The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1882-07-14
SCHOOLS or CAMBRIA COUNTY.
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF COUNTY SUPER
INTENDEET sTRATER.

SCHOOLS OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF COUNTY SUPER
INTENDEET sTRAYER.
l have the honor to submit to the depart
ment the following report of the schools OF
Cambria county for the school year enalng
June 1, 1892
1 am glad to be able to report that the ed
ucational interests Of the county nave maue
material progress during the year and nave
good reasons to believe that much more VIII
be accomplished during the coming year.
The facts concerning the progress OF our
schools will be found in the statistical report.
HOUSES.
The following raufed districts have built
houses during the year: Portage, one White,
one Reade, two; Carroll, one; Taylor, one;
Barr, one Upper YOder, one. Two rooms
were added to the public school building IN
Ebensburg South Fork added room to It's
building Sus9uehanna enlarged one mousse:
The new houses are all substantially punt
but we stIll have a number OF old buildings,
unfit for use, which should be replaced by
new ones as soon as possible. Neat ana du-
rahle school houses are evidences OF puolc
spirit and intelligence in 4 community, ana
il is matter for cOngratuiation to be able TO
report that our directors in the country dis
tricts are beginning to feel this, and that
they, too, are providing good, comfortable
houses
I
The new houses that were built during the
year were nearly all supplied with good fur
niturp Reade furnished both new houses
with the celebrated Triumph" desk. White
seated its handsome new house with ap-
proved desks. Taylor, Portage, Upper 10
der. Fbensburg and South Fork provided
patent furniture for their new houses. 1t Is
certainly poor economy to build good houses
and fail to provide them with comfortable
seats, when the cost is but a tTitie more than
: hp of hnnP made fnTnitnTp while
advantage is very great. The School Board
of East Conemauph supplied their schools
with free text books Clearfield purchased
PPltOn's outline maps for all the schools.
The enterprising boroughs of WoOdvale,
COnemaugh and Millvile supplied their
schools with valuable apparatus. A number
Of other districts furnished their schools
with maDS charts. globes, etc. j hope to be
able to report in the future still further i'm
provement in furniture and apparatus.
library was established in WoOdvale
through the efforts of their principal and the
liberality of the Board of Directors.
EXAMINATIONS.
Thirty examinations we're held in the diff
! ferent districts Of the county. These meet
/ inQs were well attended by directors and cit
liens. In order to relieve the applicants OF
embau assuent as far as possible, lists of
I printed questions were supplied, and the
work was mostly written. This plan was
found to work well. Certificates were grant
| ed at the close of the examinations. The
teachers were generally selected and schools
assigned at the same time. The directors
| usually consulted with me about the qualif-
cations of applicants before employing them.
l was obliged to examine a number of appli-
cants after the regular examinations were
over, in order to fill the schools.
EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS.
About the time of opening the schools, I
appointed a number of meetings for teachers,
directors and patrons. Twelve such meet
ings were held throughout the county. A
course of study was placed in the hands or
teachers and directors and the time was spent
in discussing the merits and object of the
same. District institutes were held in few
districts A local institute was held at Gar
mans Mills, in Susquehanna. A great deal
Of interest was manifested, and a number OF
practical educational questions were dis
cussed The teachers and directors who ar
ranged the meeting deserve credit for their
work. hope TO be able to hold and encOur-
age local institutes during the coming year
in different parts of the county. The teach
er who will not read educational papers and
attend institutes does not deserve the name
Of teacher and should not be employed as
such.
VISITS.
During my visits to the schools. I was fre-
quently accompanied by directors and pa
irons, and was much encouraged by their
kindly assistance NV plan when visiting
was to note the classification, make sugges-
tiOnS. approve of right methods and point
out the wrong. endeavored to make teach
ers and pupils feel that nv object was not to
find fault and condemn, but to assist and en-
courage them in their work. 1t is certainly
encouraging when teachers are anxious to
receive suggestions and also enthusiastic in
putting them in operation.
COUNTY INSTITUTE.
The county institute was held in Johns
town, Dec. $500. It was more numerousIy
attended than any previous ore. The instruc-
tors were State Superintendent +. F. Hipbee:
Prof. J. II. Young Indiana, Pa; Prof. J. V.
Montgomery, MlleTsville, Pa. Prof r. B.
Hays, Indiana, Pa; and r. B. Mehaffey. AL
toona, Pa. Quite a number of the teachers
of the county took an active part in the ex-
ercises and contributed verv much to the
profit and interest of ahe different sessions.
/ The evening lectures were well attended and
were highly instructive. The results of the
institute were manifest in the valuable hints
and methods which our teachers subsequent
| ly put in practice in their schools.
CONCLUSION.
Most OF our people are in favor of an eff
ctent system of education, and this is as it
should be. Public schools canEOt reach far
| in advance of public opinion We have teach
ers who are dong good work, but are still
| compelled to employ some who follow the
| "old way" Where directors pay liberal sal
aries and retain their teachers, the schools
! generally do we'll
Directors are responsible for the success Of
( the schools. They should endeavor to create
! a school sentiment where it does not already
| exist, and should encourage the teacher in
/ all his work and make him feel that thew ex-
/ pect of him whole sOuled work, the best SER
/ vice Of which he is capable
we need system and cooperation "alOng
/ the whole line" The teacher that gives no
/ attention to system in his work shonld not
/ hnd employment in the school-roO Habits
/ or obedience, industry and self-denial are
/ more valuable than intellectual attainments.
! Our county is rapidly increasing in wealth
/ and population. We are surpassed bv few
! counties of the State in mining and manu-
! featuring resources The schools should keep
! pace with other improvements and we should
! yield precedence to more in educational af.
| fairs
In conclusion, desire to offer my sincere
! thanks to directors and teachers for the kind
/ ness with which they have aided me in my
| WORK, TO the press Of the county for its many
! favors, and to the School Department for
kindly assistance and valuable suggestions.
| L. STRAYER,
| County Superintendent
| Ebensburg, June 26, 1882.
| THR Vleam Of the beautiful iewelIike glass
~ 4 hill har~ -.