The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-12
WORK OF COUNTY
SCHOOLS REVIEWED

he graded school, Newton has partitioned a
large one room building and last year employed
two teachers, and graded the school. Ransom
hired two teachers for its central school, using
a rented room for the lower grade.
In jefferson a public meeting was held and
ne subjects were fully discussed, and reso.
ution passed asking the board to establish
graded schools But when the matter came to
a vote in a board meeting, the directors were
evenly divided and the question was lost. There
has also been much .scusson in Benton, Scott
and Greenfield, but no action has been taken
The chief objection seems to be the fear that
taxes will be increased. In most of these dis
trcts the citizens who sending their chill
drcn 10 academies and normal schools send
ing enough money out Of the district each year
to pay the expenses Of good high school at
home In a district where ten pupils are sent
away TO school IL is safe TO say that the total
amount Of money carried out Of the district is
not less than Cs2,Ooo) two thousand dollars
year This money put into a good high school
At home would not only provide educational ad.
vantagcs for these ten fortunate pupils, but
would give equal advantages to hundred others
who under present conditions can never have
the benefits Of a higher education. The com
mon schools ought TO provide for the children
Of the common people.
PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT.
The scope and efficiency OF the schools OF
any district depend almost absolutely upon the
knowledge and professional skill OF the teach
ers employed Hence the most important duty
of superintendent is to sec that none but
qualified teachers employed. II he grants
certificates to incompetent persons no amount
of work that he may do after will repair the
deficiency only good teachers can make good
schools. Acting upon this theory, have striven
pcrsistently to secure the hest teachers avail
able for the schools Of this county. An idea OF
the change in the grade Of teachers employed
may be obtained from the following compari'
Son:
In 1892, the year before | began my work as
Superintendent. the teachers in this county were
classified as follows: Teachers holding provis
ional certificates, 15s, professional certificates,
%; permanent certificates, Is; normal
school diplomas, IL; total number hold
ing higher grade certificates, 81, or about 25
per cent Of the whole number employed. From
my statistical report Of this year we have:
Teachers holding provisional certificates, 1O6
professional certificates 4j; permanent Cortih-
Gates, ~; normal school diplomas 30;
total number holding higher grade Ger.
tifcaeS, III, or about 63 per cent. Of the
whole number employed Nor is this compar.
son misleading Before 1893 professional GER
tfcatcs were granted without examination and
represented only common branches, no profess
sional reading Now, in addition TO common
Gates are required TO pass examination in
civil government rhetoric, school management
methods of instruction, and history Of cduca
tion. Before applying for the permanent
tihClte, candidates are required to add to the
branches before named algebra, English ltcra
ture and general history. While this course is
not so extensive as the elementary course in
normal schools, we bccvo that many Of our
holders Of the permanent certificate who have
n tborOupl lupNlpIUC az hp
six TO ten years experience in teaching will
compare fayorably with the average normal
school graduate
REVIEWS AND EXAMINATIONS.
A majority Of our schools continued to use as
a general guide the Illinois Course Of study
Why should We not have a Pennsylvania Course
with an outline OF it printed in every teachers
report book?
Monthly reviews were given by the teachers
and report cards sent to the patrons in nearly
all the schools. Final examinations were held
in lay and June, and pupils examined
in common branches and in our high school
course. Results in most eases were satisfactory.
HISTORICAL.
Complying with the request of the Depart.
ment OF Public Instruction, | add to this report
a short historical sketch of the progress Of
Lackawanna county schools from 1875 to the
most entirely upon the reports OF preceding su.
perintendents In 1875 the districts now in.
cluded in Lackawanna county were part Of
Luzerne, and were under the supervision Of W.
A. CampUcl, who closed vs. last term of Office
in June, ISIS At that time us75) there were
81 school districts in the territory which be-
came Lickawanna county, not counting Scran.
ton, Dunmore and Carhondalc.
To these twcnty.onc districts have been added
the townships OF LehiGh, Clifton and West Abing.
ton and the boroughs Of Archibald, Dalton Dick
son, Elmhurst, Gcnhurn, La Plume, Mayhed
olyphant Taylor and Throop, and during the last
year the new boroughs Of Old Forge, Moosic and
Nanlling, making in all thirty.seven districts in
the county, exclusive Of the three independent
districts of Scranton, Carhondhe and Dunmore
The total number OF schools then was 1872, and
the number Of the pupils enrolled 1867. We
now have 2s2 day schools and fifty night schools
Our total enrolment in the day schools now is
over $4,000 pupils
Thus, while we have not quite doubled our en-.
Tolment in the twenty-five years, we have cigh-
teen more than doubled tho number of teachers
employed. This indicates more rational con.
ccpton of teaching, and what teacher can do
will be appreciated when we observe that
Bakcy borough then enrolled 3j7 pupils and
hired three teachers; Old Forge enrolled 4j4
pupils and hired four teachers. 1t must not be
supposed that this rapid increase in the number
of pupils in schools is general throughout the
county; for while schools and pupils in the min.
ing region have multiplied rapidly, the number
attending schools in farming districts is decreas.
ing.
Ten districts taken from the farming region
give the following figures;
Enro1l,Oppt