Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-09

tute, and were well represented at the
different Local and District Institutes.
Tho Huston township Board employed
none for their Winter schools who did
not have permanent or professional
certificate, and their schools were en-
inently successful, to say the least.
Huston, Sandy, Beccaria, Bloom, 0s-
ceola borough, and Morris township,
allowed their teachers full time for at,
tending the County Institute, while
Pike, Knox, Decatur, and Houtzdale
borough, allowed their teachers three
days of their time. All these things
combined firmly convince me of the en-.
terprise of many of our School Boards.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
The ruling of the State Superintend.
ent against the custom Of County Su-
perintendents holding County Normal
schools has been duly observed by us.
There are six private schools in opera.
ton in the county atthis writing, all OF
which, we believe, offer Inducements
to those who wish to prepare for teach.
ing. These schools are located, organ
lied, and conducted entirely independ-
ent of my jurisdiction. As the salaries
of our teachers are so low that they
cannot all attend our State Normal
School, we of course, must look to
these private institutionsior manyofour
teachers hence | should consider my
self derelict induty did | not feel some
interest in the welfare of these schools.
/ have therefore, whenever invited to
do so, visited the schools and contrbu.
ted thoughts on the subject of teaching,
calculated to advance the interests Of
those who expect to identify them
selves with the interests of the public
schools. The Lumber City Academy,
which has been in successful operation
for the past ten years, will, again
another term, be accessible to the
facilities of the new graded school
building now in course of erection in
that borough. We, therefore, bespeak
for it unusual prosperity. Osceola,
GAINESVILLE and Luthersburg are well
located aud have excellent school prop.
critics and might sustain good private
schools.
TEACHERS EXAMINATIONS.
The examinations of teachers for
provisional certificates were held dur
ing the months of August and Sep
tember | made an effort in conducting
these examinations to reach the peo.
pie, and to stimulate and enlighten
them upon the character and dignity
of the common schools The interest
manifested was indeed very gratifying,
the houses on many occasions being
crowded to their utmost The ex.
aminations were principally oral and
were made as searching as possible,
fully testing the applicants ability and
measuring his general intelligence in
a way that gave the people an oppor-
tunlty to judge as to his fitness TO be.
come an instructor of the young. Edu-
oational meetings were generally held
in connection with the examinations,
and were we'll attended by Directors
and patrons. The number OF apph.
cants for certificates was unusually
large, and |, under the Instructions OF
the Department, raised the standard
so as to secure the best talent possible.
Two hundred and forty provisional
certificates were issued tenproh'sslonal
ones ahdslxty'siA appncaat rejected
YIsITATIoNs TO SCHOOLS.
The work of visiting schools pro.
crossed nicely until about two weeks
previous to the meeting of the County
Institute, when, by an unforeseen hand
Of Providence, my wife was taken
dangerously i'll, and for a period of
two months my entire time and atten-
tion were given to the hope OF restor,
ing her to health; therefore | did not
accomplish near all | had anticipated.
| succeeded in reaching two hundred
schools, leaving about thirty not visited
The very bad roads over which / had
to travel made my visit to each school
necessarily short. i en1eavored on all
occasions to ascertain tie amount of
teaching power possessed by the one
having charge Of the school, and to-
form an idea of his or her fitness to
meet the, requirements d those in at
tendance at the school. If time ad-
mitted | generally reviewed the classes
to ascertain their proficiency in their
studies. Where defects were promi-
nent in the organization and classified
tion of the school, ] endavored to set
them right in as courteous a manner
as possible. Wherever schools were
found in charge ofambitous and COM
petent teachers, generally found them
representing the highest type Of neat
ness, cleanliness and order. In mum.
Der | found many original and well
executed outlines of stuCy, maps, mot
toes, and many other attractions that
gave evidence of earnest toll. take
great pride in commencing the female
teachers for the care and devotion ex-
ercised in the management of their
schools and the degree Of success that
attended their labors.
The Directors, who many times put
themselves to great inconvenience to
accompany me to their respective
schools, have my thank' for the inter.
est thus shown in the work
COUNTY INSTITUTE.
The leading Educational meeting Of
the school year was the Teachers In
stitute, which convened in the Opera
House in Clearfcld, on Monday, De.
cember 2Sth, and continued the time
specified by law, 1t was by far the
most exemplary and enthusiastic meet
ing of tho kind ever held in the county
The average number of persons at
tending the evening sessions was nine
hundred, and the day sessions were
largely attended by the people from
all parts of the county Two hundred
and ten teachers were present, OIL
ninty.fve per cent. Of oil engaged in
the county. A great deal Of interest
! was manifested by the Directors, somt
attending all of the sessions. On Di
! rcctors' day Thursday very able pa.
pers were read by W. II Lingonfeltcr
of Morris township School Board ]
l.. Pearce, of Bradlord,and VIM. We!ty
of Rockton. Prof. A. N. Raub, Ph. d
and Miss Harriet B Swineiord, of the
Lock Haven State Normal School DR.
Geo. =. Hays, of Jefferson College
! and the celebrated lecturer Col. J. p
/, Sanford, comprised our corps of in
struetors and lecturers, Our owr