The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-02-22
ADDITIONAL LOCAL.
Educational Matters.
EDITORS OF COLOMBIAN :

What has
become of the promised column of
school news ? One of the papers of the
county thought that it would have a
monopoly of these publications and
upon the strength of that sent to every
teacher in the county copy contain
tanning Miss Armstrong; first and only
article, telling the teachers how inds-
pensable would be this particular paper
with its column of school news. SO
far all the papers have had a monopoly
of these publications, and some one l
imagine has been disappointed. Miss
Armstrong, no doubt, deserves some
praise for at least one effort at making
this column a success. She should
have been supported by those teachers
who placed her in this predicament,
first of all by the county superinten-
dent.
1t seemed to me, from the beginning
a bad piece of business and it placed
the editor-elect in very unenviable
position. The project | consi'ler
good one, but the manner of brin ging
it about Indicates the work of bur-
glar.
If any person has any good thoughts
on this matter of teaching, let him
write them out plainly and feel that
every paper in the county has sufficient
interest in our schools to publish them.
The press and the schools aim, or at
least should, at the same ends Both
are educators. The press educates in
general way without any particular
regard for tastes, age, sex, religion,
development of mind &c. while the
schools are hampered by all of these.
To sustain column of school news
in our county papers should be the
easiest thing in the world but the facts
prove that such is not the case Why
this is so, could not have been very
apparent to those who proposed the
project.
Among the several hundred teach
ers of the county how many do you
suppose there are who take an intelli-
gent and disinterested interest in the
cause of popular education
1t it took as many such teachers in
this county to save our schools, as it
did righteous persons to save Sodom and
Gomorrah, | should tremble lest the
public school system IN Columbia coun-
ty would fare like the two wicked
cities.
believe that our institutes have
done much for popular education but
these are good only in so faras they show
us how to overcome those difficulties
with which each of us has to contend.
1t is usual to import talent for these |
think this good also. 1t will do us all
good to know how they teach down
in Jersey or up in York state, Home
! talent we have with us all the time and
| although it may not in the least be
inferior to the foreign article, yet the
latter as change is very grateful.
This will also enable us to appreciate
better the good or bad in the home
production.
Our institutes are of bnt few DAYS
duration, while TO set forth the merits
of any system of education and teach
the same would require perhaps months.
Teachers are too timid to ask for fuller
explanations of those things which they
fail to understand. They are too timid
to state their difficulties in an insti
tute, and have them made plain.
Here, ther, are few things in which
home talen. with the aid of the press
can do better wor.; than an institute.
Teachers can write out their Difficult
ties and some one who has surmounted
them will explain them. They can
ask for information and any one who
can inform them will be pleased to do
| so.
We have in our midst a Normal
School with, / believe, learned and
capable Faculty,
The Orangeville Academy has sent
out quite large mum er of teachers
too. These institutions claim to use
and teach the best and most practical
methods of instruction. Those who have
attended these schools have no doubt
been much benefited but we have not
all been so fortunate as to attend them.
Could not Dr. Waller, Prof, Noetling
and the Prin. of the Orangeville Acal,
emy be induced to take pen in hand
and help us They would, think, do
a great work for their alumni and pat
rons in educating the public, to a pro
per application of the methods we
teach. For these men must know that
those methods which they teach are
very much opposed in some districts of
this county. They must know how
! discouraging it 10 one who has given