Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1867-08-07
ED u Q A ITO N A l.
a m m II AL r EPO . RT
OF the County superintendent
of Common schools.
KIsHACoQUILLAs. Pa, July 10, '67.


report Of the Schools OF Miht.n county:
Educational Progrc&s IN the County,
W hIle we look in vain for such proofs oi
educational progress rs we think we ought
70 have, we are gratified that some pro-
ssress has been made.
Progress, in 80 far as it relates 10 build
ing school houses, to school furniture and
apparatus we have but little, if any. 10 re-
port for the year. One good house has
been built in Bratt0n. but hardly equal "a
the one destroyed by fire q year ago. in
whose stead it was built 4 new school
house which was built few wears ago
" = also opened in Decatur adding one
more to the schools OF the county This i
bat an ordinary house, though perhaps
we'll enough suited 10 the place
While but Iittle actual work has been
done, the subject Of building has been great
lg lgitated in different parts OF the cOuu-
~, and two houses now are in progress OF
erection, one in MilFoy, the otherin Belle
vile. 1t is 10 be feared, however. that
evIl counsels have prevailed, and that
neither OF the houses Is sucn - to do hon
or 70 those fiourishing villages
Brown district is iufiictiug a crievOus
wrong upon her children bv compelling
taCm TO attend school in such miserable
old nuts. AT best four new houses are
greatly needed in that district. Other
districts also need new houses, but none
80 badly. or 50 many Of them, 81 Brown
Lewistown, 10 her discredit, ami with
injustice 10 a portion of her pupils and
teachers. still continues the use of the "Old
arnIOry," and from present indications
may do 50 tor the next quarter OF a ceuJu-
~. II the town had any educational
pride 1t seems 10 me it would be wonder
fully humbied at Il sight Of the old struc-
ture, and would lose no time in erecting in
lis place building which would be true
exponent Of the Intelligence, wealth and
enterprise Of its people. Has Lew.srowu
10 educational pride?
I1rOqTe8s WuIs--We claim to have
made progress in three things:
i Recognition Of the principle of JUS
ticc in the employment Of teachers.
p Better salaries to teachers worthy Of
them.
81 Improvement in the uniformity Of
text books.
The directors Of Armagh have the hon
or OF initiating in our county the proper
method of employing teachers, namely,
paying them according to qualification.
and skill in teaching. They paid from
S25 10 $40 per month, not rs high as We
could wish, though we thank them for
the principle they have thus recognized,
and earnestly recommend their action to
all the schOOl-bOards of the county Thus
employing teachers enables directors to
pay better salaries TO good teachers. and
at the same time, to stimulate young and
poorly qualified teachers 10 earnest and
faithful effort in securing the qualfica-
tiDus necessary to higher salaries
The directors Of Onion, also, deserve
mention for recognizing the claims Of
their old and efficient teachers to higher
salaries. They paid 10 some as high a.
SO per month. They graded the salaries
however, rather according to size Of
schoOls.
The citizens Of McFeytown, too. have
acted nDbly in raising 500 in addition to
the salary paid by the board to secure a
first class teacher paying him in all 5 ~
per month. For this they do not claim
any particular credit, further than what
credit Is due to any man who is shrewd
enough to see his own interests and j.
willing to use the means necessary to
promote them.
1t were well if citizens Of other dis
tricts especially Of our villages, where if
there may be any differences, schools
should be the best, were wise enough to
follow their example, thus saving To
themselves the expenses Of several Sos
siOns Of school from home. and, at the
same time, aiding Others who are not able
thus 10 scnd away to give their children
Il thorough English education We thank
tile McNeytoWh people for this wise ac-
ton.
/ stated in my last report that measures
we're ttkcn 10 establish uniform series
OI text books ia the schools Of the county
L"wistOwn, Derry, Granville, Freedom
Forge, Oliver, Wayne, McVcytOwn, Ar
nngh and Brown adopted. and put into
their schools all the books recommended
BY the committee last fall. Decatur.
BrattOn and Union adopted them partly
intending ~ put the balance in next tall.
The remaining districts, Mcnnoand New
Ton Hamilton no doubt will also put the
books into their schools next fall. This
has been attended with some labor and
expense, but the benefits, am satisfied.
VIII DC an ample compensation for all
ErfncnttOHnL Work Dane by NE ,SUUrr-
taf@ancH - -EL0ntin0tiOns.- held nine
public and three private examination.
examined in all ll5 applicants; granted
lJG provisional certificates, 3 professional
and rejected applicants Examinations
wcr" both oral and written Experience
Inns taught me that either the oral or writ
ten methods alone has objections which
Il judiciOus combination Of the two avoids
Average grade II.
Examinations were attended by direc-
iprs, sometimes by citizens and frequent
~ considerable interest was manifested in
them.
IIgiinlioas. The county was travelled
twice. Six Of the - schools were visited
only once; ~ twice, and II three or more
times. Average length Of visits II hours. .
Dn hla official round the Supcrintend- .
"nt, assisted by teachers and citizens, fire. .
quently held evening meetings, at which /
iainiiur lectures were given and educi.- I
tional topics were discussed. These meet .
iuge generally were well attended, and at /
times, quite degree Of interest was
awakened. In my opinion in no other
way can upcrntcndcnt do 10 much to /
popuIarizc the AuperintCndcncy, to con (
vince the people that it is not merely an
cacrcscrncc somehow formed on the out /
side Of the achooi-systcm, but that il il a ,
genuine outRrowlh which IN the devcl-
npmcut aud growth of the system, M nat
urhly appeared us the branch from the /
trunk Of the tree. IT has its functions
and no other arm or branch Of the system
can perform them. The people ought 10
know this. The evils Of irregular attend
unrc, aud paying all teachers without re-
apect to qualifications the same salaries
were made the objective points of the Su-
prriuicndcnt'a last winter campaign. .-i
Against these all the powers Mt his com
innnd were thrown, mud although the cf-
tcct has not been commensurate with the
amount Of powder wasted, it IL gratifying
Tint some impression ha4 been uadr Ir