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Announcement

We herewith submit for your consideration a report of the school activities of the county during the past year and ask for it your careful consideration. It deals not only with things accomplished during the past year but aims to plan for greater things during the coming school years.

Whatever of progress has been accomplished during the past year is due largely to an earnest and consecrated teaching corps, a school directorate which stood and worked for progress and a citizenship that demands better and more efficient schools for their children.

Our thanks are especially due those men, women and institutions who gave us liberal financial aid as well as enthusiastic moral support in our various contests.

With the most hearty appreciation of the earnest and loyal support of our teachers, directors and friends of the schools, we respectfully submit the following report.

N. E. Heeter, County Superintendent.
C. A. Middleswarth, Assistant Superintendent.


Statistics of Clarion County

Number of square miles 575
Population, Census 1910 36936
Number of Children Enrolled 8500
Number of Townships 22
Number of Boroughs 12
Number of Independent Districts 2
Number of School Directors 180
Number of Teachers Employed 286
Number of High School Entrance Examinations Held 20
Number of Teachers' Examinations Held 6
Number of Applicants for Teachers' License Examined 163
Number of Provisional Certificates Issued 103
Number of Professional Certificates Issued 17
Number of Applicants Who Failed 43
Number of Applicants Examined for High School 400
Number of High School Certificates Granted 268
Number of Applicants for High School Who Failed 132
Number of School Houses 212
Number of School Rooms 286
Number of Houses Built During the Year 2
Number of School Houses in Good State of Repair 200
Number of School Rooms Without Suitable Furniture 50
Number of High Schools 16
Number of Graded Schools 28
Number of Teachers Attending County Institute 285
Number of Directors Who Attended Directors' Convention  
Number of Directors Sent to State Convention 2

Statistical Report

The following is a statistical report taken from the teachers' annual report to the County Superintendent. It contains facts which are significant in judging the worth of a teacher and the success of his school. School boards should examine the report after each teacher's name. It ought to aid them in determining the relative merits of teachers.

Explanation of Tabulated Reports.

In the following tables the columns are numbered from 1 to 16. The heading for each column is as follows:

1. District, school and teacher.
2. Number of honor pupils.
3. Amount of money raised by each school.
4. Number of special programs rendered.
5. Number of patrons present on Patrons' Day.
6. Did the school have or participate in a fair?
7. Does the school have a library?
8. Number of books added to libraries.
9. Kind of clubs organized. A, Agriculture; D, Domestic Science; L, Literary; C, Community.
10. Number of educational meetings attended by teacher.
11. Number of school papers read by the teacher.
12. Number of books on the teachers' reading course read. (Two required.)
13. Percentage each school made in the pupils' reading contest. *signifies indefinite report.
14. In this column yes signifies that the teacher taught his pupils how to test seed corn as requested.
15. Column 15 expresses in a measure the degree of effort each teacher made in beautifying his school room and school ground. E signifies excellent; G, good; M, medium, and blank, no effort.
16. Apparatus added by the school.

Note -- An entire series of blanks after a teachers' name means that he made no report. All blanks signify lack of cooperation, carelessness, indifference and failure along these particular lines. However, we consider a report containing all blanks but one or two better than no report at all.

Table containing statistics for each school is being transcribed.

Observations and Suggestions upon the Above Summary

Greatest No. of Honor Pupils, boroughs, New Bethlehem95
Greatest No. of Honor Pupils, townships, Wentlings Corners17
Total No. Honor Pupils in the county639

Wentlings Corners School had the highest percentage of Honor Pupils in the county, boroughs included. This school had an average attendance of 97 per cent and has fifteen pupils in the Edenburg High School – an exceptional record.

New Bethlehem, counting base ball, basket ball, etc., leads in the amount of money raised during the year. Owens School, Clarion Township, raised more money than any other rural school. Limestone Township more than any other township.

Total amt. money raised by schools 1914-15$3435.02
Total amt. money raised by schools 1913-14$2476.11
Increase$958.91
  
Total No. Social Center Meetings 1914-15387
Total No. Social Center Meetings 1913-14344
Increase43

The patrons deserve great credit for the interest manifested on Patrons Day. Redbank apparently is most loyal.

