The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-01-16
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL INTERESTS.

The annual report of DR.. Higbee, Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction for
the State OF Pennsylvania, has just been
made public. Like the preceding re-
ports of this official, the present one Is
lucid, able and full of valuable hints.
He directs attention to the fact that OF
the dozens Of social problems that are
deemed Of sufficient Importance TO con-
stautly attract the attention OF legisla-
tors, surely there can be none higher OF
more vital than that which concerns
the training and culture OF the entire
Junior population OF the State, number
ing over a million Of youths and chill
dren Of both sexes. The primary edu-
cation OF a whole generation of boys
and girls is a most important factor in
social progress, but so quietly does this
work link and Intervene itself with
our every day life, aad so unoOtrusively
does il do its work, that il does not re-
ceive the attention il deserves.
To make our present school system
more efficient, new legislation is re-
uuired and numerous hints are thrown
out as to the course it should take
! School life should be as much like home
life as possible. The home is surround
ed with things that gladden. the eye and
cultivate and refine the taste. These
things Tepress and subdue the wild and
disccrdant impulses of youth. Why
shall not the surroundings of the public
schools be like them 1t is children
who 90 into school. not men and wo-
I men. All around them has its due in
| fusnce. Yet the condition of many of
the school houses in the State is such
! that no law should require a cultured
boy or girl to enter them. There should
| be law to condemn such school build
| ings and in case of refusal to do so
| the State appropriation should be with
held until the matter is remedied. a
new treatise on school-house architec-
ture is much needed, and the Superin-
| tendent recommends an appropriation
| for this purpose.
State Normal schools are regarded
with much favor by the Superintendent.
| The task of providing the $4,000 teach
ers to keep our schools IL operation de-
pends largely on them. These institu-
| tiOns are a necessity, and constitute a
most important portion of the public
| school work. The perpetuation of our
| present system depends largely on them.
| They should be regarded as "necessa-
| ~ part of the public school system of
the State; that a proper supply of well
! trained professional teachers will be i'm
| possible without them and that the
| State ought, as other States are doing,
| so far to maintain them as to make them
! the most efficient possible in their Spe-
! cial work. 1t is recommended to in
crease the appropriation to the public
schools S150, 900, that sum to be distri-
buted among the Normal Schools.
A strong stand is taken in favor of
| increasing the length of the school year
! from five to six months. The latter pc
| riod is not long enough, but it is better
/ than the present law. The money of
the State, it is held, is almost wholly
| thrown away in districts where short
| terms prevail. Attention is directed TO
| imperfect supervision. Many counties
have become so popllous that county
superintendeuts are required to range
over districts where four and FIVE hun
dIed teachers are employed. In such
cases the work of supervision must
! necessarily be imperfect. Con tinuaI
watchfulness and examinations are sim
ply impossible. District supeTintend-
ents would remedy this evil. The large
non attendance of children of the proper
age at the public schools claims atten-
tiOn. There are at present over a thou
sand paupeT children in the county
| almshouses. The establishment of in
dustral schools where these pauper
! CnllQr6n SnOulQ De sent is strongly re-
| commended. The vexatious question
OF text books is discussed. The power
of school boards TO supply the required
! books is supported.
The increase in the number of the
| school teachers of the State, during the
past tea years, was 1875, the present
number bsing y, 464. Strange to say,
salaries have decreased during the same
period. In 1873 the average for males
was $41.5S per month and $50 IA for fe-
| males last year the average for the for
mer was S37. IS and for the latter 500 %
But although salaries have decreased,
expenses have increased aud the appru-
priatioE of one million of dollars now
made is deemed inadequate to meet
the legitimate demands OF the public
| school system. The VOluminOus stats
| tics that accompany the report show
thS progress and efficacy of our schools.
| The public seems only partially alive TO
| their Importance, however. Much re-
mains TO be done. The harvest already
/ gathered shows the cleaners have not
been idle. The foundations laid are
| solid, and, with the Superintendent, we
hope "a supeTsLructure may rise, which.
! in symmetry and strength, shall be more
beautiful than the PartheaOn and out
! last the Pyramids. .''-Ldncaster Ne,C
| Era.