The Petroleum Centre daily record. [volume] (Petroleum Center, Pa.) 1868-1873, 1873-09-29


yeuaDgo County school Report
[W. j. McCLURE.1
One year hos elapsed since | essumed the
duties and responsb ilities OF the oiliee Of
Superi n,enden!; aud can tru'h'uiIy say
that although there has been much 10 d'I
courage the friends OF education 10 some OF
the districts, yet taking the schools OF the
county ss a whole they have ut least done
fair work.
HOUsEs-There are in the county l9l
school buildings, nine of which were built
during tbs year; two ct Plessantville
and one ct Emlenton ore IN course OF con-
structiop, and will be completed by Decsm/
Der. Soue OF the sites are not the best,
beauty of location frequently, and some-
times even accessibility being sacrifced to
LEES worthy considerations. The houses
built are generally first class
but the furniture placed 10 some OF them
10 the old style of desk made OF boards
planed on one side, and designed to sea-
from two to sis scholars. l think that
those interested will discover soon that.pst-
ent furniture on sccount OF its durability,
II for nothing else, Ia much cheaper. 10 the
end. OF the school buildings In the county
twenty seven are first-class, one hundred
and ninetse good, and forty/fve uu6t for
use.
SCHOoLs-Thcr, sre 10 the county 23l
schools, "a of which are graded, s graded
during the year; these schools are scattered
over Sis tqusre miles OF territory . portion
Of which 10 poor and spsrsely settled; but
II lie not always the poor district that has
poor schools; neither do oil Of the poor dis
tricts have schools below the average; but
It appears that wherever the people Of
district have the desire TO secure gool
schools for their children, there they are
found; but the cost 10 . weak .district ia
relatively much heavier than 10 the wealthy
II the State appropriation were Increased
about four fold II would remedy this.
SCHOOL BoARDs-A goodly number of the
School Boards of Venaugo. county are .oompos
ed OF ::msn Of intelligence, who feel The
resp onsibility they are under to theil
God, to their country and the children me.
diately under their care, 10 performing the
duties appsrtaining TO this exceedingly i'm
por.ant office andg1o to work, determined
,oisscure efficient teachers, holding O.
the same time these truths; carr
and sufficient salary wiH procure
efficient teachers, and efficient teachers
viU secure good schools. II is not neces-
ssry to state that they have succeeded, that
their schools are good, that The people o.
these districts pay their school tax cheer-
fully and look upon their schools as theiI
crowuing glory. But there are other boards
Yin whch.men OF this class are in minority
and other council prevails; the sum set as
the teachers salary is the looest at hich it
is thought the schools can be filed, and too
often the sum paid their teachers is more
than they are worth.
TEACHERs-Venango county has many
excellent teachers; teachers that have done
honor 10 the profession.-good men, good
women Engaged In the noblsst calling o.
Mfe-tbe intellectual and moral elevation oi
The masses. Yet truth constrains US to say
that she has her drones, and to them may
be attributed nine -tenths of the opposition
to the cause oil education found 10 the land
The patrons Of these schools see that 'tbei
children are under teachers that are anxious
net Ito teach them o. much as possl
BILE each day and month, but to see the
evening shadows sxteod and the month roll
by. What shall be done with them Is th,
question Of the hour!
Work DONE-I held forty-seven pub II,
examins alton, examined three hundred ant
eighty-ave 1855 applicants, granted two
hundred aud fftysixcertidcat tesaveragi ont
acd eight-ninths (l.s9) nearly, and refused
QUE hundred aud twenty-n nine, about 80 pc
cent. made one hundred aud seventy -fou
visits to schools averaging one hour ant
forty-fve minutes, wrote Two hundred and
twenty-oue official letters, held two .loca
Institutes aud one county iustitu te, iconduc,
ed normal school 10 South Oil City .Ycem
mencing May twenty sixth aud continuing
eleven weeks, and travelled two thousand