Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-09
OUR COMMON SCHOOLS.
Report OF NJ. L. McQuown, Superin-
tendent of Public Schools of Clear
field County, for the year End
ing June lst, 1880.


tenueul OF GuDuC SCHOOLS OF N-ledT-
field County, for the year End
ing June lst, 1880.
GROWTH OF EDUCATIONAL SENTIMENT.
The clark ages" as it were, in the
history OF the common school system,
are a thing of the past. The clouds Of
darkness and gloom that foreshadow.
cd it have been removed, and beneath
the sunlight Of liberty and intelligence
it has developed into system fraught
with purity, life and power, In the
primitive years Of its existence, the
combined elements of ignorance and
bigotry threatened its decay, Thro'
the earnest and continued devotion Of
its friends, however, and the skillful
management of those employed to car.
ry on its mission, it has gained rapid
ly in popular favor, winning for its
admirers, those who were, at the first,
most skeptical. We are positive, at
least, that all are convinced of the
wisdom displayed by the founders of
the system, and agree that no more
munifioent legacy could have been
bequeathed to the youth of the Com
mon wealth We believe, in our coun.
Jy, Iuo nuUUvs1i.I I---alnnrnnnt Of the
system has absorbed all opposition,
and our public schools are everywhere
recognized as the exponent of the char
acter and intelligence of our people.
The school year just closed has been
with us progressive one, and thefriends
of our schools are to be congratulated
upon the success which has attended
our united labors Prominent defects
have been removed and, in many in
stances, the sluggish battlements of ig-
norance and Indifference have given
way to the earnest appeals Of progress,
leaving us but little to fear as to the
future.
SCHOOL HOUSES AND FURNITURE.
Seven houses have been built dur.
ing the year. as follows: Three in
Woodward township, two in Sandy,
one in Decatur and one in Knox. They
are all, in architectural design, up to
the average school house-convenien
and comfortable, but could not be
classed as "model" houses. The facil-
tiles for heating and ventilating have
received some attention and the con.
vcniences for recitation and study are
in advance of the "old style" feature.
The two in Sandy are located in the
populous town of Du Bois. They are
two.story buildings, with rooms for
two schools in each. They have, as
have the others, been supplied with
comfortable furniture and meagre
assortment of apparatus.
The Directors ,of Covington town.
ship, previous to the opening of their
schools, had all of the houses neatly
repaired and painted, and supplied
with good patent furniture, making
them as attractive and comfortable as
new buildings. 1t is almost criminal
to compel children 10 sit on the miser-
able furniture that | found in fifty.
eight houses in the county. Where
furniture is found injurious to the phys
ical development of the young, il
should be replaced Immediately with
such improved seats as would warrant
the promotion of the health and hap
piness of the occupants.
A few old houses were furnished
during the year with improved patent
furniture.
SCHOOL GROUNDS.
Nothing is more beautiful nothing
is more admired, and nothing more
highly appreciated by an intelligent
and enterprising people, than the orna
mentation of public grounds and prop.
erty. Nothing is more suggestive Of
enterprise and refinement than to sec
the rich donations Of nature applied
to making the temporary home Of the
children equally as attractive as their
permanent home, In travelling over
the county and observing, with some
degree of interest, the development oI
the forests into productive farms, and
; the attention that is gwen TO cultivat
ing ornamental shrubbery and beauti-
J flying individual homes, and then no
tice the isolation and wild appearance
OF the district school property, | am
inclined to think we are growing too
selfish. The public grounds belong
ing to every school house in the coun.
ty should be cleared OF all rubbish
fenced in and planted with suitable
ornamental shade trees. If Boards oi
Directors are not inclined TO do this
: let the people gather together fol
that purpose, and, by little graf
uitous labor, the public school proper
. ty could be made a credit to the people
, and an everlasting emblem Of the pub
lie enterprise Of our day and genera
ton.
LIBRARIES AND APPARATUS.
Libraries in connection with oul
schools are not expected uniformly
and not many Directors have as ye
reached that degree along the line o
progress. Daring the Winter the pub
lie schools of 0sceola borough held {
0 musical entertainment, the proceeds
, Of which were applied to getting I
! Cyclopedia and other books for {
s school library.
A Literary Society in progress a
: Pennville, and one al Pine Grove, Il
Lawrence township, held entertain