Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-01-31
ANNUAL MEETING
DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

The third annual meeting of the
Montour County School Directors AS
sociation was held in the hall of the
Y. M. O. A. this city, Friday with
large number of directors present.
The meeting was called to order by
Pres. Jacob Fisher at 10 10, after which
Rev. L. D. Ulrich opened the conven-
tion with prayer.
The Convention was favored with a
selection Of vocal music by some of
the Danville High School students. D.
+. Fortney, Esq of Bellefonte, was
then introduced, who delivered an ad-
dress on Township High Schools. He
called attention to the fact that the
buildings and grounds of the public
school have an educational influence
upon the children and that dilapidated
buildings and shabby surroundings are
not conducive to elevating the tastes
of children. There is little progress,
he said, in the matter of buildings in
the country although there have been
advances i'll the course of study. He
said we still have in the rural districts
the same style of buildings as that of
90 years ago 1t is the same box shape
affair. If one burns down, another of
similar shape is built to take its
place. Progress is made in architec-
ture of other buildings. Homes are re-
built and improved New churches
have had some point of architecture
added to them, but in most Ecases the
school house is the same barnlike af-
fair. The time has now come for the
Township high school, and the Direct
ors have duty to perform along this
line.
Sixty years ago, one in high author
ity predicted that high schools would
be found in every district not more
than miles apart, but it has not come
yet. Mr. Fortney stated what should
be taught in these schools and especi-
ally brought out the fact that it should
not be less than 4 years course and
in it should be taught agriculture,
horticulture and mechanics. This
would tend to keep the boys at home
A boy who studies the sciences of
chemistry, physics, and the like is as
| far superior in his thinking qualities
over the boy of the country as the boy
with the self binder is to a giant with
a sickle in reaping grain. 1t has been
proven, he says, that within a radius
| of 10 miles. the children are more in
tellectual than those far removed from
these seats of learning. He also called
| attention to the Act TO establish the 3
grades of Township high schools, and
said he took no stock in the third
grade, which was only for a Q year
course, not much better than fail
| grammar school.
DR.. N. @. Schaeffer next addressed the
Convention on the two great problems
of school administration. which were
to get all the children to school and
to get good teachers for the school.
This is a duty of the superintendent
and the directors. He also spoke oi
the disadvantage of the pupil who goes
| through life, whose whole school lif
has been spent under poor teachers.
And to get this, he advocated better
pay. DR.. Schaeffer says that this is us.
of increasing taxes, when such in fac
is not the case He called attention tt
the fact that how few persons really
know anything about the source oi
school taxes. He advocated that the
Convention pass ringing resolution!
in favor of larger appropriation il
order that there can be better wage:
and the schools improved. He said il
you own a good farm, with even horses
and cattle, you do not pay State taxes
A man in Danville owning his owl
home pays no State tax, but if you are
fond of good drink of whiskey, yor
do pay indirectly State tax. The source
from which the State tax is usually
derived is from the railroads and corp
orations. 1t is true if you have money
out on interest you pay a tax of mills
on the same. This tax comes chiefly
from the rich men not from the pool
man. And therefore there is no reason
why anyone should object to an in
crease of the appropriation for bette
pay. He asserted that there is suffici
ent money to increase the appropria
tion to s million dollars, which ht
wants to have done without solitary
individual in this Commonwealth pay
ing one cent more tax. DR.. Schaeffel
next called attention to the establish
ment of the High Schools. in which il
the first year, % thousand dollars were
appropriated, and which resulted il
the establishment of 50 Township higf
schools. Since then each Legislature
has increased the amount. There i,
now bill to have the legislature take
care of the boroughs also and give
them State aid as we'll as the Town.
| ivb n ole