There are 158 school libraries in the county. Many are very small. About forty rural schools do not have any libraries at all. We would urge the teachers of these schools to make a start for a library this year and all the teachers that have libraries in their schools to continue increasing them.

We recommend that the teachers continue to buy for the various grades, the books recommended by the state course, and such other books as will supplement and reinforce the daily recitation work. The brief recitation period can scarcely do more than create a hunger, and the library books should be so selected that the pupils, thus made hungry by judicious teaching in the class, may find satisfying food in the library books. A great library contains not only books but, "The assembled souls of all that men held wise." -- Devenant.


Results of Eighth Grade Examinations in 1915

Our records show that we examined four hundred applicants for high school entrance last year. Approximately one-third of this number failed to qualify. However, we made commendable progress over the previous year. In 1914 forty per cent of all examined failed and in 1915 33 per cent. This report does not include all the borough pupils examined. Some principals did not report the results of their borough pupils.

While we are making commendable progress in the matter of preparing pupils for high school, we must confess that the failures are still too great. Our teaching has not yet reached the thorough and efficient state that is necessary for better results. Some teachers still teach in an inefficient, hap-hazard non-practical way and the results of such teaching are discouraging. If we would only select the essentials in each subject and teach them well rather than spread our efforts over large masses of material, much of which is not essential, we would get better results.

All subject matter should fit the intelligence of the pupils. So much of our teaching goes for nought because the children do not understand it or are not interested in it. It is as cold and lifeless as an icicle and does not foster intellectual growth. Good teaching is a thought-provoking process. New ideas should be born in every recitation. Intellectual alertness should abound and intellectual growth should result.

Eighth Grade Examinations in 1916

Examinations for high school entrance and for public school diploma will be held in all the high school rooms on the second Saturday of April. Teachers should not fail to inform their pupils of the time of this test. Every year we have pupils come to us and ask for an examination after the test has been held, and on investigation find that the teachers of these pupils did not have interest enough in their welfare to notify them when the examination was to be held. Every pupil should know about this examination. The teacher should encourage all pupils to prepare for this first graduation exercise and as soon as they are ready to leave the common branches, should point them to the high school with its opportunities.


Our High Schools

The high schools of the county have had a phenomenal growth during the past few years. There are now enrolled in the various high schools of the county between seven and eight hundred pupils. Several of the high schools have their capacity taxed to the limit and something must be done in the near future if these schools are to maintain their rapid increase in numbers. The most noted of these are Edenburg and St. Petersburg. Both schools are crowded to their limit and the end is not yet. We are in hopes that the people of these two towns will soon recognize the great opportunity they have to place within the reach of their children and the children of the surrounding country high school advantages unsurpassed anywhere in the county. We hope the people of both these towns will make it possible for these excellent high schools to continue to grow by giving them better physical advantages.

We give below a list of our high schools, the Principal's name and address, the number of years in the course, the length of term, the number of teachers and the approximate enrollment. These statistics are for the present term.

SchoolPrincipal and AddressYearsMonthsTeachersPupils
ClarionJ.W. Rutherford, Clarion494115
New BethlehemJ.E. Harkless, N Bethlehem494120
East BradyWm. McElhattan, East Brady39260
EdenburgL.W. Zuendel, Knox38265
St. PetersburgD. B. Peterson, St. Petersburg38260
RimersburgN. G. Bachman, Rimersburg38140
Porter Twp.Madge Timlin, New Bethlehem37130
SligoJames Hughes, Sligo38128
CallensburgHerbert Linn, Callensburg37120
StrattanvilleE. H. DeVilder, Strattanville38124
SalemE. E. Brown, St. Petersburg37128
FoxburgW. T. Kerr, Foxburg38118
ShippenvilleArthur Stewart, Shippenville38120
Highland Twp.Stella Wingard, Miola37111
HawthornJohn A. Mooney, Hawthorn38111
MillcreekWm. Summerville, Fisher37118

Educational Meetings

Every district should have its teachers' organization. This organization should consist of all the teachers in the district and the directors, if they can be induced to join. The officers should consist of President, Vice President, and Treasurer. Such an organization can be of real, vital significance in the district if it will just comprehend its opportunities. The results of the School Fairs are sufficient evidence to the teachers who held one.

