Weekly New Oregon plain dealer. (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1866-1867, 1867-05-03
Howard County Schools.
New OREGON, April 18th 1867


New OREGON, April 18th 1867.
Sub-district No. 10. Mr.. D. A.
Blood, Teacher ; 10 scholars. In
this sub district there is a new
school house, but for practical uses,
it is poorly seated; there being but
one aisle, and the seats are long
enough to accommodate five pupils.
They have a pail, stove, and black
board. The house is ceiled through
out instead of being plastered.
The scholars are all Bohemians,
(but one) and some of them are
making fast progress in learning to
read and spell. Joseph Petznowsky
10 years Of age), reads well in
the fourth reader. The order was
not very good. House has not been
injured, and was tolerably neat.
REMARKS AND SUGGESTIONS.
Let the Sub-Directors of Howard
County make it leading point to
lire the very best teachers. If one
of your children should meet with a
serious accident, and was about to
have limb amputated, would you
employ a bunglcr because you might
get Linn cheaper than you could an
adept surgeon? Is not the intellect
Of your child Of as much value as an
arm ...-
1t is a great mistake to suppose,
that, because your school is small
and your children young, it does
not matter who the teacher is. If
ever a skilful teacher is needed, it
is when the child is taking his first
steps in learning. But if you want
good teachers you must pay good
wages.
And yet the average wages paid
to the teachers of Howard County
are much less than what are paid
to clerks, masons, and mechanics.
The former (malcs) average about
S1.05 females IS cts per day, the
latter about $50 per day. The
former can teach but FIVE days in
the week, while the latter can labor
six days per week, Why this DIFF
ference? Why pay worthy jour
neyman as much again for his labor
as we do worthy. and well quail
fled teacher? Why have they
had such profitable schools in Forest
City township during the past win
ter? Because they employ teach
ers who are competent, (and have
a certificate grade No. !, } and pay
them accordingly. The Board of
Directors require their rrurhoro to
meet once each month. in order to
discuss educational matters. and
thus prepare themselves to become
more worthy teachers. Let other
townships ''go and do likewise"
for our school system is mighty
lcveler. And the great beauty of
it is, it levels by clcyating the
masses
Our daily registers show great de-
llnquency in regard to getting to
the school room in time. Now if
children could begin at nine, and
again at one o'clock, to pick up gold,
and silver dollars, the proba bility
is, they would not be behind time
once in three months. And yet,
there are (too many) families in
this county, whose children are al
most invariably more or less behind
time. "The child is father Of the
man.. consequently, such a habit
formed in youth c}ings to one, caus-
ing great inconvenience to every
body baving anything to do with
him. Again many of our schools
are suffering loss for the want of
suitable apparatus Every school
needs globe. good outline maps,
and black board, to say nothing
of clocks, bowls and towels.
What scholar ever obtained a
clear idea of the form and motion of
tn" ,arth without the aid of a globe?
The expense to each tax payer
would be but a trife. while the ad-
vantage to the scholars, for years to
come, would be almost immeasur-
able. And so of outline maps !;
they are great help in fixing the
essential features of the globe in the
mind, with facility and permanen-
cy, which cannot be attained with
out them. Let each sub-district
provide a warm, pleasant school
house, with suitable means of ven
tilation, and be sure that it is prop
erly lighted. A front light is good,
a side light is better, but back
one, to study by, is best of all
Another essential point. Why is
it that so few parents ever visit
their schools? Your hired man,
who tends your horses, COWS and
sheep, is looked after often ; and
gets frequent calls while about his
work, attending to the farm and
cattle. And are your children
[given by you to be taught how to
become useful and good, of less
value than lambs and horses? Never
say: "Children 60 along to school,
I know you don't learn any thing
for your teacher amt worth the pow
l. i AL L. L