Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1869-06-18

educatl0nal books and papers read, at tn
attendance at cur county aud district insti
tutes; at the increased amount of genera
information, cur teachers have acquired
We must conclude that they, TO daY, stan,
higher in their profession than they did on
year ago. The dead ones ore nearer thei
graves, the live ones are more alive. Wage
are about what they were one year ago, no
was 1t reasonable to expect change, wher
we recolleet that last year, wages were in
creased in almost every district, over tha
Of the preceding year. See report Of 1865
In not few instances, however, where
teachers showed the true spirit, have theil
wages been advanced Taxing all thing,
into consideration. the age, experience and
qualification Of the teachers; the sparsenes.
Of our population and sterility Of soil ii
/ many sessions of the county, and the conse
quent high rate Of taxation, necessary t,
keep open the schools for minimum tern
eyen, wages have been as high as could b
asked.
a few teachers did not receive sufficient
compensation, some received too much.
Our most expensive teachers are those who
receive the smallest salary.
Seven seems to be a fatal number among
! the teachers of our county. Each year. for
the three past, that number have proved
total failures Out the whole number
employed, one hundred and forty had at
tended a County Normal School; twelve. a
State Normal, and one hundred and ninety.
five had studied some educational work. Oi
this number, however, We found, upon ex-
animation, that many had studied to little
purpose. Fifty one had never taught
eighty seven had taught less than one year
and sixty nine had taught more than five
years.
5. Work done Jy the Superintendent -
Examinations Twenty-four public and
four private examinations we're held. One
hundred and ninety-eight provisional, and
Eve professional certificates were issued.
Twenty-two applicants we're rejected and
six certificates we're renewed, Eighty four
directors and one hundred and thirty-four
citizens were present at the examinations.
The applicants in Monroe aud South Wood
berry passed the most credible examina-
nation.
Fiisitqtioas hundred and twenty
two visits to schools were made. All were
visited, except eight These were not open
when the other schools in the vicinity we're
visited, hence they were not reached The
visits averaged lS4 hours. Thirty four
directors accompanied me. met ninety
nine patrons in the schools In nine of the
districts ! had neither patron nor director
to visit with me, and in a few only, were
the schools visited by directors as the law
requires. Nine Secretaries acted as district
Superintendents, with very satisfactory re-
suits in every instance
Educational Meetings I held twenty
FIVE educational meetings, attended five
district, and three county institutes and
taught ten weeks in the County Normal
School
6. WonE done By other Agencies. Our
private schools are still doing good wo.l.
Thirty eight were open during the year,
employing forty-two teachers. Twelve
hundred and nineteen children attended
these schools. Cost Of tuition 5000.
The County Normal School, employing
five teachers was again liberally supported
One hundred and thirty-one students at
tended, ninety of whom taught during
the winter. This school was first opened
in August, 1868 Then many of our best
teachers had already gone into the army, or
had engaged in some other more lucrative
occupation. After a vigorous effort on the
part of the Superintendent, then in Office,
eighty-four students we're obtained Sixty
three of them taught during winter of 1868
aud 1864. Since that time the school has
been steadily increasing, numbering at no
time less than one hundred and thirty stu
dents. 1t has had, and still has its enemies,
among those who, though ignorance be-
lieve that the county Superintendent is
making a fortune out oft To such itmay
be well to state that the income from the
Normal during the last year was, after de-
ducting tuition not collectable, $T23, and
the expenses, salary for teachers, adyertis-
ing &c, 1856 leaving $33, to be paid out
Of the Superintendent pocket. This is
about what the school pays the Superinten-
cent annually. The only object in view
when the County Normal School was begun,
and the only one now in view, was to bring
out the young men and women of the coun-
ty, who we're willing to qualify themselves
10 teach We wanted teachers. Teachers
qualified for the work The Normal has in
measure supplied that want But for it
many schools must have remained closed.
We cannot here, help thanking the friends
of education all over the county, who have
always aided us in keeping this school open,
who have aided US in getting out the young
men and women from our public schools to
the Normal, and who have encouraged us
in every way.
Institutes Chief among the other edu.
eational agencies in the county are the dis
lrict and county institutes. or he former
we had six, attended by i.ty-eight teachers;
all Of these except one, did good work. The
great want felt 10 all of them was the pres
eucc of some experienced conductor. One
leading spirit in each district. competent to
carry an institute through all It's struggles,
is what we need; one who will teaeh the
younger, the less experienced.
The county institute was, in number Of
teachers attending, and in general interest,
more successful than The one held last year.
The principal instructors and lecturers, were
Prof H. B. Zimmerman, Ex-Superintend-
ent OF Juniata Co, Prof r. A. Mcclure o.
Chambersburg, Prof A. Stevens, of Pitts
burg, Prof j NJ. Reynolds, of Lancaster,
Z q - e ],