Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-01-10

To the Press of the CITY Of Davenport.

The schools OG 9COG9 OOWntys
TO the Press Of the City Of Davenport.
Mrssss EDITORS :-Deeming the educa.
tional interests Of country like ours, sec
ond only in importance to those which are
now at stake in the great struggle which
we are now making for national existence,
/ submit the following report, which is, in
part, the yearly report made to the Board
Of Supervisors, to your favorable notice.
Yours Respectfully,
D. L. GoRroH,
Co. Supt. Of Scott Co.
Davenport, Jan. 9th, 1865.
That this report may not be tedious,
shall attempt but synopsis Of the duties
Of this office, and what has been done dur
ing the past year.
Written examinations are held the last
Saturday Of each month, and certificates
are granted according to the number OF
questions correctly answered. Teachers
answering ninety per cent, receive first
grade; eighty per cent, second; seventy
per cent, third.
During the past year, some two hundred
and twenty persons have been examined.
OF this number, twenty have received first
grade fifty, second grade and one hun.
dred third grade certificates; while fifty, or
little over one fourth, have been rejected.
At the present time, there is scarcity
Of good teachers. 1t is my opinion that
there would be no lack Of excellent teachers
were the remuneration equal to what per-
son well-ftted for teaching, can get in NEST
any other business. The teachers of this
county, Outside Of this city,) do not aver
age six months time in a year, at about S25
per month making an average Of $l5O a
year.
While we have few good school-houses,
the majority Of the buildings are construct
ed without any regard to convenience, COM
fort and health. This is objectionable in
this day of public improvement, and espe.
cially since for small sum, works on
school architecture are easily obtained.
There is manifestly much neglect on the
part of some Of our school officers, especial
" in their enrolment and returns of the
youth OF their respective districts, frequent
ly making loss Of hundreds of dollars Ia
the school fund of the county. This ! en-
deayor to remedy as much as possible; YET
there is great loss.
Since June 1st, the visiting power has
been restored to this office; and since that
date, with few exceptions, all Of the
schools have been visited once; quite q
number, twice and some three times. In
these visits, notice the manner Of teaching
and visiting, government and order, classi-
iication and books, enrolment and attend.
ance, &c. &C., and suggest such alterations
and improvements as | see required.
OF the teachers of these schools, some
are going on unto perfection others have
not yet found the more excellent way anC
others still are in their first attempts.
1t is with pleasure that | notice an evi
dent desire for knowledge Of, and improve
ment in. the best methods of instruction i!
working It's way into the minds OF many o
our teachers. Aud it gives me pleasure t,
also say, that in all Of my intercourse will
the teachers, all the suggestions | hav,
made, have been kindly treated, and as
sured that my labor has not been all in vain
Among the many hindrances to the ad
vancement of both teacher and pupil,
thfk the great variety Of text books in ust
often in the same school, stands foremost
This will appear evident when state, tha
from reports of some twelve schools, find
there are eight different authors on arlth
metic, seven on grammar, five on readers
seven on geography, seven on spoilers.
TO remove this difficulty, last year call
ed a convention to consider this matter, ant
recommended uniform list of the bes
books published to this convention for adop
ton. The convention adopted the list a.
recommended, but part only of the schools
have as yet introduced the books Of tina
list With the hope that this good worl
may be completed, have called anothe
convention, to be held at the court hous,
on tho DIST of this month, trusting that tn,
importance Of this matter may induce al
school officers anl teachers to be present
From statistics in my POSSESSION, ,eari
that while there are about 5000 youth il
our county, only about 5000 are enrolled
in our public schools, giving an average at
tendance Of about 3 900, or one third of tn,
entire number "Thcsc things ought no
so to be"
In conclusion viii add, it not only be
comes me, to whom so much and so grea
work is entrusted, but it becomes us all t,
labor that the places where, and the mean
by which o'ir children mostly get their ed
ucation, may become temples of fame ant
lasting monuments of honor to our nobl
system of public schools.
d. L. GORTON,
County Superintendent Scott Co.
DAVENPORT, Jan. 9, 1865.