Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1903-06-04
Butler County Schools.

Butler County Schools.
From my regular annual report to
the State Superintendent take few
items
We had in our county this last school
wear two hundred and fifty-three school
houses, and three hundred and SIX
school rooms.
Sixty-four Of our teachers were begin
ners and ninety-one had taught for hve
or more years.
The Youngest teacher in the county
was IS years old, and the Oldest one was
about 80.
Three new school houses were built
during the year, six were supplied with
new furniture, several were repaluted
and one was burned down.
held fifteen public examinations. IS
sued three hundred and nine provisional
certificates, fifteen professional certi-
Gates and refused about one hundred
applicants.
To refuse a certificate or diploma to
any applicant for same Is no pleasant
task | am sure; but in Justice to the
cause which | am sworn to defend, ana
on behalf of the boys and girls OF our
schools, and for the good OF our future
citizenship, this unpleasant duty must
be done AS time moves onward civll-
zation demands harder tests, more sac
rifice and better work from all people
the teacher not excepted, and because
of this some fail.
More local institutes and educational
meetings were held this last year than
usual l attended and took part IN
twenty six such meetings. besides at
.
of our own county.
| here want to publicly thank teach
ers patrons, and pupils for the interest
they took in this important part of the
work. / know of 10 better way TO
Judge the educational status of, com
munity than just to watch the part the
people take in educational meetings,
etc Its a sure guide.
Our fall meeting for teachers held IN
Butler was a success in every way, and
| its influence was felt throughout the
year, two hundred teachers were pres
ent. The attendance in our schools was
very good during the first half OF the
year, but during the last half of the
term it was not so good.
At one time there were thirty-one OF
our schools closed because Of small pox-
This should cause parents to have their
children yaccinated.
Poor attendance is possibly the great
est barrier we have in our schools to-
day. | wish | could here make such an
appeal to our parents that during our
next term of school no pupil would be
kept out of school or allowed to remain
out of school unless it is absolutely nee
essary that they should be out.
| again called on every school IN the
county excepting those which were
closed when l would have visited them
and spent an average of one hour IN
each school To do this, one must drive
regardless of bad roads or weather every
day from early in September until late
in March. During the year | drove
about three thousand miles, received
two thousand letters and mailed nearly
that number.
Many of our schools added new books
to their libraries, bought bells, clocks,
flags. etc. for use in school, with money
raised by socials. l want to commend
the reading of good books to all our boys
and girls. The school library makes it
possible for the poor as well as the rich
to have this privilege and all should
gladly accept of it.
In my visits to the schools / spoke to
many of the pupils regarding the books
they were reading and am glad to re-
port that very many of our pupils are
making good use of our school libraries
Parents, encourage it in your homes
and thus help your children TO learn the
facts, and think the thoughts. and live
the characters, and possibly form the
habits of some noble man or woman
whose life has blessed the world.
The one great power in school work
is the teacher; for "As the teacher is so
is the school" We want good, intel
ligent, earnest devoted teachers for our
bows and girls. To secure and retain
this kind of teachers it requires hearty
cooper alton and substantial support on
the part of school officers and patrons
A young man or woman who is well
fitted to teach school is also well fitted
to engage in many other kinds of work
by which they can earn much better
wages than our teachers receive. For
this one reason many of our very best
teachers are now leaving this noble
work, not because they like to do so,
but Just because they are compelled to
do SO Last year ffty-one of our teachers
resigned their schools and went into
work which gave them higher wages
This we were sorry to have them do
because it very greatly hindered the
success of our school work.
Directors and tax payers let me say
to you that no other money is spent for
better cause than is our school tax.
Give freely and willingly to this work
and then see that good teaching is given
in return 1t will require better wages
than we have been paying to longer re
tain the best teachers we haye or to
secure others as good. Why should not
the teachers wages be advanced? What
other laborer is today doing as much
work for so small pay as is the school
teacherg
Iwant, here, TO thank one and all
who have taken an interest in our
schools. / thank you also for the kind
ness you have shown me in my work.
| want your help. Let US join heart
and hand and try to push the cause on
ward and upward.
Yours truly,
HOWARD l. PAINTER.