Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-08-26
Report of the County Superintendent.
PROGRESS IN TILE corNrx

ihg2e puliulngs take the places OF old ones
and have been butt with view to durabil-
lty and cOmmOdlOusness In respect to size.
grounds, furniture and general arrangement,
are the best IN their respective districts.
The old idea that any building. irr, spective
of location, is proper place for training the
young idea how to shoot, :" is RAPIDLY van
ishIng The house erected at Curwensvflle
Is decidedly model building for others Ia
copy after. All these new houses. however.
are credit to the directors of their respec.
tive dlsti1cts. Two elegant houses were
erected IN Brady, not mentioned in the pre-
vlOus year
Gracted Schooks-In addition to the gra-
ded schools of Clearfeld and CurwensviIle
borouyhs before reported, the schools IN Os
ceola have been graded. There are few
other places that could advantageouslv have
graded schools-such as Luthersburg and
Lumber CITY borough. The advantages de-
rived from graded schools. if properly con
Quoted, are so plausible that | deem it un-
necessary TO enuuerate them
Houses Whole number, one hundred
and fifty; containing one hundred and fftv-
four schools 1t affords us great pleasure 10
note that many of the old ones, during the
past year, have been remOdeled, and in near
ly every instance made comtorta Die A few
OF our schools have been kept cpen seven
months, some six, others FIVE; much the
,Sest number however, only the usual
term of four months.
furniture md AppnrdtHs OF the one
hundred and fifty schools, eighty-five are
well supplied with good furniture, thirty
one have an InSutficiercy, and thirty three
injurious. A large majority OF those in the
second class could be well supplied at very
little expense. Those in the third class re
qulre new building. The black board surface
III many OF the districts has been greatly i'm
proved, either by remodeling the old ones or
substituting new ones. 1t is earnestly hoped
that yet greater improvement will be made
IN that direction the coming fall
Icct BOOKS A uniform series of books
have been adopted in all the districts except
four. The use Of them should be strictly re.
quired. Teachers should at the beginning
OF the term receive a list from the directors
OF the books to be used. Last fall com
mittee appointed for that purpose recon-
mended series for the county, and had it
been strictly carried into effect, we have no
doubt 1t would have proven satisfactory, and
much good would have resulted therefrom.
OUt-dmtdHgs are badly needed in many
places l have taken the liberty, in few
instances, to impress upon directors the ne.
cessty and prOpriety Of erecting such build
Ings, especially where there are school houses
near villages or dwellings,. ~Without- out.
are but ten houses with the necessary out
buildings, leavln. one hundred and forty
without. This is fact ": are panied to
n'tice, for it ; hows an oversight which is
hardly eXcu>abie.
Qualifications of Teaciers.-We have no
more gratifying evidence Of progress than
the earnest endeavOrs Of a large portion of
teachers to better qualify themselves for
their high positions. With but few excep-
tions, our teachers are young, but with their
carnestness and zeal they may soon rank as
tirst-cIa-s teachers. We are yet cucumber
ed with a few unworthy ones, who have nei-
ther the qualifications nor tact for teaching.
Such are generally found among the absen
tees at public examinations or places for
Improvement.
Tcuchers' Salaries. s.-The salaries of teach
ers are about the same as last year. w hIIe
some districts raised the salary, others re
duccd it. We noticed in few instances the
best qualified teachers eceived the highest
salaries. This is IA step in the right iirec-
ton, and we trust other directors viii follow
the plan. So longas poorly educated teach
ers receive the same salary as those who
have expended time and means towards bet
ter preparing themselves, we must expect
the schools filled with poorly qualified ach-
ers, and the energetic seeking districts where
they receive better encouragement.
VISITS Of Directors. looking over the
records Of the two past years, | find that
more visits have been made by directors du-
ring the past year than in the former one,
thus showing an increased interest in edu-
cation Of this county. In a number Of dis
trictS the Secretary has been employed as a
local superintendent. 10 visit the schools.
one or twice month, which has resulted
in good In offers they go as DO ly, or a
number of houses are assigned to each tC
visit. fnd the visitation Of directors has
a salutary effect.
GeneraI Interest NdRitesfedm Education,
/ The interest manifested generally not only
/ hv the directors but by the citizens, is O
/ the most encouraging character The friends
of education having observed the progres:
in teaching, for the past two years, in this
/ county are ready TO assist III every way to
/ wards advancing this noble profession. L
/ Is true of this county, as well of others
/ | presume, that it has its ''cl oakers, who
/ are opposed not only to the progress of the
/ school system. out to everything that ha
/ for its object the welfare of society. | All
! happy to say, however, that this class o
/ men i growing beautifully less as the stand
/ ard OF teaching advances. | consider 1t due
/ 10 the directors to state here, that as gen
/ era rule, they are honest and energetic, anC
| by their untiring zeal the prosperity of tht
/ schools in their respective districts has beer
/ in a great measure promoted. Many of th'
/ directors deserve great credit for th'
praiSeworthy efforts they put forth in til,
/ discharge of their onerous but thankless du
ties. Another promising indication of
growing interest in education is the intro
duction of several select schools in variou
parts of the county These schools are gen
e-ally conducted by experienced and compe
tent teachers where many of those who de
sire to become teachers may receive tn
proper instruction.
EDUCATIONAL WORK DONE BY sUPERIy
TENDENT.
Examinations -Twenty-tw public an,
eight private examinations were held. On
hundred and fifty one provisional certificate
issued one professional, ito Thomas H
Murray. ESQ. six endorsed from other coun
ties. and eight applicants rejected. Muc'
interest was evinced by teachers. directors
and spectators during the entire examiDa
tions The directors, or part OF them
were present at all the examinations, wf.ic
was gratifying as well as beneficial as tn
board could readily select the teachers hes
suited for their respective schools. On
I Lr,Jra1 apd Saranty-eiUh ht visits To schools