Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-01-12
EDUCATIONAL.
DIRECTORS CONVENTION
by NJ. L. MeQuowN.

DIRECTORS CONVENTION.
Pursuant to call Of tho County Su-
perintoudent, Convention of School
Directors convened in the Grand Jury
room In the Court House, in Cleariield,
on Thursday of Institute week, being
the 23d day OF December, at ] o'clock
p. NJ. On motion Of James Clark, OF
Penn township p, s. Weber, Secretary
Of Sandy township School Board, was
elected President, and G. l., Reed, of
Clearteld borough School Board, was
chosen Secretary, Forty some Direc.
tors were present, representing nearly
every School District in the county.
The programme, which had been pre-.
viously prepared, was taken up and
the subjects assigned were discussed IN
their regular order, The subject as.
signed Mr.. McCroery, of Ferguson town.
ship, Should the Higher Branches bo
taught in District Schools where but
few are prepared TO study them, clic.
tied considerable discussion, and free
exchange of opinion was given, which
terminated in the following resolution
/ Re,o'roi, That we deem It ineSpediehi 10 in.
lroduco The higher studies into Common Schools
where but few pupils are prepared TO study tben,
ahd believe that where the common branches have
bceu completed, book keeping should be intro
duoed In preference to higher mathematics.
"The proper mode of electing teach.
ers" was the next subject and was
opened by Mr. r. NJ. johnson, of
Jordan township School Board, who
advanced the idea of appointing no
teacher who did not have at the time
valid certificate; also that Directors,
at the time OF the appointment of
teachers, should hold secret sessions
quite a number Of the Directors pres
ent spoke upon the subject. Mr. Weber
then offered the following resolution,
which was adopted
Resoirea, That in the eleotng Of teachers great
care should be exercised 80 that the law be not
violated, and that School Boards should hold
private sessions at the time they make their sp-
pointmtats also that we recommend that the
County Superintendent place upon the certificate
some evidence Of the teachers ability to govern
a school as a guide for School Boards IN making
their choice.
Mr.. Wm. b. Whitesidcs, of Gulich
township, opened the question, (Which
had been assigned to Mr. Hughes, Of
Decatur, and who was absent on &C.
count Of illness), "VIsitations to Schools
by School Officers" Nearly all the
Directors present conceded the impor-
tauce of their visiting the schools un.
der their charge more frequently. Mr.
Rowles, Of Penn township, gave some
results OF his observation, and thought
no Director could afford to neglect this
important duty A resolution Was of.
tered suggesting that School Directors
visit their schools at least once during
the school term.
The Minimum Tax Law was dis.
cussed by Mr.. Lewis Irwin, of Goshen
township, and others, after which Mr..
J, l.. Pearce, Of Bradford township,
spoke on the Protection and Orna,
mentation Of School Property" In
his address he argued that the public
school property should be made as at.
tractive as the private property sur.
rounding il; that he thought the
clea.ing and fencing of schsol grounds
to be a necessity, aud the planting of
shade trees q feature that should com
mend itself TO all who appreciate i'm.
provement.
The time at which Col. Sanford was
to lecture in the Opera House having
arrived, a number Of topics assigned
Tor discussion were omitted. Before
adjourning, however the utility of
holding such Conventions was discuss.
ed, and all seemed TO favor the idea OF
meeting together more frequently for
exchange of opinions on subjects per-
tanning TO Directors work, where.
upon Mr.. Weber offered the following
resolution, which was unanimously
adopted
WHuREAs, the School Directors Of Cleatded
county will, according 70 law, be required to meet
in convention on the 30 day Of May next to elect
a County supsrintsndsnt, therefore
Rssolrod, That County Superintendent Nc
Quown be instructed to prepare programme Of
exercises for the forenoon Of that day, and that
we urge all Directors to come early and partci.
pate in the discussion Of the subjects submitted
by cur County Superintendent.
Superintendent McQuown thanked
the Directors for their attendance and
said that the meeting was one of the
most pleasant features of the Institute,
and hoped it was only the forerunner
of others of the same kind The Con
vcntion then adjourned.
G. l.. REED, Secretary.
LIST on DIRECTORS PRESENT
Appended is a partial list of the Di-
ectors in attendance at the Institute
Cleardeld borough-James 7, Leonard A. D.
Shaw, James L. Leavy, G. L. Reed.
Curwensville borough-Hon, JnD Patton, san
uel Arnold, Daniel Faust.
HoutSdale borough--W A. Chase.
Lumber City bOrough--John S. McQuoWn.
New Washington borough--John Cumming,
Henry Neif, Wm. W Barclay.
0seeola borough-Dr. +. d. Reed.
Bsccaria township-John II. Weld.
Bell township ip--ChrisL kstreker.
Bloom toWnship-Jacob ZillioX, George kotb.
Boggs township-George Hess, Enoch MeLur.
rem, Burton Merritt
Bradford township-Dayid llitehings Isaiah
q. Barger, John l., Pearoe. Isaac Bargor
Brady townshiP-Joseph seyler, Jr, Jonathan
shaaer, Fred. Kohler
Decatur ,owush.p--0. 2. Mattern, Richard
Hughes, Wm. A. Reams John S. Runk.
Ferguson township-Thomas Morris, Brown
Barrett, l.. d. lille.
Girard township-AndreW shope
Goshen township--John Fulton, Lewis Irwin.
Graham townshiP-D. D. schoonove5 Philip
Shimmel.
Greenwood township bip-Frampton Boil, James
Stevenson, NJ. W. johnson.
Gulicb toWnship-Wm. D. Whitesiles.
Huston township--James Callahan, DR.. ]. II.
Kline,
Karihaus townshlp-Andrew Rankin, 7. L.
llertlein.
KnOx towrship-RcuJon Caldwell, Lewis Er.
hard.
Lawrence township--Wm Graham, Levi Conk-
ln james Reed, Oliver Conklin.
Lawrence Indepcndent-Sa Shank, AN
Bloom. Samuel Bell, Joseph S. Showers,
Morris toWnshp-J. NJ. Beal, Wm. Roihroek.
Penn township-James b. Clnrk, Terrence
keenan,, Edward farrel.
Pike township-Wm. A. Bloom, james Norris,
Joseph Dale, james Chambers, johnson Holden,
jesse Way.
Sandy township--P. S. Weber.
Union-Fank Harley, $. NJ. Bailey.
If the people in general moro thor.
oughly understood the teachers work
and the difficulties under which be Ia
bors, there would be more mutual in.
terest between parents and instructors,
and less oarping about the laziness OF
teachers and the leisure they enjoy.