Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-28
POOR AS SHANTIES.
Some of the DiSgraceful Hovels of
Learning in this County.
ONE DIRECTOR GETS DISGUsTED,
And Bntertains the County Committeeman
With His Plant.
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION MAPPED OUT

their first annual convention in the chapel
of the Pittsburg Female College yesterday
The officers were: President, Major r. E
Stewart, Braddock township; Vice Presi
dents, A. J, Kuhn, Homestead; james n
Moore, Robinson township; Secretary, G. S,
Davis; Assistant Secretary, S. NJ. Brinton,
Patton township; Executive Committee, DR..
A NJ. Pierce, West Elizabeth; DR.. R. S.
Stewart, Elizabeth township; r. NJ. Coyle,
Sharpsburg.
President Stewart opened the session with
appropriate remarks. County Superin-
tendent Samuel Hamilton then submitted
his annual report, which stated that in the
comprehensive of Pittsburg, Allegheny
and McKeesport-tnere are 70 school dis
tricts, 6l7 teachers, 480 directors, 29, 293
pupils besides 1926 children who attended
no school whatever. The increase in the
county schools for the past year numbered
30, or one-ninth of the total increase in the
State. The Superintendent advocates the
appointment of district principals to super
intend the work of the teachers. Allegheny
county represents about one-thirtieth of the
total educational interest of the State. The
average length OF the school term in the
county is 7.6 months. Eight districts have
10 months; 16 districts, 9 months; 13 dis
tricts, s months; 19 districts, months, and
% districts, 6 months
EXTREMELY YOUNG TEACHERS.
The employment of teachers whose ages
are under q years claims considerable at
tention at the Superintendent's hands He
is opposed to the election of teachers who
are yet In their teens. In speaking of the
average salary of a male teacher the Super
&lo4 d., L. "
stone State, that pays its skilled laborers
and its artisans better than any other State
in the union, pays to the teacher only an
average of S3S 53 per month for 7.48 months
in the year, which is less than any other State
in the Union and to which fact he attributes
there being so few male teachers. The sal
airy being more suitable to women they
therefore out-class the men to /. Compul-
sorry education is advocated, and to impress
its necessity the fact is cited that last years
statistics show that in "a counties out of Sc
in the State, 3S, 446 children of a school age
were reported as not attending any school.
In this county the estimated number OF chill
dren OF a proper age not attending any
school is about 3, 900.
A paper was read BY A. B. Donaldson,
Esq, of Williamsburg, on "The Care Of
School Property" He suggested that if the
property be kept in good repair the mis-
hieroglyphics on the frame work, etc., and
also that the schoolrooms should be better
fitted up than is customary in the county
at present. The reading of the paper was
followed by general discussion. George
s. Davis, Esq, of Stowe town
ship, said that teachers, like
other workmen needed tools, and the bette r
tie tools they have the better work they can
do. The school directors should furnish the
Il
good, large blackboards, maps, charts, etc.
Henry Donaldson, of Bethel township, said
that the pupils need pleasant surroundings
while attending schools. Superintendent
Hamilton stated that the schoolhouses in
Snowden, Bethel and Braddock townships
were among the best in the county.
ASHAMED OF HIS SCHOOL.
dikector from Ersen, in Upper st. Clair
toEnslCla, broke the dull routine of mutual
concentrations by saying that he was
ashamed of the school property in his town.
ship. One of the schools in Upper ST. Clair
township stood in the midst of a swaup. he
said, and another stood on the top of bleak
hilltop, with no surroundings save the wild
winds from the west and north. The school
house at Essen is a,disgrace to the township
The patrons in the neighborhood are all
pretty well to do farmers, and are able to
provide better building. Only one school
house in the township has a fence, and it
only extends around three sides. The
School Board in Upper st. Clair township.
he said, is the essence of economy. Unless
the board is more liberal in future he de-
clared he would not long remain a school
director.
President Robert E. Stewart ESQ. of
Braddock, announced that Superintendent
Hamilton had received anf appeal from the
School Board of Johnstown for aid. The
nature of this appeal was printed in THE
DISPATCH about three weeks ago. All
contributions may be sent to Superin-
tendent Hamilton.
/ The report of committee on Superin-
I tendent Hamilton's report was next taken
up. 1t recommended:
I First-That the directors be paid a sufficient
sum to cover necessary expenses Incurred in
attending the County Institute and Directors
second-That competent teachers be paid
better salaries
Third-That compulsory school law should
be enacted by the State.
Fourth-That necessary steps be taken
70 OBTAIN a more efficient. thorough
and systematic plan of school super
VISION for our county and recommend
that 20 or more sub-district superintendents
be elected, whose duty il shall be to superin.
tend the common schools in the district and 10
School Directors of his district who shall be
elected by the directors of the snb-districts tor
o term OF three years, who shall also fix the
suO-district superintendents' salaries
1hat the County Superintendent's report be
printed. and copy be furnished each school
director at 25 cents each. the cost to be paid bv
the school board, and that a commi ttee of five
be appointed by the chair to secure such legis-
latlon as may be necessary to effect the fore.
going recommendations
The recommendations were unanimously
adopted.
SCHOOL TAXES, TOO.
The committee on legislation consists of
DIR. Stewart Donaldson, Mcdonald and
Davis. When this committee was appointed
Rev. Gilfllan asked that change be made
in the school tax law. He said that under
the present law the school board did not get
hold OF the money for about six months after
1t had been assessed in many instances. This
was too late, for his board had been COM
PEELED several times to borrow the money to
meet current expenses. Besides many peo-
pie move out of the township between the
time the assessment is made and the time
collection OF the tax can be enforced, and
thus considerable of the tax is lost. He
asked that the Legislative Committee be
directed to draft an amendment to the pres
ent law by which the time for enforcing
the collection of the tax will be greatly |
shortened.
n m