The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-08-06
Report of Jere Frutchey, Superintend-
ent of the Common Shoots of Monros
County.

But that we are constantly improving is
evident. The gains we make, we hold
| The graded schools of Stroudsburg. East
Stroudsburg, Del. Water Gap, (in Smith
field township and Tobyhanna Mills, Gin
Coolbaugh township are proving the wis
dom of establishing such schools Their
influence is felt.-The increase in the num-
Der of good teachers is marked. During
the past year, the schools generally have
been managed more successfully than in
any preceding year Of my official connec-
ton with the schools Of the County. In
the building Of school houses more inquiry
Is made as to the conditions necessary to
good school building Too frequently it
has been the case heretofore that house
was considered good, if it had good walls
and good roof The position of windows.
| the height of ceiling and the proper APP
portionment Of the floor space were not
taken into consideration. But this is well
changed. Directors are found inquiring of
the Superintendent for plans for school
buildings, and showing disposition to
build something adapted to the use for
which 1t is intended There is Just cause
for congratulation that we are in posses
sion Of these three necessary conditions
! (however small in degree) good teachers
! good houses-graded schools. OF the
teachers it is not meant to say, that each
school had a good teacher, but that we had
more good teachers than usual OF this
number two were graduates of State Nor
nal School, two were holders of State Per-
manent Certificates, and twelve possessed
. Professional Certificates 4 number of
others holding Provisional certificates as
well as those holding certificates Of higher
| grade.
The graded schools heretofore mentioned
| are doing q work that must commend itself
J to the people at large. We need more Of
! them. In nearly every township one school
! building suitable for graded school should
be erected. 10 few townships two or
three such schools should be organized In
the report of last year the places where
some Of these schools should be located
were indicated There is no reason now
to change the opinion then expressed.
Could the people Of those localities where
none are existing, go with me to the schools
| lately organized and see them at work, and
also learn Of their condition only few
years ago, they would hesitate no longer,
but proceed at once to provide themselves
with similar advantages.
/ Nor are all our school buildings new, or
! in good condition. About 20 houses an
/ swer the purpose Of frst-class buildings with
! respect to light, heat, ventilation, floor
! space and furniture. Fifty are unfit for
use. These are slowly giving way to bet
/ ter ones. The remainder are Of the mid
| ding class, some warm enough but too
small, others large enough but too cold.
! Pocono township during the past year
has built house that, with the exceptions
of portico and ventilators, is a frst-class
! building. The ceiling Is high, the windows
hung on pulleys, and the school being not
over crowded, the want of ventilators Is
not felt. This township has more houses
to build: 1t is feryently hoped the new
| house viii be taken as q model, and that
none Of the succeeding ones viii fall below
| it in point Of neatness, comfort and health
fulness. 4 neat school building is needed
in Stroudsburg At present the schools OF
! this Borough are accommodated as follows;
| three Primary Schools are held in as many
houses located in different parts Of the town.
! These houses are in a very dlapidated con-
dition, no proper ventilation can be had IN
! them. and at times the atmosphere in them
| IS truly pestiferous The lots on which
! they are situated are unfenced and altoge-
| ther unattractive. The secondary, inter
mediate and higher departments are located
in tie Academy building. The two lower
rooms are not much better in point OF ven
! tilation than are the primary rooms. In
the upper department the atmosphere IS OF
a more healthy character, the ventilation
being accidental. The house in which the
colored school Is kept is also very much out
/ or repair. The furniture and apparatus OF
all are in keeping with the houses.
Efforts have at various times been made
70 remedy these difficulties To sell the
old houses and grounds, and to build one
good house wherein might be gathered ali
| the school children Of the Borough has
been the desire Of some Of the leading cltl-
zens in the community, but want OF un-
animify has hitherto prevented the consnm-
nation of 50 desirable purpose. 1t Is
| boped the citizens will wake up to their
/ interests and demand decent accommoda-
tions for their children The statistical
table shows no increase in the matter OF ap-
paratus Some of our schools are still with
out that necessary appendage-a black
board / am sorry to say, a few Boards
of Directors have been too negligent IN this
matter. and have not yet provided all their
schools with them La the houses built
the last year, and in those to be built the
summer Q874), an end wall is approPria-
ted to the black board. A drawback to.
many schools and an annoyance to many
teachers is the want of such a board, and
next the want of a convenient place to put
it. Wall space is not enough; there must
also be floor space sufficient to allow CT the
/ free movements of class before the board
! ~, ;,,,,,rnronnont of school grounds has