The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-01-29

Mr.. FDrroR: In your valuable JOURNAL of
the 18th inst, zone of the Latter" who appears
by his address to be resident of Potter County
proposes series of questions in reference TO
Graded Schools six in number, which might
lead us TO think he was honestly seeking for
mto2matlon If he had not given us an indirect
ntlmatlcn i'll his closing paragraph that he held
the responsible position Of Director in some
School District.
The State OF Pennsylvania spent several
thousand dollars to place the information he
asks for (and more, that does lot seem to have
occurred TO him) in the possession of every
School Director in the State. This costly pub
llcaton, OF great intrinsic value, was sent gra-
tultensly, to every School District, in 1856, by
the State Superintendent, accompanied witt
the Suggestion that permitting it to be lost o.
stolen might result in the forfeiture of the State
appropriation. If he will refer to the copy be.
longing to his Board, be will find a fuller anc
better answer than any that could be given il
the columns of your paper.
Others not having this help, would have re.
ferred to their Dictionaries and finding "Grade'
to be degree i'll Gny ascending series, and
"Gradatlon'' a regular advance by degrees OF
steps, would experience no difficulty in under
standing the intent of the law, authorizing Di.
rectors to establish SCHOOLS of different Grades
pamphlet Laws 1854, Sec %, TIX,, page
622, aud requiring the County Superintendent
to see chat the School shall be equal TO The
Grade for which it was established" (Sec, 81
page CPS.
Whether separate buildings are used, or sep
arate rooms in one building, an intelligent
Board would understand that the number
should be regulated by the means of the Dis.
trtct and the nature of tire studies pursued in il
or likely to be, within a reasonable tmc-no
excluding any Of the general branches of al
Academic course. This, speaking more cspec.
tally FIR the Borough, would require provision
for about l2O pupils at present, but for School
of only 40 or so, the Directors would find il
more economical to divide into PRIMARY and
GRAMMAR Schools. than to pay the prices vticI
Shomd be paid to procure a Teacher qualified in
the higher branches aud occupy half or two
thirds OF the time in primary instruction while
the satisfaction derived from the more rapid
progress Of the scholars would fully compen.
safe the Directors for any increase of labor il
might occasion to them. The main divisions oI
grades are the Primary, Grammar, and High
Schools rating in proportionate number o.
scholars as 8, 3 and Of every TO- To accom-.
mediate $50 scholars this would require three
rooms, two Primary and one Grammar includ.
rg the higher Branches, as no school should al
any time exceed 50 scholars under the charge
of one teacher, and an arrangements Of this llrnC
would not only stop the exodus from home tC
foreign Schools tn obtain the education denlec
them here, but by rs increased facility for study
would create a love for the school on the par
of the scholar that would ensure to him the
greatest advancement he is capable of as a
student
If "One of the Latter seeks his own interes
as Taxpayer, he will give his influence or q
Graded School wherever the number of children
between the ages Of ) and 81 viii warrant it
As the father Of q family his children will be
better educated without the temptations and
dangers attendant on leaving home. AS an
owner of property he will be repaid an hundred
fold by the increased value freely gwen where
educational facilities are best provided Ifhc
is stAl unsatisfied with the explanations given
or because | have answered who was not asked
I hope that Com" will again take up his pen
and for first calling public attention to the sub,
ject, accept the thanks of DIRECTOR.