Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1901-01-31
Our Town Schools.

our citizens can Justly be more proud
than another, it is our excellent town
schools. 1t is not too much to say that
the educational advantages our chill
dren and young people enjoy are not
excelled, if indeed they are equaled, by
any town the size of ours in the State.
We would not be guilty of boasting,
nor would we want to fiatter those who
are to be credited with the constant
improvements which our schools are
making. But it is certainly we'll that
we take note of the fact that we have
most excellent schools, that we appre-
ciate them to their full value, and that
we lend our board of directors and
faithful corps of teachers the hearty
support of our sentiment and cheer and
encouragement. Our schools will be
made better and still better by the COR
dial and cheerful cooperation of the
people of the town. A kind and en-
couraging word for our laborious
teachers, when we think it deserved,
can but bear good fruit
1t will help our town in the minds of
all outsiders to know that we have the
very best of schools People can think
or talk their town either up or down,
as they will. One of the principal Sc
crets of the growth and development
of any town or city is in the fact that
the people believe most thoroughly in
it, and make everybody else believe
with them. The city of Chicago is a
conspicuous example. I do not say we
should exaggerate the merit of any in
stitution we have; but we should be
familiar with its real merits in order
that we may think and speak as we'll of
each of our institutions as they de-
serve
We would give due credit to all our
school directors-those now in office
and those who have gone out of office,
and to the individual citizens who have
with liberal heart and hand, helped to
make our schools better. And so we
would fully recognize the excellent
work of the teachers, from principal
down, who have gone to other fields of
work, and those now so earnestly and
busily engaged in making our schools
80 worthy of our pride and satisfaction.
Our school patrons have learned, as our
new teachers have been installed in
their work, that our schools are not
only holding their own, but are quietly
making very important and encourage
ing steps forward. Prof. Bastian is
proving himself to be capable, pains
taking, ,wide-awake, up-to-date and sue
cessful principal. He is man of high
and broad scholarship, having gradu-
ated at one of our thorough col
leges. He is man like, his predecessors,
of irreproachable character and clean
est habits, man of excellent admins
trative ability, natural-born teacher
and an enthusiast in his work. With
plenty of opportunity and the hearty
backing and support of the community,
we can confidently look forward to a
constant succession of forward steps
that will keep our schools abreast of
the very best in the land.
1t may not be generally known that
already some very important steps
forward have been taken. The prac-
tice of writing compositions in the
High School and Grammar School,;
rhetorical exercises given by each
class; the organization of debating and
literary societies in the High School,
are movements that will prove to be of
the highest value to the pupils in these
schools. To cultivate an easy, pleasing
and exact style of expressing oneself,
whether in conversation, in public adj
dresses or in the written page, and to
create an abiding interest and enthusi-
asm in the study of our best authors,
are among the highest results of an ed
ucational course.
Another movement which Prof. Bas-
tian contemplates, and which should
make every citizen of Emporium and
of our surrounding towns and counties
rejoice, is the organization of Sum-
mer School for teachers and those pre-
pairing to teach. Prof. Bastian has had
a large experience in this work, and
we predict for him a magnificent sue
cess in this much needed project.
Every friend of education should rally
to the enthusiastic support of this
worthy enterprise.
PATRON.