Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1879-07-30

works on the art of teaching, and the School
Journal, or some periodical devoted to the
teachers profession, csa not be thus used
by the public ike lump of clay, and these
are tie successful teachers o. the county.
Accordingly, have concluded 10 issue no
certificate to any applicant where no such
spirit for professional Improvement is mani
Tested, unless our schools can net be sup
plied without II.
vIsITATIoNs.
The entire winter was spent in visiting
and many three times. Two hundred and
twenty-five visits were made in all, and the
average time spent in each school a 'ittle
over two hours. Two rounds were made
over the county, and in the first | ascer-
tanned the mode of instruction, classitica-
ton, organization, uniformity OF books, &C,
and made remarks on study, order, cleanli-
ness and ornamenting the rooms. Having
taken careful notes, on my second trip |
scent half day in each school, and exam
ined every class myself. This course,
though laboriOus, proved highly interesting
and satisfactory. Many classes, l can
truthfully say, 2s many directors and citi-
zens can testIid also, passed very creditable
examinations Generally, the faces OF boys
aud girls were expressive OF confidence,
rooms we're beautifully decorlted-the walls
with notices, atiy-framed chromos, and
pen and pencil drawings; the win4ows Tea-
dered attractive with banging baskets and
trailing vines. By reference tc teachers
report books, found that fifty schools were
regularly visited by directors, and ftty-ivs
by patrons. These schools were, without
exception, in a good condition. Tcschers
and pupils who are thus visited take more
interest in their work. The cGGy ictiOn il
inevitable that a closer supervision OF our
schools would make them more efficient.
We have no distrIc ctsuperinlenden in our
county, and these unofficial visits a-c made
by directors and citizens who take an uu-
usual interest in the education Of the youth
OF our land. Common experience teaches
that the servant whose work Is carefully and
frequently inspected is the most faithful
and diiigent and the teacher is no excep-
schools could be visited weekly by some
competent person, their efficiency would be
increased one-fourth.
COUNTY INSTITUTE.
These annual meetings are growing in in
terest from year to year in the good work
they are doing, which is attested by tie
TACT that they are SO largely attended by
teachers, directors and citizens. Tn
teachers of Juniata seem to regard it as a
privilege to attend them, and We have, con-
sequently, no trouble 10 secure a large at
tendance at our County Institute, which
was held during the second week OF Decem-
Der, commencing ON the 9th and continuing
in session five days The first and second
days were unusually inclemcnt, and, on ac-
count of protracted criminal case, we
were compelled to organize and hold cur
first session in the grand jury room. In
spite of these unfayorjlbie circumstances,
eighty of the lu5 teachers in the county
were in attendance by Tuesday noon. Amid
sncw, rain and mud, many Of ther, had
made their way to the Institute from the
extreme end of the county, and the ladies'
formed no exception in the display OF this
ccmn,endablc zeal. All the teachers of the
county were present except two, and one OF
these was sick. Numbers or largeness of
attendance ard interest manifested have
always been regarded as a standard mea-
sure of success, and, considered from these
points, ours was the most successful lhsti-
tute ever held in the county. An effort was
made to bring out home talent, and in this
we were successful in an eminent degree.
Fully one-third of the time was consumed
by sneakers of our own county. lnstruc-
ton was principally given by Miss Maria l..
Sanford, Pref. Geo. P. Beard, Prof. Silds
Wright, of S. o. 8, McAiisterville; Prot.
W. II. Groninger, ex-County Superintend
eut D. E. Robson. Prof. J. 7. Altman, OF
Airy View Academy, and Prof. W. Ii.
SCHUYLER, of Lewistown Academy. Lee
lures we're delivered by Rev. Z. 4. Berry,
Rev Joel Swartz, ID. D., Prof. L. A. Angel,
of Shippensburg Normal School; Miss Ma
ria l.. Sanford, aud Prof. Geo. p. Beard.
| No one can estimate the amount of good
done by these meetings. They afford pro-
f.ssional training, no much needed by the
| large number of inexperienced teachers
annually employed. Ineir tendency is to
elevate teaching to the dignity of proies-
sion. The general raasses are enlightened, !,
and made acquainted with TIE immediate
trials of the teacher, and thereby brought
/ into harmony and sympathy with him. IN
intelligent director, who listened carefully
/ to the addresses Of Miss Sanford, Prof.
BEARD and A. j. Patterson, Esq, on direc-
1 tors, day, was heard to remark, that they
alone were worth to Juniata all that the IN
stitute cost 1t.
solDIERl' ORPHAN SCHOOL.
The McAhstervills Soldiers Orphan
School, at the village of the same name II