Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1869-03-03
Educational Progress in the County.

The following is taken from the report of
]. B. Rhodes, our County Superintendent,
to the State Superintendent of Common
Schools.
Two schools We're graded during the past
year One III Braintrim, and one i'll Mich
.olson, number two, Independents district.
These schools are accommodated by suita-
BE new fwo-story houses, (which were built
during the year One substantial sne story
school house was built in Eaton, and one
in Falls, both great improvements. on the
the miserable structures which they re-
placed.
Quite IN improvementis seen in the fnr-
niture in the new houses, The plan Of ar
ranging seats and desks, 4lraund the wall,
seems to be abandoned Good and conve-
nient seats and desks may be found i'll the
new houses, and larger and better black
boards than those usually found i'll the old
er buildings. Some of our houses are fur
nished with outline maps, and some with
globes, yet none can be considered rs being
well supplied with apparatus. Nearly all
of the districts have a diversity of text
books, which renders classification almost
impossible. This retards the progress Of
the schools, to an extent heretofore not full
ly realized by directors and patrons. Di-
rectors should adhere to the law, and cause
an Immediate change, which will probably
give better satisfaction than gradual one
The qualifications of a majority of the
teachers are deficient, both in knowledge
of the branches required to he taught, and
in professional skill. ra
nd Among the teachers actually engaged III
| four had attended Normal schools, sixty
two had read works on the theory of teach
| ing, and ten had attended the County III
stitute In majority of the districts,
teachers salaries were advanced from one
| to six dollars per month. The salaries are
much too low to obtain supply of first
class teachers.
| In number of districts regular monthly
visits were made by directors, while in a few
visitations was almost entirely neglected.
| The general interest III our common school
system is improving. Public sentiment
would warrant more stringent administra-
ton of the system by directors.
EDUCATIONAL WORK DONE GY sUPERINTEND-
! ENT.
Fourteen public examinations We're held,
at which ninety applicants We're inspected.
Eighty-thr of these received provisional
certificates, and seven We're rejected. 4
few private examinations were held at the
request of directors, and in cases where il
seemed absolutely necessary, My eXaml
nations were principally oral. Average
grade of certificates granted, about two ano
one-half The scarcity of teachers made II
necessary to grant certificates in some in.
stances to those who would not otherwise
have received anv. The schools in The
county were visited. with few exceptions
On account of sickness, and the deep snow
which frequently rendered the roads i'm
passible it was impossible 70 make a.
many visits as intended.
/ The Teachers institute of this county as
sembled at Tunkhannock in December anC
was attended by forty-twO teachers and /,
respectable number of directors and pat
rons. The meeting was interesting an(
profitable to the teachers III attendance.
lively interest was manifested in behalf o
this attempt to promote the prosperity o
our common schools.
EDUCATIONAL. WORK DONE BY OTHER AGENCIES
There has not been, within the limits o
the county, an academy open during tn
wear. Select schools have been taught il
several different localities. We have ont
newspaper in the county, and its editor hn
at all times manifested awillingness to pub
:, + lish any educational matter furnished him
OBSTACLES N THE WY OF IMPROVEMENT.
The want of teachers properly qualified
!. want of interest on the part of directors il
their duties, and of information RESPECTING
the duties they are to perform a want o
uniformity of textbooks. At the presen
time there are schools in which as many a.
five different series Of books are used Suel
state Of things can only exist where direc
tors fail to give that attention which tn,
| law rpo-Iires