The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1874-01-15
sTRoUDsBURG MONROE COUNTY, PA, JANUARY IT, 1874.

made to obtain special OBJECTS through
the fundamentally of General laws,
which, while they may benefit one iu
terest or locality, might prove very op
preserve to others. Let every citizen who
has the interest of the State ut heart lend
his assistance to the Legislature and
Executive, to detect aud frustrate such
schemes.
SCHOOLS.
The interesting report of the Suncrin
tendent of Common Schools will com
maud your thoughtful attention, because
of the important subject of which it treats
and the many valuable suggestions it
contains. Pennsylvania, it will be observ-
ed, is making decided progress in the
cause of education, increasing the number
of schools, enlargiug each year the sphere
of instruction, extending the time within
which schooling may be obtained, and
| supplying more Of the convenience neces-
sary for the comfort aud health Of scholars
and teachers For years, in this State,
doubts of the practicability Of system of
| public schools beset and crippled the cause
of education, but judciaus and careful
management has happily dissiPatsd all
this mistrust, aud our people are now
united in the conviction of the utility
and wisdom of free and universal instruc-
tion Those concerned in the adminstra-
ton of public affairs are expected to
devote to the vital problems OF education
the time and consideration they deserved.
aud | have no doubt that the present
Legislature will look into and provide
remedies for many of the deficiencies that
still exist in our present school system.
Prominent among the defects is the lack
of proper training and other qualifications
of the teachers of the school 'Of the
l5,003 teachers receiving certificates to,
teach during the year, only 3T4 were
found to have a thorough knowledge of
reading, writing, arithmetic, geography
and grammar, and that pratieal prepara
ton for their profession which iusures
success" is the startling declaration made
by the Superintendent of Common Schools.
There must certainly be radical change
iu this regard, if we would have our
children attain even the rudiments of ae
! ordinary education. The necessity of
establishing Normal schools wherein
students are specially qualified and train
ed for teaching is conspicuously shown
in these statistics, and it is qualification
| to know that twelve of these useful insti
tutions have been erected or are in pro
cess of erection In various parts of the
| State, and when all are furnished with an
able corps of instructors, we can conf
IDENTIFY hope the graduates thereirom will
largely contribute to supply this pressing
need of good and competent teachers.
To afford soma inducement, however, to
teachers TO prepare themselves for the
duties of their profession, and some
assurance of the public appreciation of
the difficult, responsible and delicate work
they perform, | am satisfied they should
receive increased compensation.
Dissatisfaction exists also and com
plant is made about the frequent changes
of school books, entailing expense upon
parents, and subjecting pupils to novel
and perplexing methods of acquiring
lessons that mystify more than they in
struct.
There seems to be an urgent demand
for more training of technical kind,
that will fit children for mechanical
pursuits and the practical duties Of life
| suggest, therefore, that school boards
be authorized to make provision for Civ
ing instruction in Industrial and mechani
cal drawing, both in day and evening
schools; also that schools be established
wherein trades may be taught, or arrange
ments make for such instruction in con-
nection with schools already establihed,
| IL 4. llal oha,, ha In.
ed, aud the principle inculcated that
there is nothing ungraceful or undlgnihed
in honest and hard labor, ard that the
handiwork of the skillful artisan will
confer in the future as noble title as
any to be achieved in professional call
iDgs.
More thorough examination of the sub
ject strengthens me in the conviction that
the State must adopt some mode TO compel
the attendance OF those children whose
parents are unwilling or unable to allow
their offspring to avail themselves of the
benefits or school system affords. The
solution of this important question
presents grave difficulties, but expect
to sec them all surmounted. Some plan
must be devised to snatch these children
from the career of idenss md crime to
which ignorance will consign them. BY
far the greater portion of the inmates OF
our penitentaries never attended schools,
or had the advantages OF education Is
modern civilization unequal to the task
of re cuinc the children OF the indigcnl
and the criminal from such fate
The views expressed in the report of
the Superintendent of Common Schools
upon this very point, embrace, in my
opinion a feasible plan to secure the at
tendance at school of every child in the
State, and earnestly solicit your con
.ideration of that part of his report, with
the additional suggestion, that when these
poor or vagraut childreo are gathered
iuto schools or homes, that the industra
plan be eugrated upon the conduct oil