The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1870-12-01
LRAVENWORfH COUNTY PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.

81 n. D. Hearty. Saperinteoaene
81 Public lasaruesion 81 Leaves.
wsrsh County. Fsr the year 1879.
Whole number of children between and
q yeas of age, residing in the County,
Apgnft 81, 1870, males, 5.l67; females, s.
29s; total, 10, 467.
Number Of pupils enrolled in Public
Schools during the year, males, S,096; fe-
males, ), l16; total, 6,2l2.
Average daily attendance, males, 2,OSS;
females, 1880; total, ALP.
Number Of pupils enrolled in Private
Schools during the year, males, 47S; females,
469; total, az.
E Average number of months Public
Schools have been taught in this County du-
ring the year, 81.
Average number Of months Private
Schools have been taught, 6 81.
Whole number of new School Houses
built in this County during the year, y.
Whole cot Of building School Houses du-
ring the year, $50, 9s4.75.
Whole number of School Houses in the
County, 50.
Estimated value of School Houses inciud-
ing School HO,lse Grounds, &C., Sl11, 157,-
IS.
Total average per cent. for all School pur-
poses during the year, l-2O.
Number. Of School Rooms furnished with
Webster's Unabridged Dictionaries, Al.
Number Of Districts furnished with suita-
bic Record Books, 20.
Amount paid for Teachers wages during
the year, S34, 1919.
Amount paid during the year for the Pur-
chase of School Furniture, S3,126.5S.
In submitting this Tenth Annual Report,
it affords me great pleasure to state that the
past year has been one Of marked progress
| and greatly increased prosperity. The peo-
ple have been most thoroughly reused, and
are upon the lookout. They are determined
that the means Of good education shall he
placed within the reach oi every child desir-
ing the same.
Twenty two good substantial School Houses
have been built during the year, and Il num-
! her more are in the course of erection and
will soon be completed These, for architect
ural design, beauty, taste, comfort and con-
venience, will compare very favorabiy with
.ny to be found elsewhere. The windows
are adjusted To box and pulley arrangements
80 AS to be raised or lowered at pleasure, and
| are furnished with Venition blinds ur shut
tiers. Al, the new houses together with
many older ones, have been furnished with
| the latest and best styles Of furniture.
Nearly all the old prisOn-pens, huts and
4 shanties, with all their corrupting tendencies,
vitiating influences and health life and
soul destroying qualities have been aban-
doned, and in the place of those wretched
1 old dilapidated, disease breeding, squalid
novels, beautiful new structures that are not
only an ornament to their neighbOrhOod and
a credit to humanity, but, also monument
to the taste and good sense of their projectors.
The ''Course Of Study and Classification"
for the schools of the county, prepared and
sent out something over year agO-aithough
at that time an experiment, has proved be-
yOnd doubt, complete success in all the
schools where its instructions we're closely
followed After visiting, examining and
carefully Observing the practical operations
of the schools of this county, it is confidently
believed that the schools using and following
the Course of Study and Classification. as
recommended, were fully one hundred per cent
in advance Of those negiecting it. In short,
il has proved success beyond the most
sanguine hopes Of its author.
The course OF education is steadily and
rapidly gaining ground in this county. There
! is decidedly a more liberal policy pursued
toward teachers. A strong and growing
demand for better qualified teachers
and q disposition to reward them
according to the work done. This is move
in the right direction, and will account ioI
tie L,any superior schools in this section OF
the State. One fault, one great drawbacks
which We have not been abletO rid ourselves
Of, is the disposition to frequent change oi
teachers. Owing to the prevalence ot Il gerry
senseless notion on the part OF some persons,
that they must have male teachers Tor their
winter schools and female teachers for their
summer terms. Now the facts do not war
rant the supposition, that the women are all
crazy in the winter, and the men luIlatics in
the summer. But on the contrary, II can b
proven that the men can, and do teach
lust AZ good schools in the summer AZ the OPP
posite sex Then why should therebe diff
ference? 1t is the result of the ghost Of an
old, exploded, dead and forgotten idea, re-
surected in the imaginative brain of some
poor miserable unfortunate being who lives
in the buried centuries of the past. 1t is the
result of short sighted philosophy and mis-
erably bad economy. But, admitting the
principle to be a true one, let us examine
It's mischievOus results and deleterious ef-
fects upon our schools. II is a well known
fact that teachers rs a class, are the poorest
paid, and that many of our best, barely make
a living. Our schools are all filled with the
best male teachers during the winter season,
and the summer finds them supplied with
females, than whom there are no better
teachers. So far all goes well. Winter
comes again and no good male teachers can
he had for any price. Summer is here and
the inquiry il made in vain for good female
teachers. Where are they? Has it never
occurred to YOU before, that teachers are, in
many respects, like human beings? They
require food and shelter and clothing TO KEEP
them alive and make them happy.
Last winter your female teachers
were starved out, and during the summer
your male teachers were forced to leave for
the want Of employment. Yes, your hssa
teachers have all gone; not only gone from
your schools, gone from your county, but
have left the profession forever. Regular
we'll qualified and successful teachers cannot
be had. The schools must be opened. In
creased wages are offered; and the lame and
the halt and the blind come Struggling ir
from other professions and other employ
ments-llaving failed in their own chosen
avocations- and, 'like so many hungry cor
morants, they futter around with all sorts o
high-sounding pretentions, for no other pur
pose than that of plundering the treasury
and inhicfing a whitening, blighting curs<
upon everything that tends to the advance
ment of education or the elevation Of ouI
race.
A good teacher cannot be retained TOD
long in the same school. A poor one car
not be dismissed too soon.
Tho County Teachers' Institufs. WAS held