Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1895-05-10
County Superintendent, F. w.

Mt'ylert is proud OF his new Office
and he has a right to be. The large
book case purchased by the County
Commissioners for this apartment,
is very pretty and convenient. The
Prof. has this well filed with
choice selection of books. Among
these volumes is the international
Cyclopadia," which are quoted
among the most valuable works issu-
ed. School reports from the or
ganization of our county and in fact
the state, are prominent among the
selection. These are interesting and
calls to mind the progress of our
schools in the past forty years.
Judge Bedford of Campbellsville,
was our first County Superintendent.
He was elected in 1855 and in his
report to the state speaks of the
Sullivan county teachers Of that
date, thusly:
eve have yet to lament the want
of competent instructors within
the limits of the county. We have
been under the necessity of going
abroad for fve-tcnts of all the teach
ers we have employed during the
past year. Up to the close of the
fiscal year just completed. l have
only issued five professional certif-
Gates, and but two of them to teach-
ers resident in the county. Indeed,
am not aware Of one male teacher
in the county, who follows common
school teaching as profession. I
would, however, by no means, assert
that we are entirely destitute ofgood
teachers. We have some, both male
and female, who have done we'll; but
they are entirely inadequate to the
demand. This scarcity has COM
PEELED us, in many instances, to en-
ploy incompetent persons to teach.
1t will require time and patience to
remedy this great evil.'
| Notice the contrast. This is what
County Supt. Meylert says of the
teachers, in his report Of 1894: Ed. ]
81 am glad to report that the pro-
gressive spirit that has manifested
itself in school matters in our coun
ty for several years past still contin-
ues. Every year shows that more
effective work is being done. More
skill in teaching and managing is
manifested. Better salaries are be =
ing paid than ever before. A major.
ity Of the districts have added a
full month to this years school term.
We cannot observe these signs of
improvement without feeling en-.
couraged. But however satisfactory
these indications of progress are. we
must admit that many reforms must
be wrought before our schools meas.
ure upto their highets degree of use
fulness.
The central figure in school work
is the teacher. Upon him the sues
cess of the school almost entirely
depends. That he must be a person
of broad scholarship, sound morals
and great energy, and that he must
possess skill in instructing and man.
aging. all will admit. That teachers
possessing all of these qualifications
can not long he retained in schools
where terms are short and salaries
low is very apparent. And when we
consider that the same degree of
ability necessary to teach a success
full school will command from two to
i've times the salary in almost any
other line of work, we sometimes
wonder that the standard of quali-
fication is kept as high as it is.
Some of our teachers have sought
to better prepare themselves tor
their work by attendance at Normal
schools or other excellent institutions
during the past year. Such teachers
should be recognized hy school
boards when positions are to he fill
ed. Nearly all our teachers are sub
scribers of one or more of the leading
educational journals. Many of them
are earnest students of works on
nedagogy.
l shall put forth every effort to in
duce our younger teachers to sup>
plement their course of study at
home by a course at the Normal
school. The only way we can hope
to increase the efficiency Of our
schools is to strengthen our teaching
force"