The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1897-06-16

cnccs Of this work are very evident. A
teachers class was conducted during n
part of this time and nearly all Of the
corps improved the opportunity to take
special work in methods Of teaching
Rcading. More Of this kind Of work
should he done in the public schools.
Reading is, generally speaking, one Of
the most poorly taught branches in the
school course.
Perhaps better results have been OBJ
tanned In literary work this year than
ever before. This is due in part tn the
superior advantages for the same, aud
in part To- the enthusiasm Of teachers
and pupils The Assembly hall, with
its well furnished stage, affords nm ex
cellent place for literary exercises. The
value Of earnest literary work cannot
bc over estimated.
our statistical report shows the aver
age per cent Of attendance for the term
just closed to he 49, In this respect
our schools are surpassed by few dis
tricts in the state. Tardincss in the
several rooms has we believe. almost
reached the minimum. This high per
cent. of attendance and punctuality is
due largely to AN increased interest in
school work and IN part to our system
of correspondence between teachers and
parents In almost every case where
pupils failed To present Il written excuse
from the parent for tardiness or absence
Il note of inquiry was sent from teacher
to parent. notifying him Of such absence
or tardincss and asking for "A reply to
| the same. These notes of inquiry us
ually secure the cooperation of parents
in attendance and puuctuality. Parents
should in all eases be careful 10 sign
these Inquiries themselves aud return
them To the teacher sealed.
The high school has been during the
year the seat Of much activity and in
tercst. The people Of Rcynodsville
have reason To be proud Of the fact that
the Board Of Education has placed them
in possession of school in which their
children may receive an education at
home. No movement should be tolerat-
ed that would impair the efficiency Of the
high school, but ON the other hand every
effort should be put forth to promote
its efficiency and to raise its standard
We deem it eXpedient to say Il few
words here upon the high school moyc-
ment in general Much interest has
been awakened along this line within
the past few years. In 1895 an act was
passed by the Legislature providing for
the establishing Of borough and town
ship high schools. II lacks only an ap-
preparation of funds to make the law
effective. However, without the slim
ulant Of II special appropriation from
the Legislature it Is clearly the duty of
every school district able TO do so, tn
promote the welfare Of its young people
by some system Of higher education.
Too frequently boards Of directors are
restrained from acting in progressive
manner by the general complaint of
"hard times" We will quote in this
connection some words and figures from
the late report Of the Superintendent OF
Public Instruction.: "The men who
think and talk money from January to
December are prone TO ask whether
there Is any material return for the
money expended upon our public
schools. Fortunately a convincing an
, swer Is possible from their own point OF
I view. Although the return which the
| schools make cannot be exhibited a. an
/ annual fair like the products of the
farm and garden, the superior intell
| gence which results from good school,
, makes itself felt in more productive
a forms of labor in augmenting the earn
. ing power of the individual. These car
I be measured In dollars and cents. Tn,
S general effect of intelligence upon tn,
S earning power of the individual is seer
Q in the figures OF the last census which
= shows the average earnings of the In
. dustrial classes in the different states
= OF the Union and the percentages o
$ illiteracy, that Is, the number Of per
4 sons out of every hundred Of population
i above the age Of ten who are unable I,
Il read and write. Wyoming heads tn,
, list with an average earning capacity O
$76S credited to the industrial classe
o and a percentage OF illiteracy below
4 three and half. For New York tn,
g average earnings S549 and the percent
l. age OF illiteracy is five and a half; 70
o Pennsylvania the average earnings ar
l.. 1892 and the percentage of illiterac,
C is seven: in South Carolina the averag
!. earnings sink to 1867, and the percent
# age of illiteracy rises to to forty-tw,
n and three-tenths. Asa rule the earn
i ing power OF the industrial classes rise
l. as the percentage of illiteracy falls"
y We find tendency too prevalent OF
i the part of hiph school authorities Il