth mentioning
SCHOoLS.-Wholen number of Schools in
the county, l43 graded 2; classified, l02;
unclassified, Al. No schools graded during
| the year, nor any in the county in which the
system is fully carried out The schools in
the boroughs of Clearfeld and Curwensville,
have been graded for many years, but the
gradation is imperfect. Pupils pass from
one department to another, without exam
ination, and without the requisite qualiica-
tons to entltle them to promotion. The
former had during the winter session, IS2
pupils IN three rooms, under four teachers,
the latter had l66 pupils in three rooms,
with as many teachers, total 34S pupils with
| seven teachers, or an average of SO to each
teacher. All the branches, required by law,
with algebra and philosophy were taught In
| both schools In the rural districts, where
| the population is sparse, grading is imprac-
tlcable, but wherever uniformity of text
books has been adopted and introduced the
schools are, as q general thing, well CLASH
fed. Commendable improvement, in this
respect, has been made during the past year.
TEACHERS number of teachers
employed during the year, $50; number of
males, As; number Of females, l02 num-
Der of applicants examined, $50; number
of certificates issued, 100; number issued
to males, A number issued to females, Sc
number of applicants rejected, 20; lowest
figure on the provisional certificates, 3.
Owing to the war, which deprived us of the
services of some of our best teachers, We
were obliged in some instances to grant GER
tiicates to those whose qualifications were
considerably below the standard. The num-
ber with provisional certificates who taught
successfully was go So gave reasonable sat
isfaction, and Is had evidently mistaken
their calling. Three teachers were dismiss
ed before the close of their school, for want
of government \ larger number of young
ladies was employed this year than in any
former year, and, with few exceptions,
their success has been quite satisfactory In
literary qualifications, and ability TO teach
and govern, they are as 4 class, equal to
males. No professional certificate has been
granted during the year.
TEACHERS IN THE ARMY.-W hole num-
Der of teachers who have entered the army
as volunteers since the commencement OF
the present war, % number drafted, none
number killed in the service, /; number
who died of sickness IN service, 2; number
honorably discharged, - number now in
the service lS OF this number two held
the rank of second lieutenants, one of or
derry sergeant, and two OF corporals.
VIsITAToNs.-W number of visits
made, l50 number of schools visited once,
1872 {; number visited twice, II. All the
schools in the county were visited once, ex
cept nine. Five of these were not in ses
sion when | was in the districts, and four
were temporarily closed, on account of sick
ness. The average duration of each visit |
was about two hours. During my visits, L
have made it my practice to observe atten- |
lively the teacher method OF imparting in
struction, with the degree of advancement,
order, and classification of the school, and
also to mark the defects, if any, and private
" suggest the proper modes OF correction.
AT the request of the teacher, L sometimes
took charge of the classes, and conducted
the recitations, and before leaving made
short address suited to the wants and capac-
tiles of the scholars. Regular monthly Wis
It's by the directors, parents and citizens,
have been more frequent during the last
year than the preceding year. The impor-
tance of these visits cannot for moment be
doubted.
DISTRICT INSTITUTES. Es.-Whole number
organized, l6; number visited, 4 Aggre-
gate attendance, o. The Institutes in ma
ny of the districts were thoroughly organi-