The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-12
SUPERINTENDENTS.


As before stated, the territory now included
in this county was in 1875 a part aof Luzerne,
and was unit. 1875 under the supervision Of W,
A. Campbell. | learn from his reports that
school terms were short, in some districts only
five months and the term in many divided into
a summer and winter term. Wages OF teachers
were low as Sl2 per month. Teachers in rural
districts boarded around among the patrons.
Many pupils came to school without text books,
and teachers were annoyed and progress retarded
by the use of several series of books in the same
school,
Graded schools existed in four districts, Blake
", Dunmore, Jelmyn and South Abingdon. Super.
intcndcnt Campbell urged directors to insist upon
uniformity of text books, and advised them to
purchase books for all pupils with public funds.
In June, 1875 James NJ CouGhlin became super
intondcnt of schools in Luzcrne county and the
districts forming LaCkawanna county were
under his supervision one year Mr.. Coughlin
was an able and energetic superintendent but the
thoroughness of his examinations and the courage
he exhibited in rejecting incompetent applicants
for the teachers certificate gained for him the
additional title of "The Great Reflector"
About this time the county OF Lackawanna was
set off from Luzerne and in June, 1879, the state
superintendent appointed Miss H. Evelyn Brooks
to he county superintendent for the uneXpircd
tcrm--two years In 1881 Miss Brooks was elect
continued in office until June, 1851 At the end
Of her first year in office Oss0) she reported III
schools in the county, enrolling 693S pupils.
These figures did not include the borough Of
Dunmore, which about this time became an inde-
pendent district with Professor L. r. Fowler as
superintendent. The salaries paid to teachers
were still very low, the average being 1874
per month for males, and S2l.0i for females. The
lowest salary in the county was l.S3 per month,
and the highest was So paid to the principal
of the Waverly graded school
In her written reports Miss Brooks spoke Of
the poor school buildings, unsuitable school fur.
niturc, lack of backboards the vile and unsani-
tary condition of the water closets, the great
difficulties arising from the lack of text books,
the neglect Of certain school directors TO make
necessary repairs upon school buildings, and the
irregular and illegal methods used by some school
boards in conducting the affairs Of their districts.
She also reported improvements in several drcC.
tions. The boarding round system was confined
in 1850 10 FIVE districts. Better qualified teachers
were sought in some districts. One Of the coun'
try districts, Ransom, was praised for having
adopted a continuous term. School houses were
being improved. Local institutes were held in
Abingdon, Wavcrly, Glonburn and Jefferson.
Teachers salaries were increasing,
In her last report, written in 1854, Miss Brooks
discussed at length the methods of certain poll
ticians who had tried to compel her to issue
certificates TO incompetent persons, and to secure
the appointment of friends and relatives in the
place of qualified teachers. Miss Brooks was a
candidate for reelection in 1854, but on account
Of her uncompromising stand against illegal ac-
tions Of school boards and the efforts Of local
politicians to control the schools, she was de.
fcated. Miss Brooks was regarded by many as
faithful and conscientious official; but she some.
times defeated her own purpose by criticising
men and things too sharply.
Professor n. S. Davis, elected county superin.
tendent in 1854. continued in office nine years
quote briefly from his annual reports Accord.
ing to his first report, Mr.. Davis found in the
county lji schools and 1883 pupils enrolled The
average salaries paid we're Si272 to males and
S2S2 to females, an increase Of about 30 per
cent. above the salaries paid at the beginning Of
Miss Brooks first term. This is certainly a good
showing for FIVE years and indicates a radical
change in the way school directors regarded
education. In his annual report of 1856 Mr. Davis
records remarkable activity in erecting new build
ings, fifteen new houses being built in the two
years This building boom, which began with
the erection Of the central building at Olyphant
in 1883, continued for years and reached nearly
every district In the country. The crusade against
"boardng around" and the divided term begun
by Miss Brooks and continued by Mr. Davis
was also finally successful in 1896. Mr. Davis
also refers 10 the introduction Of physiology in
1886, the celebration OF Arhor day in 1887, the
introduction of free text hooks in some districts
before the passage Of the free text book law
and reported that all schools were supplied with
patent desks. Mr.. Davis was succeeded by the
writer in 1898
OF the work of the present incumbent leave
olners to speak. It has been chiefly In the direc-
tion of securing better qualified teachers for our
schools. Respectfully submitted,
j. c. Taylor
Superintendent of Schools for Lackawanna
County.