This organization need not be limited as to what it may do. Anything that will improve educational sentiment, buildings, grounds, method, social center work, club organization work, etc., will easily fit their sphere of usefulness. Here, however, we desire that this organization plan for the local institute. The Superintendent's office will give all the aid it can but must rely upon the teachers to plan the meetings and advertise them. Three meetings of the nature mentioned here have already been held and the results were encouraging. At Sligo there were over forty teachers in attendance and a spirited and profitable meeting resulted. At Hawthorn there were twenty teachers and many children and parents present. On December 3 and 4 the teachers of Limestone will hold a meeting at Frogtown and we expect to see a splendid meeting.

We are going to suggest the following plan for the method of procedure in these meetings:

Three sessions should be held. On Friday evening a lecture or local talent entertainment may be given or a combination of both. On Saturday morning, we believe the meeting should be exclusively for the teachers and directors. We find that more can be accomplished for the teachers by getting them together in the nature of a round table conference and having a heart-to-heart talk concerning school matters. This was a feature of the Sligo and Hawthorn meetings and it was the best part of each meeting. Saturday afternoon should be open to the entire community and questions of a community nature should be discussed. Let us give this plan a good trial this year and see if we cannot get better results than we have ever gotten before.

Local committees will notify the Superintendent's office as soon as they have arranged a meeting and we shall notify the teachers who can conveniently attend that we shall expect them to attend. A record of the teachers attendance at these meetings will be kept and reported to the school boards.

We feel sure that the high school teachers will be glad to aid in these meetings as they have always done. It has been through their efforts that the borough schools have reaped such an abundant harvest of rural pupils for high schools.

We give below a list of questions that may be discussed in the round table session, and every teacher should be prepared to discuss any of the following questions when called upon.

Topics for Round Table Conference

Physical Equipment

  1. What should be the minimum equipment for each school?
  2. How secure what is needed?
  3. How beautify and make cheerful the school room?
  4. How beautify the school grounds?
  5. What has each one of you done to beautify and make cheerful your school room and school ground. Let each one tell.
  6. School libraries.
  7. What books should be added.
  8. How get them?
  9. Supplementary reading for the grades. What? and how to get it?

Method

  1. In Reading.
  2. In Spelling.
  3. In Writing.
  4. In Arithmetic.
  5. In Geography.
  6. In History.
  7. In Grammar and Language.
  8. In Physiology and Hygiene.
  9. In Agriculture.

Miscellaneous

  1. Standardization of rural schools.
  2. How secure better attendance.
  3. Problems of discipline.
  4. The Course of Study.
  5. Assigning the lesson.
  6. Seat work for pupils.
  7. The daily program.
  8. How deal with backward pupils?
  9. When is a school well governed?
  10. When is a class well taught?
  11. What should beginners accomplish in the first term?
  12. How many recitations do your beginners have daily?
  13. Suggestions for making our teaching more effective.
  14. Organizing various kinds of clubs.
  15. Can Manual Training be taught in rural schools?
  16. Can Domestic Science be taught?
  17. What pupils should be recommended to take the High School Entrance Examinations?
  18. Monthly examinations?
  19. Monthly reports to children.

Reading

Suggestions collected from bulletins and text books on reading written by such men as Dr. Snedden, Julius E. Warren and Dr. Huey.

I. Lower Grades.

To secure the highest efficiency in teaching primary reading one of the definite, complete systems dealing with this subject should be adopted and closely followed. The newer and better systems are using rhymes or cumulative stories as the means of teaching the first vocabulary. Most of these systems are pedagogically sound. The details have been thought out carefully, the exercises logically arranged and accurately graded, and debices planned to arouse and maintain the interest of the pupils. The processes of teaching have been analyzed and so arranged as to eliminate nearly all waste effort.

