The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-08

MISUNDERSTANDING ueCOruer 1eO1Re
H. Pierce, of the Knights of Malta.
Professor George Howell. who last
| Tuesday was accorded the honor of a
unanimous reelection to the office of
city superintendent of schools. has
made an ideal head for the citys
public school system and his re-elec-
ton was A proper tribute to his eflic-
iency. Professor Howell is an enthus-
list in the cause of education, an en-
thusiast in the best and real sense CT
that much abused word. He has the
rare faculty also Of arousng the in
terest and enthusiasm of those who
| are associated with or are subordinate
To him. The value of this quality only
those who have had occasion to close
ly study the school system of the city
and its needs can fully appreciate.
Since Professor Howell has been sup
erintendent number OF innovations
have been introduced by him aside
from doing large amount of good in
the way of systemati2ing school work
generally. One of his innovations was
the Introduction of a uniform course
| of study The syllabus was prepared
| by him to meet the special needs of
| the schools Of this city. one of the
| benefits of this system is this: a pupil
| can leave a school in North Scranton
and enter one in South Scranton and
| find no difference whatever in the
| course OF study. He will fi;Id the class
/ in South Scranton practically at the
! same point the one he left in North
| Scranton had reached. No time is lost
hNr 1,A t., i
vantage to children whose parents
move from one part Of the city to
| another during the course of a term.
Another innovation that is the result
of Professor Howell's wise direction of
| the schools is the banking system.
| When first suggested the idea created
no little amusement and persons were
not wanting who said it would never
| be a success, that in fact it was not
| feasible. They were bad prophets. Not
| only has the idea proved entirely feas-
ible, but It is the biggest kind of a
| success. The pupils of the city schools
have now in the banks almost $4,000
| they saved during the short time the
| system has been in operation. BY the
| close of the present school year Super
| intendent Howell hopes to be able to
| buy for the pupils $4,000 worth Of the
| bonds of the Scranton school district,
which pay per cent. interest.
Within ten years superintendent
| Howell is confident all the bonds is
sued by the school district will be
| owned by the school children of the
| city. and will have been purchased
with the money saved by means of
| the school banking system. This is
| one of the most practical steps toward
securing the benefits of higher educa-
| tiOn for the masses ever taken in this
city. The school bank account will
| pave the way for hundreds of children
| to a college or university course after
| the pupil has been graduated from the
| high school. More than this it gives
| the young minds an idea of the value
| of money and encourages habits Of
| thrift that will cling to them in after
| years when they have engaged in the
| real conflict of the battle of life.
| Professor ]. e. Taylor was re-elect-
| ed superintendent of county schools
| Tuesday He has filed the Office with
great efficiency for the last six years.
| and his reelection is a just recogn
| tiOn of his valuable services for the
! improvement of the schools of the
county. He had opposition Tuesday,
| but he easily Vanquished those who
contested with him for the honor. Pro-
| fessor TaylOr's six years Of hard work
| for the improvement Of the county
| schools won for him the high regard
| of a large percentage of the directors
ana made his election a certainty.
During the period Superintendent
| Taylor has been in office he has intro
| duced new ideas that have brought the
county schools to the highest degree
| of usefulness they have yet attained.
| A uniform course of study has been
| introduced, the graded system en-
| ployed so far as possible, county ex-
aminations for pupils established and
| many other innovations introduced
with a view TO giving the pupil in the
| sparsely settled country district so far
as possible the same advantages as his
more favored brother in the city. There
has been a distinct Improvement ia
| the teachers, too. This was secured by
| local Institutes, and the mapping out
| of a course of study for teachers hold
| ing provisional certificates which was
| followed by an examination TO deter
mine their fitness for a professional
certificate. This course of study and
| subsequent examinations have shown
| many teachers in just what they were
| deficient and has induced them to take
| the normal school course. There are
| now more men and women teaching
in the county schools who have had a
| thorough preparation for their work
than ever before. Better work and
better results naturally follow.
NJ. j. Walsh, a prosperous Wilkes
| Barre business man, is prominently
mentioned for the office of president
| of the Scranton Diocesan union, to