The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-12-02
THE FOREST REPUBLICAN.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER ?, 1896.
Schools of the state.


sylvania, has just submitted his an.
nual report to Gov Hastings for the
year ended June l last. While it
shows great progress in the school
system there is no evidence TO indi
cate that the large appropriation of
s5,500,000 is effeoting any suhstan.
tial increase Of the salaries of teach.
ers or adding to the length of the
school term. The increase in the sal.
ary of male teachers was only 26
cents a month, while the salary of fe
male teachers underwent decrease
of cents The school term in
months increased only 07, The
number of school districts in Penn
sylvania, including Philsdelphia, was
2,47S, an increase of 81 schools, %.
S99, increase 515; graded schools,
1908, increase 1853; male teach.
ers, S,796, increase 1853; female
teachers, II, ,968, increase sos; pupils,
1,0SS,7S6, increase 1854; cost of
school houses, purchasing, building,
renting, etc, S4.O96,924 increase
s372,966; teachers wages, S9,622,-
1851, increase s317, ,9O6,22; fuel,
contingencies, fees of collectors and
other expenses, S4,S4S,6S6 Ga in.
crease S16S,S27 90. The average sal.
ary o. male teachers was S4478 and
female teachers S3S2S The average
length of the school term was 7.9S.
The average number pupils in slten.
dance was S02,797 The amount ex.
pended in the purchase of text books
was s79e,9137S, aud the total dis.
bursements for school purposes were
S19,661 500 58, which included $685..
76S AZ, expended for school supplies
other than text books outside Of Phil.
adelphia. The amount of tax levied
exclusive of Philadelphia was
$9,296, 1928, an increase of S697,-
620.O7.
Superintendent Schaeffer refers to
the last United States census to show
that as a rule the earning power of
the industrial classes rises as the per.
centage of illiteracy falls. He also
says the modern factory is thriving
upon educated labor and that Its de.
velopTent has helped the intellectual
progress of the masses Supt,
Schaeffer also urged liberal appro.
priation for higher education, espec-
tally system that would benefit the
rural population. Compulsory edu.
cation, says Supt. Schaeffer, has
steadily decreased the number OF
children employed in the manufac.
lures. He claims it was necessary
"to Danish illteracy and to make ig
rance impossible" The law in Penn
sylvania, he says, has not been fully
tried and many defects in it will ap
pear which must be remedied by fu
ture legislation. Compulsory vac
cination is not favored by the super
intendent, and he says it serves tC
neutralize the compulsory education
law. 1t is better, he thinks, to edu
cate The pupils and parents in th
laws of health. With few exception
the school houses have perfect sani
tary arrangements, aud this is poin
that cannot be too closely watched.
Supt. Schaeffer makes causti
reference to the sharks" who appear
ed when the school appropriation wa
raised to S5,000,000. Agents 70
charts, maps and blocks induce
many uniformed school boards t
purchase their gh.priced good
This the superintendent terms ez
traVagance, and issues a warnin
against it,
VI lhS VI Tue eCuOl
appropriation the superintendeI
says: ut discriminates against II
districts which lack industries to hol
their adult population and in favor
the districts toward which the your
people gravitate as soon as the
school days are ended. 1t is needle
TO say this method fails to carry o
the theory which makes it the duty
the state to provide at public expen
equal common school advantages f
all its youth.
The teachers employed, aecordil
TO Supt Shaeffer, are as rule COZ
petent, aud under the present systel
only those properly qualified can {
cure positions. The studies are a
vancing in tone, aud notewort
feature Of the text books is that tn
have begun to treat the State COVER
ment as of eqnal Importance wi
the Nation.