Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1877-01-17

him or her.
4. More literal support Of normal
schools.
5. A broader and richer course of
study in elementary schools, whatever
that means.
G. A closer supervision, from some
central authority, as in Europe,
7. Greater encouragements to High
Schools, Academies and Seminaries.
s. A system OF technical industrial
schools.
0. The establishment at Harrisburg
or Philadelphia "of great State Pod
agogical Museum" for exhibition OF
school material.
1t will be observed that the State
Superintendent maps out a tremendous
programme, one point of which Is to
ccntralize greater power in the hands
Of the school officers at Harrisburg,
and the other TO provide more amply
Of the Injuries Of cducation-in other
words the higher branchcs-for the
benefit of the well TO do and rich. The
very poor deficient in the primary
branches, are left TO talsc care of them
selves. That is the tendency Of our
educational system Free classical in
struction for the wealthy, with our
back alleys alive with little ones as
ignorant as llottentots.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
These are more interesting than
figures usually are. The State OK.
pended during the school year ending
June |, s9,624 1853 for common, normal
and Soldiers Orphan Schools. The
estimated value of the school property
IN the State is over s26, 100000. The
number OF schools is IL ,497 pupils
enrolled, 902, ,3i5 average number at
lending, 57s, us; average cost of tn
ition per month, 90 cents The hard
times has cnt down teachers sal
aries a trifle durirg the year. The
male teachers now average s39s6 per
month. and the female s33.G0. There
are 20, 1872 teachers in the State, an in.
crease OF 3l2 over last year. During
the year the cost of tuition in the pub
lie schools was sI.S36.s and of
school honses 81 ,635, l4s. This last
item has fallen off 100000 this year,
and the cost Of tuition has increased
100000.
These are the material figures of the
report. On the whole the educational
growth OF the State has been crafty
ing. Professor Wiclersham concludes
his report with glowing recommends
tion in favor OF grand high COM
mission to revise our whole system of
public education
SOLDIERS ORPHANS SCHOOLS.
The education of soldiers orphans
is ono of the brightest chapters in the
history of the State. From the CON-
mencement of the schools in 1865,
nearly 5000 children have left them
to enter upon the active duties of life.
They are to be found in every part of
the State, and engaged in almost every
kind of business. The number of pu.
pills in the twenty-nino institutions on
September one was 2,6+l, a decrease
oil Ehy-four from the preceding year
9ll were discharged during the year,
but the humber of admissions nearly
cquallcd the number OF discharges.
This circumstance was mainly occas.
'oned by the act providing for the ad-
mission into the schools Of children
born since the LIST of January 1866, !
and the children of sick and disabled
as well as OF deceased soldicrs. Daring
the year sevcnty-three young ladies
from the Orphan Schools have been
at the State Normal Schools, fitting
themselves for teachers.
By law the Soldiers Orphan Schools
are TO he closed on the first of June.
1879, when this department will cease /,
- - i
ten, since il went into operation in
1865, has been s5,22o, ,s65, and the
probable amount of future appropria.
tions required to carry the schools to
1879 will not exceed a million OF dot |
lars. The number of orphans admitted |
since the system went into operation
has been $3.50.