The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-05-29

wisely leaves to directors the selection
and control of text books, and if all
school boards would purchase them at
the best wholesale rates, there would
be saving to the county Of not less
than five hundred dollars ($5O0) an.
nually. IF directors will properly con.
slider the cost Of books, they will find
this estimate very rooderate. 1t might
be sound policy to withhold the State
aid from such districts until the direc-
tors comply with the law in this par
ticular. The law is so plain and the
wisdom in it so manifest, that no intel
ligent board should hesitate one mo-
ment in fulfilling it to the letter. 1t
were better, far, that some of the books
adopted and used in our schools we're
made to assist in lighting the morning
fire, and the pupils made to depend
upon oral instruction. In many
schools the teachers wrote the copies
as they used to do in the good old days
of GOD made man and man made
money" Honesty is the best of pol.
icy" and "The good boy and his good
old dog Tray"
Attendance, Irregular attendance is
certainlyone of the greatest hindrances
to success in teaching. The attend.
ance in some districts find is like the
conjugation of some Of the verbs iu the
old grammar, regular irregular and
defective" We are still of the opin.
ion that the teacher has much to do
with securing of good attendance. Ger
tain it is that the general surround.
ings, houses, grounds, furniture, &c.
have their due influence, but when the
exercises of the school room are made
as Interesting as those out. doors, good
attendance is generally the result.
Our teachers, knowing this, have gen.
orally co.operated with ME in trying to
increase the regularity of attendance.
Directors. - Directors, your duties
are numerous and grave. You are the
immediate guardians of the schools
and educational interest of the county.
In you is vested all the controlling
authority. Such being the fact, my
suggestions, in local matters are ad-
dressed to you, hoping that you will
give them due attention and labor to
promote the best interests of our
schools.
County Institute. te.-The County In
stitute was held at Tionesta, beginning
December II, with thirty-two teachers
in attendance. The principal instruc-
tors and lecturers were Superintendent
N. r. Thompson, of Warren, Prof. S.
d. Owen, of Pittsburgh, DR.. w. c..
Coburn, Prof. t. D. Dunn, S. D. r.
win, Esq, w, e. Lathy, Esq, and
Miles W. Tate, Esq, Of Tionesta,
ViSjtations. Ninety five visitations
were made the past year. With two
exceptions, all the schools were visited !;
average length Of visits, three hours.
This was doing not only what the INV
contemplates, "to visit as often as
practicable" but indeed all that SEEM
ed anywise possible. Visiting schools
day after day during the most increm-
ent season Of the year, through drench-
ing rains, piercing wind, or a violent
snow-storm, and over rough roads, is
far from being that pleasant pastime
which many people consider it to be.
The peregrinations of theSuperintend-
ent are frequently fraught with Incl
dents of pleasantly; such as'involun-
tarily sliding down anOw.crust hill
sides, among the slopes of the Tionesta
Creek and Allegheny River, to the in
finite danger of the fence by the col
lision; a sudden disappearance of
snow, aud dragging our sleigh home
through the mud, are yet fresh in our
memory. Yet with all these annoy
ances this part of our work has its
agreeable features. Teachers and pu-
pills are glad to receive the visits, and
seem encouraged by them.
Closing Remarha.--In the preceding
paragraphs l have spoken plainly.
The nature and Importance of the