Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-08-26

and was engaged officially during the year
295 days leave it to the people to iudg,
| whether have performed a1y duty or not.
| pGsitdttOns. ns.-AlI the schools that were II
/ operation while | was in tile districts were
| visited and few second time. One hun
| dred and four visits made in the presence ot
! directors. In three instances they became
! so interested, that they accompani d me tc
! the adjoining districts. | was also accom-.
/ panied by many of the citizens. Visits by
| the Comfy Superintendent are no Longer
| dreaded by the pupils On many occasion.
We have been told by the parents, that their
children were deSrous of being present at
the time OF our visits. | comm enced the
visitation of schools Immediately after the
lst of November, Lthe close of the public
examinations and continued it until the
| middle OF March The course pursued was
nearly the same as the previous winter.
Having been treated with great Kindness
and generosity all over the county, by d.
rectors, citizens and teachers, deem this a
tit time and oppcrtuniey to return my sin
cere thanks for the many fayors received at
their hands.
Institute. Countr1nstitute was held
| at Curwensville during the last week of Sep
tember The exercises consisted of class
drills, essays, discussions ard lectures The
institute was the largest ever held in the
county, and think much good was accom-
p iShed.
Normal .ScIoO{-Thei Normal School in
IsCurwensvllie. mentioned In my last report.
continued until the lst of October. | again
cpened one in Cleartield borough, on Nav
llth, to continue for eleven weeks Although
met with considerable opposition, by clique,
and hence was compei ed to labor under
Il. !. a
proved perfect success. Fifty three stu
deuts were present, forty-sx of whom pur-
pose teaching the coming winter | was
again assisted by Prof. l. s. Geist, of Ma
rietta, who was earnest in the discharge oil
his duties, and thereby not only gained the
good will of the teachers, but made many
friends throu4 hout the county
EDUCATIONAL WORK DONE BY OTHER
AGENCIES.
In addition to the Clearfcld Academy
which Is in iiouri-hing condition under the
direction of Prof Z. l. Harrison there is
now established in Clearted borough first
class Ladies School, under the control of
Miss Hattie Swan, who has very few supe-
riors in the profession. Many select schools
are also springing up all over the county.
All these ed ducational means will. sooner or
later, assist In the preparation Of teachers
By such aids much good will, hope, be
accomplished
Pmpd.-The clergymen have said and done
more in favor of the common schools than
formerly, yet not SO much as they should
have done. No class of men should be more
interested in he spread ofintelligence among
the masses; for the labors of clergymen are
the amount or tufenIgerc5 N inert cuuIuIu-
nity; hence, if they are alive 70 their own
-. iay 20 tV-n ed u!..t-
tional lectures from their respective pulplts
each gear, and thereby exert an influence in
behalf Of intelligence and assist IN dlspel-
ling ignorance.
Press. The general tone Of the press is
friendly to the cause Of education, and it has
given ne a general and hearty support IN
INV efforts in behalf of the schools; toT
which the editors have my sincere thanks.
OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF IMPROVEMENT.
We have but little now to suggest from
our former report. Some Of the obstacles
then mentioned have been to certain de
gree removed. The interest manifested 10y
directors. patrons, and teachers. has been
greatly incrt ased and IS productive oi much
good The greatest obstacle Is the want oI
sufficient money to carry on the schools. In
A number of districts the thirteen mills al
lowed by law to be raised is barely sufficient
TO keep the schools OF en- four months and
in some, even TO d. this, directors must pay
low salaries, and hence secure poor teachers
would urge upon directors the Importance
and necessity of grading teachers wages
according to their qualifications and success
/ in teaching.
/ MEASURES CALCULATED TO PROMOTE M
PRoVEMENT.
! |. The school term should, by law, be SIX
months. instead of four =. The State ap
propriation should be increased TO eight
/ hundred thousand dollars. and be divided II
proportion 10 the number OF children III the
/ State. between the ages OF SIX and twenty
one g. Reduce the number of director.
to three, make them sworn ofhcers, compen
safe them for their service" and hold then
responsible for all losses sustained by the
district through their neglect.
CoucLustOR.-I believe that the people o.
the county will bear NE out in making the
assertion that more work has been perform
ed AMI greater progress made during the
past two wears than IN any term since the
establis ishment of the County Superlnten
/ dency The work, however is not ALL done
much remains vet to do. | would then say
10 the friends of education, who feel the
same interest as myself let US grid on the
armor anew and unite III tUrthering this no
bic cause; for by the education of our chill
dren. more than by any other agency. on
future destiny as a nation is to be determin
ed /: and as this interest Is sustained or neg
lected, so will our nation rise IN grandeur anC
power, or sink. GEO. W. SNYDER,
County Sup't.
TAKE CARE.-lIow many of US, in on
mad pursuit of wealth, or fame, or pleasure
are willing to give passing glance at tn
laws upon which cur very existence de
pends. The subject that should most inter
est mortal man is man himself. He shoul'
look into the organization OF his body, ant
study the laws by which that organization
governed. Yet, in this nineteenth century
this age of science. how few are there VIII
have been educated, OR have educated them
tJ,a work pf "A I'M