A recitation division of an entering class should not contain more than ten or twelve children. Instruction in the use of any system of reading includes detailed directions on the following topics:

  • Teaching the first vocabulary.
  • Devices for word drills.
  • Seat work relating to reading.
  • Dramatization.
  • Phonics.
  • Beginning to read from books.
  • Order in which reading material should be used.
  • Amount to be read.

More and better work in this subject can be done in a shorter time:

a. By using the actual experiences of children.
b. By using better methods of teaching.
c. By using the children to help each other.

Six first readers should be required in a nine months' term. Four to five readers should be required in an eight months' term. The rural schools can read three first readers. To read and reread only one reader for seven months is a positive waste of time and school funds.

II. Reading in Grades Above the Fourth

Reading in grades above the Fourth should include:

a. Oral reading of a few carefully chosen pieces for drill in expression.
b. Systematic exercises in silent reading for training in thought getting.
c. Silent reading of magazines and books.
d. The oral reading of articles of general interest which have been selected by the children.

a. A good way to improve the expression is to use two recitations a week for drill on a few choice selections. Each piece should be studied intensively. A position favorable to good reading, accurate pronunciation, clear enunciation, effective use of the voice and a mastery of the thought of each sentence should all be secured. The class should be drilled as thoroughly as though each pupil was preparing for a prize speaking contest.

Two periods a week for several weeks may profitably be devoted to the first piece. Less time will be required for later selections. Each selection creditably read becomes a standard by which the pupil judges his own and others' efforts. Thorough training on a few selections will improve all oral reading.

b. Reading is thought getting. Silent reading is more important than oral reading. Very few people read aloud in daily life. In school pupils fail to solve the problems in arithmetic and to learn the history, geography and physiology lessons because of their inability to read, i. e., to get the thought from the printed page. This power may be developed by practice. Teachers should give daily exercises with end in view. The class may be given a brief time in which silently to read a paragraph of a reading book or other text.

In determining efficient reading three factors must be taken into consideration. In the first place, of two readers whose grasp of content is equally great, that reader who can read the larger amount in a given time has greater reading ability. The rate of reading, then, appears to be a very important factor. Again, of two people who can read the same amount in a given unit of time, that one whose grasp of content is greater is the better reader. In this case the reader who can reproduce the larger amount of what he has read and can reproduce it more correctly is the more efficient. The whole question of reading efficiency reduces to this: the reader who can read the largest amount in a given unit of time, who can reproduce the largest proportion of what he has read, and who can reproduce it most correctly is the best reader.

The three things that must be aimed at by the teacher are 1, the rate of reading; 2, quantity of reproduction; 3, quality of reproduction.

The teacher, watch in hand, may give the following directions: Ready to read fourth paragraph, page 42. Read. (Allow two minutes,) Close books. Give (orally or in writing) the important thought in the fewest words possible.

The introduction of the time element arouses a spirit of emulation, and the exercise becomes as fascinating as a game to the children. The tendency to try to give the exact words of the book is counteracted by the request for the "fewest words possible." After a little practice the time allowance may be shortened.

Or another way: A chapter may be given the class to read, with the request that questions be written which, if answered, would give the thought of each paragraph. These questions may be read and answered during a recitation period. If the time element is considered in this method it adds to the interest and concentration of the pupils.

Still another method is the following: A selection may be assigned with the directions that the class write the key word or arrange topics for each paragraph.

Some magazine (Pathfinder or Current Events) on current literature should be in every elementary school, and at least one period a week should be devoted to a discussion of the topics which it presents. Information on these topics will be gathered from newspapers and other sources. The National Geographic Magazine and Travel have a message for all children. Even first grade pupils will get something from the pictures. The Worlds' Work, The Outlook, The Literary Digest and other literary and scientific magazines will be of value in any school. These magazines may be purchased by the school board or contributed by interested citizens. One copy of each issue of a few magazines would be sufficient in all our towns. This copy might be passed from school to school. A public library shelf or table should be placed in the schools having intermediate and grammar grades. This shelf should contain biographies, histories, books of travel, books relating to elementary science, practical arts and industry and plenty of good stories.

Children should be encouraged to read for pleasure at any time when their assigned tasks have been performed.

