The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1874-08-01
Annual Report Of the SUPER
tntendent of the Common
Schools OECarhOn COunfH.

have made commendable progress dur
ing the past year; but there is still room
for further improvement In the best of
them. There are many things that
claim the attention of teachers and
school officers, prominent among these
are the diversity of text books in some
districts; directors should adopt a uni
form series in their respective districts,
and insist upon their use. There are
still mum Der of school houses unfit for
school use, these should be replaced by
better ones. Furniture in some houses
is so lily adapted to the use it Is intend
ed for that it should be removed and
better and suitable substituted for it.
Blackboard surface is too limited In
many of the schools, and so poor that
1t is almost useless; there is no neces-
sity for this when good surface can be
made at almostt the same cost of common
plastering. School grounds in some
cases are too small, and, with but few
exceptions, are entirely unimproved; /;
while houses and furniture are improved
corresponding improvements should be
made on the outside surroundings.
Directors should visit schools more
frequently than they have been in the
habit of doing heretofore. See school
laws and decisions, page 40, Sec. "a.
Parents should visit schools as often as
they have the opportunity for doing
so, it would give encouragement to
teachers and children, and obviate
much of the fault-finding about parti-
ality and dereliction of duty on the part
of teachers. Teachers would enlarge
their sphere of usefulness and make
their labors more pleasant and success
full by frequent visits to the homes of
their pupils. This would afford teach
ers an opportunity of learning the home
habits and training of their pupils, and
enlist the cooperation of parents in
securing better attendance.
Two new school houses were built
during the past year. One in Franklin
Township; this is good frame house
furnished with good and convenient
seats, desks and blackboard surface; the
other in the borough of Lehighton, and
deserves more than a passing notice.
1t is situated on Accommodating position
at the northwest corner of the public
square, and is beautiful structure,
two stories high, with Mansard roof,
which is equivalent to another story,
this is surmounted by neatly fms he'd
cupola with fine bell, vane and the
letters showing the cardinal points of
the compass. There are eight school
rooms, each of which is 26 X SO feet.
and 10 feet high between floors and
ceilings, with plenty of good blackboard
surface-there being about $50 so. #.
to each room. The entrances to the
different rooms are entirely separate
so that during iDgress and egress the
scholars from the different rooms never
come in contact with each other; thew
are furnished with the most improved
patent seats and desks. On the third
floor is a large hall intended to be used
for public entertainments. The rooms
are all ventilated on the most improved
plans, and heated by hot air from four
furnaces in the basement. The plot of
nd oto Il.
189 it,, surrounded by a neat substan-
tial fence, painted and sanded. The
walks are all paved. This is the most
completely, planned and finished school
building in the county and cost $685.
600. 1t is noble monument dedicated
to the cause of common school education,
and reflects much honor and credit upon
the directors who in the face of strong
opposition projected and consumated SO
great work.
Great care should be exercised In the
selection Of school directors; much of the
success Of the schools depends on the
manner in which directors discharge
their duties. There are many outside
influences operating upon and retard-
ing the progress of the schools, such as
faulthnding parents, speaking disre-
spectful about teachers in presence of
pupils, and encouraging children iu acts
of disobediance. A teachers influence is
often destroyed in this way, and he fails
because he Is not properly sustained
and encouraged by directors, a word of
encouragement or a sympathizing look
from a friend at the right time often
nrodupas vv0ndarfuI raauIts