The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-08-05
SCHOOL REPORT.
Annual Report of Silas Wright, County Su-
perintendent of Schools of Perry County,
for the year ending June 2, 1873.

to work done, the labor of my predcces-
sor Geo. G. Welker, Esq, whose death on
the 18th of last March left the visitation
of the schools unfinished, and before my
appointment commission and the papers
were received in April, the majority of
the schools had closed. made short Wis
its to seven schools.
HoUsEs.-New houses have been built
in Liverpool, Carroll, Centre, Oliver and
Saville townships, four of which are
brick and one frame building. The di-
rectors of Newport made one more room
in the brick building and furnished it
for high school with new furniture of
the Gothic style.
GRoUNDs,-There is not in the county
school-yard or school grounds that fully
answers the following description, though
upon fair representations Of what was in
tended, which we presumed done, three
have been reported first-class. These
were presumed to conform to the follow
ing description in order to be entitled to
first rank: "School grounds Of sufficient
size in the country are interdod to have
an extent of at least half an acre; and in
towns should be large enough to allow all
the pupils to enjoy exercise in the open
air, with proper gymnastic apparatus.
School grounds suitably improved, means
neatly fenced, free from rubbish of all
kinds, planted with shade trees and prop
erly prepared as place for the plays Of
children"
GRADED SCHOOLS. - In each of the fol-
lowing towns: Milerstown, Liverpool, New
Buffalo, Newport, Duncannon, Marysville,
Bloomfield, Landisburg, Loysville, Bain,
New Germantown and Ickesburg, are
graded schools, but with single excep-
tion they have all been separate, distinct
in government and different in the mode
of teaching, and yet these schools have
preparatory aud higher department.
In view of the objects for which graded
schools were established THOROUGH
and HIGHER education--it is recommend
ed that boards of directors in these dis
trcts adopt courses of studies which may
be. divided into studies for Primary
Schools, Studies for Grammer schools and
Studies for High school, and that pu-
pills be promoted from one grade to an
other when upon examination they shall
have been found proficient in the studies
of that grade. Over the graded schools
of each town there should be elected a
principal to teach one Of the grades and
take the general control of school affairs
subject to such regulations as may be
adopted by the school board and suggest
ed by the county Superintendent. 1t is
further recommended that instead of Sc
lecting the youngest and most inexperi-
enced persons to take charge Of the Pri-
mary schools, that the ripest experience,
most successful practice Of teaching, to
gether with all the other qualifications
that teachers are required to possess, be
considered requisites Of the one who is
elected to this position. We apprehend
the highest art of teaching is the ability
to teach primary school well
VIsrTATIoNs.- A number Of schools in
the districts east Of the Juniata river
we're not visited on account of the illness
and death of the County Superintendent.
The schools west of the river were visited
by Mr.. VIM. e. Baker, as Deputy, but
the notes Of these visits are believed to
have been mislaid OF lost, as none came
into the possession of the present officer.
| INSTITUTES. s.-One hundred and twen-
ty-two actual teachers only attended the
last Teachers County Institute which met
at Bloomfield ON the 23d of December.
The instructors from abroad were w. w,
Woodruff, A. NJ, as Deputy Superintend.
ent, to whom We are indebted for much
that is valuable in the actual work of in
struction Miss Emma Garfield Of New
York, gave readings and instruction in
Elocution. Rev. Geo. w. Smiley ID. D.
of Pottsville, Pa, gave his celebrated lee
ture, Subject: Origin Of the North Amer
lean Indians, on Thursday evening
Valuable assistance must be acknowledg-
ed from majority of the teachers pres
ent. Rev. John Edgar, Principal OF the
Bloomfield Academy, gave lecture on
Monday evening, Other lectures were
given by H. b. Zimmerman, VIM. e. Ba,
ker and Silas Wright.
Buffalo township teachers have the
credit of maintaining the only district IN
stitute in the county.
KTPENDANcE.-Aggregating The esti
mntes of attendance during the year
J we Rave six hundred and sixty-one (661,
nearly ten per cent. of the entire school
going population of the county, who were
not in school This estimate is believed
| N hn uaru naari, oor.oot ond oolIo lo,,dlt