The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-11-07
PENxsYLvANlA,s SCHOOLS.
superintendent HIgbee's Report for
Last Year.

hlubt NeaFs
Advance sheets of the annual re-
port of DR.. E. f. Higbee, Super
intendent of Public instruction, are
just out. From them the following
facts are CLEANED The number of
schools in the State is 21,342, an in
crease of 2S0 since last years report.
The average length of the school
term is now in months, III, a large
increase over the record of last year,
which was ell.
"This," says DIR. Higbee, sis one
Of the good results of the recent law,
which made the minimum term six
months. The number of teachers,
exclusive of Philadelphia, is now 21,-
1853; males, 8,915; females, 1928
decrease of 313, At first glance this
may seem toindicate a most crowded
condition of our schools, inasmuch as
the number of teachers has decreased
and the number of pupils increased.
! But this decrease of teachers is owing
to the fact that our two-term
districts (where the winter school is
taught by one teacher and the sum-
mer school by another) are rapidly
passing away"
The average salary of teachers, ex.
elusive of Philadelphia, is now, for
males, $37 - and for females 500 60.
The amount of money paid to teach
ers for the year preceding this re-
port was $4,673,32i so, an increase
over the year preceding of only
$90,950 15. The amount paid to
teachers in this year was So, ,044, 1886 10,
an increase over the preceding year
of 1871 ,060 65. The number of pupils
now enrolled in the schools, exclusive
of Philadelphia, is S31, 1867, an increase
of 1886 over last years report.
DIR. Higbee renews his recomenda-
tions regarding the passage of a law
for the inspection of schools in the
rural districts. He thinks such a law
cannot fail to result In incalculable
good. Superintendent Higbee. also
devotes considerable attention to the
subject of manual training in the
schools. He believes there will be
some difficulty in establishing this
branch of education in the country
districts. Continuing he says:
scarcely any difficulties have
arisen in reference to the compara-
lively new study of physiology and
hygiene, made obligatory by law"
In conclusion he says; "The favora-
Bile action of the last Legislature has
already accomplished much. The
advice of the minimum school term
is helping teachers and pupils. In
some counties it has advanced the
amount paid for teaching $4,000 and
$4,000, and has given the pupils tie
advantage of longer continuous
discipline under the same teacher.
The increase of the State appropria-
tion by the addition of $500,000 is
making itself felt in every part of the
Commonwealth. Already the total
cost of tuition, building, fuel and
contingencies, has reached the large
sum OF $1l, ,O12,99O. and the average
rate of tax levied for school purposes
is 7.64 mills and for building purposes
3.34 mills, far below the maximum
allowed by law"
From the statistics accompanying
the report are taken these facts /:
School districts in the State,
2,29S; number of schools, 2l ,342 ;
number of pupils, 941,625; male
teachers, 9,0O3; female teachers, A.
67S; average salary of male teachers
per month, S3S 45; salary of female
teachers per month, $50 16; number
of pupils, 94l, l,625; cost of tuition,
So, ,404, 1874 SO; State appropriation,
81 1,500,000 estimated value of school
property, $3S, 1893, ,7S3 rs.