Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1870-04-14
APRIL MEETING OF TOWN
SHIP BOARDS.

AFELlL MGh1lNG OF IOW ~
SHIP BOARDS.
Before the issuing Of our mex
number, the annual meeting of tn
boards Of education of the Stat
will have been held, and the sue
cess of the schools for the ensuin,
year mcasurably determined. il
view of the importance of thi
meeting, we would urge the mem
bers Of boards to come up to it de
termined to devote all the time tina
may be necessary to consider fully
the interests of the schools, ard tt
take such action as will secure, no
simply their continuance, but theiI
progress. A brief session will no
suffice. Our country schools are
suffering from the neglect of board:
and directors. The evidence o.
this fact comes from all parts oI
the State, and the complaint Of
teachers is we'll nigh UNIVERSAL
Let the April meeting inaugurate q
reform-at least, let some action
be taken that will awaken new in.
terest in the schools.
Among the subjects needing at
tention, is the proper Vtsitation
and examination Of the schools. -
There should be a public examina-
ton of every school in the town
ship, and a committee should be
appointed to be present and make
a report. These committees sho'd
consist, not only of members
of the board, but also Of
gentleman and ladies who arc not
members. There are few town
ships in the State in which compe-
tent persons cannot be found to
serve on such committees, and
their presence at the schools would
laye a most salutary effect upon
.eachers and pupils. To increase
he interest in writing, a committee
should be appointed to examine
he copy-bOoks Of the several
chools, and report their compare
i've merits.
Another duty is the adoption Of
.teW general regulations for the
Htdaace Of directors and teachers.
iuch action rs needed TO secure
eeessary uniformity in the man
cement of the schools and to pro
note good discipline. The effort
# hundreds of teachers in the
state are seriously crippled for the
want of official sanction and sup,
,ort Take the one item Of discip-
inc, in many communities there is
strong feeling against corporal
punishment, and the teachers, fear
lg to give ofense, are permitting
heir schools to be ruined by q few
isorAerly pupils who should be
rought INTO proper subsection, or
G suspended from the school -
What is needed is rule of the
oard authorizing the suspension
f pupils in case of willful insub-
rdination. See Ohio School
avs, 1865, p. 81.
Another duty is the adoption of
uniform series Of textbooks in
'e vari0us branches Of study
uch action is imperativcly need
/, Two or three different series
text books unnecessarily multi
Iy classes, and thus prevent eff,
ent instruction, But in urging
niformity of books, We would ad-
se caution in the introduction OF
DIV ones. In some localities
1ards are seriously erring in max
g too frequent changes in text
ooks, and the evils resulting from
Ich action are injuriously affecting J
o schools. The Introduction of
Nv books should be made only s
hen their superiority will clearly
ore than compensate from the n
iction and loss arising from the
Iange, and this fact cannot be de- .
rmined by cursory examination. y
some particulars, one book may ="
superior to another, while in tt
her particulars, just as important, I,
may bo greatly inferior The =
nrits Of school books should al v
lys be thoroughly oanvassed be- =
re any change is made. Let our
hools have the best books-this
true eeonomy--but let there be Y
unnecessary changes, Our n
lchers need improved text books "a
much as farmers need improved >,
ows, and other farming nipple, b
,nts. What farmer thinks of Il
ing the clumsy utensils used by b,
} grandfather p Ohio Edaca- "
mai Monthly, a a