Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-05-05
EDUCATIONAL.
BY NJ, L, McoUowY.

- y BY NJ. l. McoUowN.s ~
CONTENTION or SCHOOL So.
ia ,PERINTENDENTS. ~
Perhaps the most earnest and en-.
thusastic meeting Of school workers
that ever met at the State Capital, was
the Convention Of County and City Su.
perinteDdcnts, which convened in the
Senate Chamber, Harrisburg, on Tues.
day, April Goth, and continued until
the morning Of the oath. Ninety.seven
Superintendents were present, Bed.
ford, Adams, Forest and Somerset, be.
lug the only counties not represented.
Nearly al the Normal School Princi-
pals were present. and number OF
distinguished visitors from all parts of
the State. Governor Hoyt and Lien.
tenant Governor Stone honored the
Convention with their presence on
Wednesday afternoon, between the
hours Of and o'clock, and made
very appropriate addresses before leav.
ing. Col. Noyes, tho State Treasurer,
visited the Convention ON Thursday
morning in answer to an Invitation 70
explain the cause of the delay of the
payment Of the appropriations to the
Common Schools.
Hesaid the primary cause Of the def
cheney was the excess Of the appropri-
ations over the revenues, but be conf
IDENTIFY anticipated that one.half the
school appropriations for the year 1873
Z would be paid before the lst of June
coming After the State Treasurer re,
tired, very animated discussion took
place as to the manner of procedure to
relieve the distressed school districts,
which resnlted in the appointment OF
a Committee TO urge upon the next
Legislature TO do something towards
removing existing defects, and each
County Superintendent was appointed
( q committee of ono to wait upon the
member or members from his county,
and urge the Importance Of new legis.
laton on school questions.
/ The writer brought forth a number
of questions appertaining TO some dis.
puted points in school work in Clear.
! field county. Among Others were the
following; laEa grI IIE
lst Has school district absolute
power TO grade school, using one
house in which 70 hold the school, and
having five months in the Summer for
the primary pupils and five months in
the winter tor the advanced pupils, re.
iusiDg admittance 10 the advanced pu.
pills in the Summer and TO the primary
pupils in the Winter, and secure ap.
preparation for two schools =?
The State Superintendent in answer.
ing said that, if the people unanimous.
ly agreed TO an arrangement OF this
kind, and voluntarily kept the advanc.
ed pupils out Of tho school during the
period for the primary pupils, and uice
versa, it would be legal; but, on the
other hand, fthey sent their pupils at
either session contrary to the arrange.
ment, the Board had no legal authori.
! ty TO expel, as it was no violation Of
school law t., tt
I'd. II a teacher gets sick, and q sub.
stitute without certificate has charge
of the school tor one week or two
! weeks, can the President of the Board
, lawfully swear that the school was
, kept open in accordance with the law ?
In answering this question, Mr.
! Wickcrsham said that 1t was clearly
stated in the form of oath that "no
. person was employed or had charge Of
/. a school who had not o valid certificate
, from the County Superintendent" and
, that the words "had charge Of a school"
, had been recently inserted TO keep
! Boards OF Directors from evading the
law by stating that such substitute
was not employed by the Board, but
by the teacher. This is very i'm.
portant decision, and Directors should
I make note otit, because it is mis-
! take that is SO frequently made.
{ Sd. Is it not the duty Of each School
} Board to see that all the branches re.
qured by law are taught in the schools
! Of their district, or has the Superin.
tendent the authority to enforce this
Q during the period Of his visitationsY
D AnSoer. 1t is the bounden duty OF
r the School Board TO prescribe the
] course of study, and it is also obliga-
|. tory upon them to see that all the
r common branches are taught in every
i school. If the County Superintend.
, ent finds in visiting the schools Of
. district, that all the common branches
. are not taught, the Beard should be
, notified at once Of tho violation ofthe
Q law, and if then it be continued, the
+. district, of course, would forfeit its
: claim TO its State Appropriation. "oN
/. The above decisions, we think, are
Q important to every School Director
!, land teacher in the county, hence we
I have reproduced thom. We have not
) space to give in detail the numerous
! Iquestions asked and answered at this
Convention. We mention the follow.
ing briefly, however, as legal decisions
] on disputed points,
y, lst That a provisional Certificate re-
!. newed by County Superintendent,
/, without an examination, Is not valid
= one. -rt ft1r .aadTt
Q I'd. That a Superintendent has no
4 right or authority TO examine persons
9 holding Teachers State Certificates,
J. Normal School Diplomas, or Profes-
n lsional Certificates, even if the request
o be made BY directors, unless the hold.
ers of such documents desire 10 be ex.
0 amined for Provisional Certificates.
Sd. That any school district known
;. 10 DO without uniformity Of text
o books, would lose their State Appro.
;. priation. This means that one school
Q Of a township has series Of books
Q entirely different from the other
q schools of tho Same township. roi
% 4th. That teachers orders for the
d payment Of their salaries, draw interest
!. from tho time they are presented for
It payment until they arc paid, and that
no Treasurer can legally discount
% teachers orders.
u 3 9th, That no County Superintend-
}, ent in tho Commonwealth can serve
Ie as Principal, or have any pecuniary
Of interest in any local school during bis
d term OF office. .i.. bt.. l
!" 9Th. That no Professional Certi6
ID cate should bo issued by Supcrin'
c, tendent for less period than thres
st years .,.,r
m 7tb. That supcrintcndcnts sbonld
as not issue Certificates TO perops uuder
,sl eighteen years of age. m ,,,..r
AZ State Superintendent wickershau
ps presided at all tho sessions, and OK
y, pressed himself as highly grauhot
iAl with the largo Attendance and the sue