Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-08-09

pdSiug PREMIUM OU lSHofduCt- II
prevents the live teacher from raising,
and removes the necessity of the illit-
crate to make further advancement.
I'd. The employment simctimes of in
ferior teachers, because they are rela-
tives or friends. However much this
may be practiced throughout the coun-
ty, at the present day, in other avoca-
tions directors should never introduce
it into our common schools; and he
who does, acts from base motive, and
should receive the censure of all good
men. 1t is your duties, as the guardi-
ans of the children in your districts, to
employ the very best disciplined minds
to mould and instruct the rising gem
Grafton, whether relative, friend or foe
COURSE OF STUDY.-It affords me
much pleasure to state that the direc-
tors of a number of districts, have at
last, consented to adopt course Of
study, to be used only as an outline
for the teachers guidance. Much val
liable time has already been wasted by
allowing children to study, such branch
es only, as their immature minds dicta-
ted. In many cases children have re-
fused to study more than single
branch, for several successive terms,
hence all the other fundamental branch
es were neglected. Directors are, to a
greater or less degree, responsible for
the intellectual growth of the children
in their respective communities there
fore this important subject should re
ceive their special attention. No pro-
fession or calling can be successfully
carried ON without a correct method.
MORE HASTE THAN PROGRESS
There is an excessive desire on the part
of some pupils, parents, and even some
teachers, for the Fifth Reader. In
some cases scholars who should be in
the Third, or at the highest in the
Fourth, were using the fifth and when
we suggested that they should be put
into the Third or Fourth, they were
all, sometimes, highly offended. Why
not be displeased, also, with the master
carpenter or stonemason because they
will not put their apprentices upon the
incest and neatest work until they have
acquired skill in the use of tools The
same difficulty pertains to other stud
les, especially arithmetic and geogra-
ply. | can see no practical sense OF
use for scholars to take the Fifth
Reader before they have mastered the
Third-or to be helped through arith-
metic and geography without knowl-
| edge of the first principles. The time
has arrived when the education Of chill
dren should be Judged not by the
number, of books passed over or by what
they cannot tell, as is now the case, but
by whdt they can tell.
DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT. =
Whenever and wherever directors have
appointed practical teacher, or one
who has had great deal of experience
in visiting schools, it is always attend
ed with beneficial results. There is as
much philosophy, however, in teachers
instructing our merchants how and the
kind of goods to purchase; our silver.
smith how to repair watches our den
| lists how to extract natural or insert
artificial teeth our farmers how to til
the soil, &C., as there is in that class
of men to instruct teachers how tt
teach, unless they are themselves prac
tical teachers of the modern school
A directors visit, in most cases, can
not be of any more practical benefit tt
a school than a visit from any othel
citizen. 1t seems to me, therefore
that the time is at hand when we shoulC
have more thorough district super
vision. This can be accomplished by
the directors appointing thoroughly
educated teacher, as District Superin
tendent,-whose duty it shall be tt
visit the schools once a month or often
er; assist in classification course o
study; best methods of promoting tn,
| progress of the schools, sc. A Coun
ty Superintendent cannot, in this coun
ty, travel over one thousand one hun
dred and ninety square miles and visi
more than once; (it is scarcely possible
for him to do even this much, devotine
the proper time to each, one hundred
and sixty-one schools In four months.
EXAMINATIoNs.-Twenty-six publ,
and twelve private examinations wer,
held. One professional and one hun
dred and fifty-two provisional certificate
were granted and twelve endorsed from
other counties. Seventy director
and large number of citizens wer,
present. They seemed to be interested
not only in the present success of oul
schools, but also in the futSxe welfar,
of the rising generation. In some
districts the directors left the schools
Immediately after the examination wa:
over. This was a good plan. 1t give:
the directors and Superintendent al
opportunity to consult with each othel
before making choice of teachers, a.
he is familiar with the peculiar wants
of each sub-district, as well as the
special qualifications of each applicant
and can often give valuable suggestions
He should not dictate, nor yet, for +;
! moment shouId he hesitate IN decide