The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1895-08-16
Annual Report Of the Schools of Col
umbia County, Penh'a.

I1t SCIOOlS vi luN SObihl Woo III nNNP-
ing with the conditions underlying and
governing them. A stronger educa-
tional sentiment was noticeable |
throughout the entire county.
The county institute was one Of |
the best ever held here, and it was
the best in the attendance Of teachers.
Every teacher except one was present,
and this one enrolled, but was absent
on account of sickness.
The instructors were Hon. N. G.
Schaeffer, Drs. J. P. Cory, E. Dram
Lyte, ]. P. Welsh, Miss Gertrude Ed
mund, Miss Nellie Moore, and Profs.
Byron King and l. d. Iresh. For
the evenings: the Chi'ago Rivals,
Roberts Harper, Byron King, Will
Carleton, Miss Vida BOWMAN and
Elfleda Barnes Gottschallsoloists.
The local institutes web held dur
ing the year at Bent9, Berwick,
Buckhorn, Espy, Jamisor City, Main
vile, Millville, Numidia, Rupert and
os.llwater. 1t is necessity to unite
several townships and us form
local Eastitute district order to
reach each\ teacher and livery COM
munity in local, instituNwork. These
meetings are 'Gsa..,ly we'll attended
and productive of much good. The
teachers of the various districts gener-
ally take an active part in the meet
ings and do practical work and the
Professors of the Normal give valu-
able help.
Since our last report seven new
school houses have been erected.
One in Briarcreek, one in Catawissa
township, one in Conyngham, one in
Fishingcreek, one in Jackson, one in
Roaringcreek and two room build
ing in Sugarloaf.
These are good substantial build
ings furnished with the latest and best
furniture and supplied with slate sur
face. The building in Catawssa
township is unquestionably the best
house in the rural districts. Well
lighted, well heated from the cellar,
and with convenient cloak-rooms, it is
school-house of which the directors
and people may be proud.
The directors of Orange purchased
the old Academy building at Orange.
vile and remodeled it, making of it a
three room public school-house.
The directors of Scott having re.
modelled the Espy school house and
the one at Almedia and put into both
the hot water system of heating now
lave the best school houses in any
district in the county except the large
boroughs, and their buildings com
pare more than favorably with the
best in these boroughs. In other dis
tricts school houses have been repair
ed and made more attractive anc
comfortable. We still have, however
one school house that has the some
what ancient board seats and desks
The directors say that they will re
place these soon with proper patent
desks.
The outbuildings in a number O
districts are not what they should be
Some districts have tried to comply
fully with the law, others have compli
ed in part, and others say that they
will comply with the provisions of thu
law in this matter as soon as possible
yet it Is necessary to state that tn,
outbulldings in some districts neeC
prompt attention.
A graded course of study was pre-
pared for the ungraded schools of tn,
county, and was distributed at tn
last county institute. The majorit
of the teachers did better work be
cause of it. The directors of severa
districts adopted it and a number @
pupils in the rural schools completed
the course last year. Better worl
and better results may be expected
the coming term.
1t has been noticed during the pas
FIVE years that OF the young men ant
women who attend the examination
for teachers certificates, those VIII
are all round the strongest and mos
practically prepared, come either d
rect from the ungraded schools 0
from the country school after a tern
at the summer school or the Norma
and stand higher and are stronge
than are their sisters and brother
from our high schools with simila
advantages. This speaks we'll for til
ungraded schools and should inspir
the teachers to do better work, an
should encourage the directors t
select only the best teachers, and SUI
ply all necessary apparatus and appl
ances for the country schools.
In Fishingcreek township we hav
something of an illustration of what
district advanced school may accon
plish. The directors finding it nece
sary to erect another building
Jamestown to accommodate all Il
pupils decided TO locate the ne
building at such place as will accon
modate all the larger pupils of lone