Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-11
COUNTY DIRECTORS MEETING.
THE CONTROLLERS OF PUBLIC EDUcA-
TON ADJOURN

Superintendent Hamilton Submits an Ex-
hnusrive Report With Some Valuable
Suggestions "A Discussion on Manual
Trnining-Aunual Election of Officers.
At the afternoon session of the County
School Directors Association yesterday,
the first business taken up was the election
of officers for the ensuing year. The result
was as follows: President, Major r. E.
Stewart, Braddock; Vice President, DR.. R.
S. Stewart, Elizabeth township; Secretary,
Samuel NJ. Brinton, Patton township; As
sistant Secretary, John S.. Stewart, North
Versailles township; Executive Committee,
DR.. r. F.::Stottler, Williamsburg; A. C..
Coulters Swissvale; George S. Davis, Stowe
township; Thomas Addenbrook. Brad dock
j. R. McMichael, North Fayette township.
County Superintendent Hamilton submit
ted his report, which is said to be the first
efficient report of the work of county schools
ever made in Pennsylvania, He stated
that there are 646 teachers in the county, an
increase of 90; sol directors, an increase of
21; 81, $50 pupils, an increase of ,294. The
average term is 78-100 months, an in
crease of 2-10 of month. The average
salary paid lady teachers incre ased 80 cents
per month, and in townships so cents The
male teachers had an average increase in
boroughs of 81 II per month, and in townships
81 81. During the last year there was spent for
educational purposes S469 900; of this, S2l6.0O0
was teachers salaries. There are ten princi-
pals in township schools who do not teach.
Prof Hamilton discussed the great variation
teachers beginning this year, and there is great
variation in their work from good to bad,
chiefly bad. The tenure of office is very poor,
teachers are changed frequently, often without
wifi haI off tho
school. The directors should have every
teacher at the close of the year present sched-
ule of the pupils, their classes and standing, for
the succeeding teacher. This would prevent
parents and pupils obtaining unmerited promo
ton for the pupils from new teachers The
Superintendent thought directors should have
local institutes established to stir up the inter-
est of the people in the country districts, and
create a healthy public sentiment in favor of
the schools.
The schools of the county have grown SO
tremendously that more machinery is needed
to operate them. There are necessary County
Superintendent District Superintendent to
take charge OF from 20 to 40 schools and see
that they are properly organized at the opening
of the term; complete and uniform course OF
study all over the county; finally system of
records and reports to be made to the local
Oil ectors each month. Of these four things
but one the County Superintendent is now
available.
There was discussion on 1.-THE Relation of
the Director to the People," opened by A. q.
Coulter, of SwisSvale, after which the asSocia-
tion adjourned.
In the morning the convention opened with
Major R. E. Stewart, of Braddock township,
presiding. In his address he took occasion to
advocate manual training in the public schools.
He explained that it is not the object of those
in favor of manual training to teach trades, but
to indpce larger proportion of pupils To de-
vote themselves to industrial pursuits through
the elementary instruction given.
The Committee on Legislation consisting of
DR., R. s. Stewart, George s. Davis, Esq, s. b.
Donaldson, Esq, j. F. Mcdonald, Esq, and
Prof. T. T. Taylor, made their report, which
stirred up a breeze from the start. The first
section of the proposed law says:
THAT the school directors of any school dis
tricts having within their jurisdiction not less
than ten schools, or two or more adjoining dis
tricts having not exceeding 90 schools. shall
select by ballot one person as division superin-
tendent for a term of three years."
1t Is claimed in this county it will require, by
the terms of the proposed bill, at least IL or IL
division superintendents at at least $1,000 or
81, 500 per year.