Reading Contest

We desire that our teachers continue to have each pupil read at least four of the books listed for his grade by the state course of study, or other books equally as good and as well adapted to their needs. The work in this sort of reading last year was very satisfactory and we are sure was very profitable to the pupils. Our reports on this matter from the teachers was too indefinite to make an accurate statement concerning the number of certificates sent out to pupils, but we are sure that the number was between three and four thousands. This means that practically half of the pupils enrolled in the schools of the county read at least four library books.

Any pupil who reads at least four good books a year is acquiring much valuable information and at the same time is forming a habit that will always be his friend. The desire for good literature is one of the finest emotions of the human soul and fortunate, indeed, are the children who acquire this habit in the days of their youth.

Reading Certificates for 1916

We shall continue to give to each pupil who has read four books required, a certificate of award, which shall contain the names of the books and shall be signed by the teacher and by the county superintendent. Teachers must supervise this reading and certify that each pupil recommended for this certificate has faithfully and intelligently read the books.


Certificates for Regular Attendance

In order that pupils secure these certificates, teachers must have kept a careful record of their attendance. A pupil who has been tardy is not eligible to get this certificate. We are quite sure that some teachers report pupils who have been tardy as honor pupils. This is a violation of the spirit of this plan. Please report for this kind of certificate only those pupils who have been neither tardy nor absent. The certificate certifies that the pupil to whom issued was neither tardy nor absent.

We shall furnish this certificate to all pupils who deserve them and must rely on the teacher for the evidence.

You will notice several pictures in this issue of the directory of pupils who have earned especial distinction in the matter of regular attendance. A pupil who can attend school, especially in the rural communities, for four, five and six years without being tardy or absent, has earned for himself a place among the honored heroes or heroines of our land and we are glad to honor them n this small way. We expect to keep these cuts and at some later time, when we have a larger number of cuts, use them in a book in honor of these little heroes.


The School Fair

The fact that approximately 15,000 people attended the School Fairs during the month of October is sufficient evidence of their success. From every quarter of the county come words of praise for the teachers who had the ambition the courage and the energy to take up this line of work and carry it to a successful conclusion.

There is no doubt in our mind about its effectiveness in stimulating interest in rural life and rural industries. We believe that the rural school must more closely ally itself to rural life if the boys and girls are to be trained to live on the farm. Clarion County is largely an agricultural county. Three fourths of our pupils live in rural communities and the rural schools of to-day that do not make an effort to enrich the lives of their pupils, to increase their opportunities, to brighten their homes and to foster a desire for rural life with its manifold advantages and blessings, is not living up to its highest possibilities.

Therefore, we cannot commend in too high terms those teachers and directors who helped to make October 22nd the greatest day in the history of rural schools.

This year there were three distinct types of School Fair. First, that type in which all the schools of the township met at one central place. We believe this type to be the most effective and beneficial, where the townships are not too large and where none of the schools is more than six miles from the meeting place. This type of fair was successfully held in the following townships and places: Beaver, Wentlings Corners; Highland, at the High School building; Licking, Easton; Limestone, Greenville,; Monroe, Reidsburg; Piney, at the County Home in connection with the Licking Valley Agricultural Association; and Salem, at the High School building.

Reports and pictures from these fairs indicate splendid results. We are sorry that some of the districts were not able to supply us with pictures because they had no photographer, but we know that these were up to the high standard set by the others. Our finances will not allow us to use all the pictures sent us. We picked from the number those which seem to best illustrate what we are trying to accomplish in order that the doubting Thomases may see and believe.

The second type of Fair is that in which several schools of the same district combined but not all of the schools. The best example of this type is found in Perry Township. In this district the schools met at three central points instead of one. One at West Freedom in which six schools participated, one at Black Fox in which three schools took part, and one at Dutch Hill, where three schools joined forces. Their Fairs were well attended and successful. This is, possibly, the best type for the very large districts. Other townships that followed this type are Farmington, Porter, Toby and Richland. In Toby and Richland only two schools joined.

The third type is the Fair in which the individual school participates. There were many of this type and the results were equally as good as in the other cases, but it does not foster the community spirit that is desired. We would recommend this type only when the first or second type

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