The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1889-02-20
PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.
The County Superintendent Rspol


CouuIIIou VI Tue SCHOOLS or THIS stat
for 1888.
Following is the report, as therei
contained, OF G. W. Shiyely, th
school superintendent OF this county
Clatsop county has not, until dur
ing the past two years, taken that in
; tereSt III advancing education tha
Il s long been neglected. Most of th
! population of the county being per
Sons Of limited education, and mos
OF their time taken up IN manual la
bors, little time has been devoted Il
keeping alive any enthusiastic feelinI
with regard to bettering the nenta
condition of the children. But lately
more general feeling is being shown
and | find the people in the country
only want good teachers, and are sat
ished to pay them better salaries
than heretofore. This general feel
ing and interest in improving the
public school system, to better ad-
vance the mental culture Of the school
children, and to furnish the schools
with qualified teachers, has been
brought about by educational meet
lnRs, where the teachers have met and
lnterchanged their views on ednca-
ton, and introducing for discussion
the many new features OF mental
training and the advanced methods
OF teaching adopted in older states.
10 make good teachers it is neces-
sary to frequently have educational
meetings.
Clerks Bonds.-I believe that every
school clerk should be required to
give sufficient bonds to the district.
School directors generally are not
strict enough, and sometimes it has
happened in the counties in the state
that directors did not require any
bonds of the school clerk, and as q
consequence il has happened that the
district has often been the loser OF
school money. / believe the direct
Ors should be more careful and lee
and inquire and gain all the informa-
ton they can whether the bondsmen
are responsible persons, snd the
clerks bonds should never be less
than the school law stipulates. No
hopest school clerk will be unwilling
TO give the required bonds. Clatsop.
county has been fortunate in having
school directors who are careful to
follow the school law, and require all
their clerks to enter into bonds be-
lore taking the Office, and I have not
heard Of this county ever losing a
cent.
School Apparatus.-The public
schools Of Clatsop county are very
deficient IN all kinds Of school 6ppar-
Itus. find the country schools en-
5irely In need Of maps, globes, charts,
'tc. 1 have suggested to the board
If directors of the city schools in this
county that more attention should be
given to school apparatus.
School Directors Duties, Etc
The school directors should be dill
gent and watchful, and often visit
their school or schools, giving encour-
sgement to teachers aud pupils by SO
toing. II the teachers feel that the
directors take an interest in educa-
ion, and the pupils also feel that
heir interest in getting an education
d being looked after, they always are
more diligent in their studies. l be-
ieve it is an essential duty of the
'chool directors to often visit the
'chools and see that the sa litary con-
iitIon Of the school room is such that
The preservation Of health Is best
that the rooms are prop
srly ventilated, that the rooms arel
properly and evenly heated, and that
the seats in the school room are so
arranged that the light will not iniure
the eyes. In moral sense the duties
II the school directors are very i'm
oortant, for they are in great meas
Ire responsible for the moral train |
ing Of the school children.
District School Houses.-The dis. |
trict school houses of Clatsop coun-
ty are mostly situated il the country,
IN many locations that are far away
from any transportation facilities,
and the settlements are very scatter
the children have to walk
from home a mile or more to the
school house. The school houses in
The country are mostly built very
of logs, whsn no ium.
Der can be secured. Occasionally al
frame building for school purposes is |
seen in the country districts. In the
,ity OF Astoria the school houses srei
IN a much better plan. In school
district No. /, which is the Oldest in
The county, there is very fine three
story frame building, with brick base
nent, well lighted and ventilated, and
heated with furnaces situated in the
basement. This school house cost
5000. The next best school house
8 in district No. 19, which is situated
Il the city of Astoria and was at one
ime part of district No. l, and was
made separate district in the year
1880. This district has nice, com.
ortable two story frame building,
which cost the district about $4,000. |
find most OF the school houses
located with regard to sani
,ary conditions, and in the country
he schools are mostly ON elevated
ground, situated near untaiIing
'prIngs OF pure water.
As far as have seen, and am able
10 judge, / believe Clstsop county is
veil supplied with comfortable school
houses. While not so grand and
,ostly as some OF the school houses
N other counties Of the state, still
hey are comfortable, and the chill
lreh learn Just as well as if they stud
ed IN more grand buildings.
School Clerks Reports.-The
school clerks report should be made
,ut carefully, and plainly written, SO
that the original can be quickly un
lsrstood, and before completing it