Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-05-20
EDUCATIONAL.

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The following is the report Of the
School Examiners Of Belmont County,
made last year to the State Schssl Com.
missioner. and published in his Annual
Report:
The scope of ysur inquiry respecting
the "prsgress, condition aud wants OF
the public schools of Belmont county,
covers such field of tCant and condi-
ton, that we can emily give . few hints
in the space allotted.
Our opportunities to measure the pro-
grsss OF schools are 80 limited, that we
can scarce more than guess that We are,
in some degree, advancing Judging
from the erection of new buildings, the
increase of school levies, and the inn
provement in the grade of teachers, We
venture the opinion that We are not at
4 nd-still"-cenfident, hswever, are
we that there is not that elasticity in
school matters which alone can insure
the permanent "onaDdrd and upaOard."
Our opportunities to acquire informs
ton AZ to the condition Of our schools
are also cirrumscribed, being almost
solely derived from brief intercourse
with teachers during our examinations
we ctlttsn sec iHeluo vi y eCIlOSi-
..J0m outside u! our immeoiste eIgii-
Jorhooa, and can only juage of the
conoitiGu OF the AcEoois from the quail
,jcqiipn> not very definitely asre rt,iD
,il ~ liIs teachers employs ed ai:d ~
uteisnce f;om ;he wages paid them.
Tie lxw does not place ia oar nands
ti.e power si euraIvis;en, nor pro, ice
the nIeaps necessary t~ fGTEIsh the
general sIsteneut SGu 40 IeasnH3 b y
.sqClre.
Though feeling deep Interest IN liz.
cause Of education, and impressed hy
The Importance oi statistical imfoYma
tion Oh the subject, We regret to say
that our facts are 40 meager tnat va
can only hazard the opinion that ou.
schools are in better condition than
they were year ago. The powers di-
letting the application OF the edue.s-
tinDai t0reee at command sre. 10 many
eases, conflicting, and ts many more
Inefficient. The average daily attsn-
dance Ii decreasing; and those for whom
the heneficent provision has been made
are SLOW TO avail themselves of it, and
in many cases neglect it entirely.
And what shall we say of our ,Udntss
"Ay, there's the rub" We want our
Legislators to devote more attention tn
the educational interests OF our people.
We want moral and intellectual revo-
ton in the management of our schools.
They are plagued with lot of pedagogi-
cal drsnes and chronic intellectual
"bummers." OF this we are made sen
sible at almost every examination ei
teachers, and yet we are almost power
less to "deIiver districts from the bodies
of these dead. We wsnt a closer scruti-
ny of the moral, educational, profession
al, governing, imparting, and "back
bone" qualifications of our teachers
We want moro zeal in the work, and
less dickering between employer and
employe for cheap teaching. We want
the time hastened when directors will
Tot como to examiners and say, "Bs easy
with this young man; he has engaged
our school. Our children are not far
advanced, and we don't need a very
good scholar" seconded by the young
mans remark in his own behalf, II
have never teached." We want the
managers Of our schools to comprehend
that poor scholar is not fit to Instruct
class even In the alphabet. We want
each teacher to have, and each employer
to require, such = certificate of proper
qualities of cad and heart, that each
school will be blessed with q good
teacher.
Ts get this, we must have some one
to see the ,corker at his vorE-to expeI
the drenes and weed out the inefficient.
We want ssms legislation or stimulant
to encourage teachers to attend insti-
tntes to qualify themselves for the
work, and teaching profession ard net
the means for raising contingent fund.
Lastly, we absolutely want country
school supervision. This want ia CON
fessed by every friend Of education with
whom we have cenversed, who has
given the matter q careful reflection
II is the great point Of our common
school systefn, and the one thing neces-
sary to the correction Of all the abuses
of the great privileges we might ~nioy
under o,:r libersl educational appropria-
tons.
2. Fl. COCHRAN
kIEXIs .'DPE.
jANT.S B. RYAN.
Eromii,ers.