Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-22
ANNUAL REPORT
COMMON SCHOOLS OF CENTRE Co.,
For tie year ending June |, 1880.
PRESENT CONDITION OF EDUCATION.

II. MEYER.

Eeneral lueh hS 10 the present Couullioh
of education in our county. Statistics
are often more eloquent than etfusions
ofprose or poetry. lregret that the mum
bers in reference to months taught
salaries paid" and per cent. of attend
ance" are not higher, yet think pub
lie sentiment is gradually becoming
more favorable to our schools, and we
hope for better things in the near fu'
ture. notice with pleasure that the
younger class of directors who were
educated in our public schools, are, as a
rule, more liberal in their administra.
| ton of school affairs than most of the
older officers who received their educa.
ton under the old system. Thus with
the passing generation will disappear
many prejudices and hindrances which
| now retard the progress of our schools.
No reflection is here intended on those
stern pioneers who fought so valiantly
for the establishment and maintenance
of the common schools during the past,
but we are justified in looking for still
greater zeal and affection on the part of
the present generation for an institu.
tion in which it was educated.
We have an excellent corps Of teach.
ers. There are exceptions, and these
exceptions" are undergoing process
OF elimination more or less rapid. Quite
a number of our teachers are college
graduates, but only few have taken n
course in any of the Normal schools.
The principal reason why not more have
attended State Normal schools, is, be-
cause there are number of institutions
in the county which afford teachers an
opportunity for mprovement-such as
the State College, acadamies and select
schools-which have enrolled annually
large number of teachers. All the
teachers of last term had read some
work or works on the science of teach.
ing and the method practiced in ma.
jority Of the schools was very good.
The classification of our schools was
somewhat impaired by the almost en-.
tire change of textbooks throughout
the county. Though the books were
furnished at low rates, some families
through negligence, and some on ac.
count of poverty, failed to procure the
necessary books for their children. In
certain districts the books would have
been furnished free if the law were
more definite on that point. Vocal
music and drawing have been taught in
our schools for about ten years, and by
referring to the statistical report it will
be seen that during last tern; these sub.
jects were taught in about three fourths
of our schools. After certain branches
have been receiving attention for a
period of ten years, or more, there
should be some fruit to demonstrate
their utility. Itake pleasure in bearing
evidence to the fact that in every local.
ity where either or both these branches
have been taught properly and without
interruption from term to term good re.
suits have followed. ! could name
places where teaching vocal music in
the public schools has greatly improved
the singing in the church and the Sun
day.school. Young folks are able TO
sing from note and readily learn new
pieces. The greater benefit, however.
is that derived by the school itself as
school. Singing brings wholesome
moral atmosphere to the school room, il
calms the boisterous, rouses the leth.
argic, elevates and refnes the feelings
of all.
In reference to apparatus, ! can not
make a very flattering report. A ma.
jority of the schools are supplied either
with globes or outline maps. and n
number with both. A map OF Pennsyl.
vsnia representing the counties was in.
troduced into about forty schools last
year.
Several houses were built during the
past two years. These are good sub.
stantial structures. Directors are be.
ginning to see the folly of putting up
mere shells which last only eight or ten
years. Some fifty of our schools are
now supplied with patent furniture.
PROGRESS.
1t is difficult to form an exact esti.
mate of the progress that has been
made in education within period OF a
year or two years. Progress in educa.
ton is like the growth of a tree, slowly
expanding, not only in one, but in all
directions simultaneously, exhibiting no
appreciable development unless viewed
at long intervals of time. Here, think,
many make mistake; they expect too
much from our schools, there is
some radical change from term to term,
they can see no progress, mistaking
change for progress. From this stock
emanates that class of experimental
teachers who dispise old things simply
because they are old, and are forever
racking their brains to invent some.
thing new and sensational in order to
impress people with the idea that they
are wonderful luminaries in the profes.
sion OF pedsgogics.
If space would permit, a statement
showing what Improvements have been
made during the past fifteen years,
would, no doubt, be interesting. /
shall mention one item, little reilec.
tion will bring many others to mind no
less striking. In 1865 the average per
centtm of attendance in this county was
60; in 1879 it was 7s, having increased
regularly during the intervening years.
The figures showing the per centum Of
attendance may be considered as also
indicating the state Of feeling Of the
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