The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-07-29
COLUMBIA COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
REPORT OF sUPT. W. c. JOHNSTON.


schools of the county, as whole,
have given general satisfaction, al
though in many districts the work was
crippled on account of epidemic dis
eases.
Six school houses were erected
during the year one in Benton, one
in Conyngham, ore in
Fishingcreek, one in Main, and two in
Sugarloaf.
The house in Benton is a two
story, two.room frame building sup
piled with patent desks and slate
blackboard.
The one in Conyngham is a two
room, one-story frame building and is
also supplied with slate surface and
patent desks.
The others are one-story, one room
frame buildings and supplied with
similar desks and blackboards
All these buildings reflect credit up
on the boards of directors under whose
supervision they were constructed.
1t is pleasure to report that mark
ed improvements are being made in
the furniture apparatus in all schools
and that more care was gwen to the
out buildings and the grounds, how
ever the latter should have decidedly
more attention.
A number of schools had entertain.
ments charging a small admittance
fee. The money thus secured was in
vested in books as a nucleus Of libra
ries
Fifty seven OF Our schools have H.
braries-some of them large and good
Others small but interesting and useful
Seventy two of the schools have una
bridged dictionaries and in few
others the teachers is used.
Directors begin to realize that it is
not only desirable but necessary that
each school have a gooi dictionary
At the last meeting of their associa
tion this subject was considered and i,
is believed that next year an unabridg
ed dictionary will be put into most o.
the schools not now having one.
Jackson last year, the frs'
district in the county
to do so, furnished all text t.booKs tree
OF cost to all pupils. Conyngham fur
nished all the readers free. O,he
districts are considering this subject
Conyngham has made move in tint
direction of district supervision By
having Prof. B. F. Kelley, principal o
the Locust Dale Schools, devote par
of his time to supervising all th'
schools OF the district.
Our teachers with few exceptions
are faithful, conscientious, and pro
gressive. 1t is believed that they have
done more regular careful professional
reading during the year than ever be
fore. AS result their work has beer
more practical and thorough.
Nearly all teachers holding tn,
lower grade certificates attend durin,
vacation either the Normal at Blooms
burg, the Seminary at Millville, th
Academy at Orangeville, or othe
schools for teachers. The Norma
graduates usually continue thei
studies and professional reading anC
thus keep in touch with the times.
; Marked improvement is observed il
instruction especially in reading, Ian
guage and primary work.
Much of the teaching has not ant
does not insure to pupils that practi
cal knowledge of arithmetic, gramma
or language, and the ability to rea'
intelligently and intelliglbly that
should.
While instruction should do ia
more than this for pupils yet iii doe
| less it is not a success
Lack of proper apparatus in som
schools, irregular attendance of pupils
and prevailing tendency among pu
8 pills in the rural schools to pursue bu
two or three subjects, are three thing
r that seriously cripple the work,
The first can be removed by tn
action of various boards, and be
said to the credit of the directors tina
they are manifesting more attention i
this direction than heretofore and tn
f necessary apparatus will doubtless b
supplied as the funds of the district
warrant. The second may be RENE
e died by the cooperation of parent.
directors and teachers which co.opera
a ton is usually secured if earnestly an
e prudently sought by teachers,
The third is more difficult to RENE
t dy The greatest efforts and the bes
work sometimes will not awaken a
n interest among some of the larger pl
a pills for more than two or three sui
v jects. But the small ones-those t
+ take the place Of the larger pupils
# year or two hence may be SO instruc
ed that they will not be satisfied wit
X the knowledge their older brothers an
sisters deemed sufficient The sma
children of our rural schools shoul
IL receive more attention and better in
d truction. While there is no eviden'