L DOLLAR PER ANNUM INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
TOWANDA:
Sbnrsiias fllominn, UDrcl) 1858.
.A. D D R ESS
DELIVERED BEFORE
> County itSSOCiVioi),
AT ASYLUM,
BY O. H. P. KINNEY.
[l'ublished by request]
y R Pr.ESiPFvr : —1 ask your attention for
. vw moments, while I give you the result of
E v thoughts upon the subject of educating 1
feelings and sentiments—a branch of edu
s,.,o which has heretofore been but poorly
, iyd or sadly neglected.
Every prompting to act in the world comes
ha the feelings alone. Adults as well as
iron always act by feelings The intellect
j. ,at an instrument in the accomplishment of
... jesires Philosophers have heretofore la
va under the mistaken idea that intellect
. jo eause of feeling, and accordingly have
, - ed education to the understanding alone, i
[ o: ;ee the error of this, we have but to look
;:a<. tu uisands of highly intellectual meu in
world, whose intellects are but scourges
„victy. It should be remembered that
- v and justice are not sciences, and that
Vedge is not virtne. No one is benevo
i :-t, timid, courageous or haughty in pro
i:to his understanding ; uor has he in- i
i . r penetration on account of his feel-
Each affectiou, as well as each iutellee
: tv must and may be exercised for it
i Yet they are so intimately connected
to leaded iu every action in life, that their ,
raucous and united education seems
_-• dispensable. Man learns to be just,
tut, courageous aud ambitious, as he
calculate, to measure, speak and re
r: lie education of the feelings aud sen
it - therefore, seems to be legitimate and
.■Miouable necessity.
: uv he said that this branch of educa
; ••.'v. gs more properly to the dominion of
iMits —that in the nursery, by the fire-,
, j'.d iu the field of business should be
io wdience, virtue, justice, perseverance '
t. voorgy. True, the parent is under obli- j
to discharge these duties at all proper
- c i under alt propitious circumstances, j
i - i.e equally obligated to educate his chil
t . in all other respects wlieu their own well i
- ; acd that of society may require it. But I
.rations are no greater iu the one case !
i in the other : for neither the child uor j
i yis any more interested iu oue branch 1
leojatiou than the other.
or-, again, it may be said that this
i •.t belongs properly and exclusively to
I'irch. We think the church entitled to
* jurisdiction over no branch of man's
1 ati i : but whatever duties iu this respect
;y feel under obligation to perform all
kai out of the church are under equal 1
.a: .:o discharge But the church, as i
-e--n:s to have taken the faith merely, i
" - us belief of mankind more particu
" xi-icr its care and guardianship—leaving
=■ *•. ciuy and very important matter cotn
c yun -ared for and untouched. But
s - .vi ms of the church to exclusive
f iu this matter be good. We see
l fay in even and bnt a few moments j
-i: iay devoted to this very important
education. The child listens atten
i-' a !•. ai i.id disquisition u|R)i some the
w. tei.-.t. ai.d returns to its home as it
* the conviction strongly impressed
fflir>i. that inriead of haviug its feel
- ated or disciplined on that day, at
'• - .h of the natural promptings of its
: repressed The devotional feel
' rue. arc called into activity, but
• i q-■,-.'or, from excessive and injodi
s fs, •enieiit t ven they, many times, lead
r-?u M jral precepts are freely giv-!
/'eiiUveiy heard and the theory of right
' : z fully understood ; but to the great
' r v it is. after all. hut a theory, which
* N.-V; and v'.-iouv many times, nnder
as we, as the upright and the good.—
v v.., desire to do right, and to be
"-i t y correct prine'pie, they are of es
- e. as they print out and illumine
- r v; h they already have a strong ie
' 'rave:; hut to those whose feelings are
1 —w.io cares little for right or wrong
'it jiearls cast before swine. In
• precept without practice—without
I'- "t r, i or discipline of the feeling? and
■nts which our youth so mach require,
'"'••d pretend to cultivate the nrasi
x rnply reading or hearing dis
• i: the principles of melody and
Is it not necessary for this pnr-
P"' rm tunes, either by siuging or
' a rnu'iesl instrument ?
- y n"e learn by heart all the prir.ri
- 'ncories of colors, and yet. without
- • i.e- uning familiar with the colors
e p ho will kuow no more about their
~ ~ne> and harmony than a blind
'c jast. patient, persevering and
w w U no more produce justice, pa-
Y-"severance and beuevoleoce, then we
mathematics, chemistry or
'>• - merely exhorted to study
- reeept of any kind mast be put into
■ c and this alone is of practical use
f w safely infer, therefore, that the
■ deceived through the tutorship of
• exerts but a limited influence over
4:.d passions of mankind I wo'd
"ghtiv or disparagingly of what the
done ic this behalf. It has on
yj a great pioneer in the work of
"• - c a::1 education ; yet aside from all
and may he still doing, there is a
* a*rgia left in which we mav legiti
profitably act.
would make his pa pit a
not only makes
:p ' e *lesnitioos of Lakes, OceaDs,
J Uueots, Island?. Ac., bat he pla
• p ctu'e of the whole subject, bc
THE BRADFORD REPORTER.
fore hitn, that he may see, what he would oth
erwise but faintly understaud in theory. And
the most successful teachers go farther, and
make the student delineate upon the " board"
or elsewhere, the outlines, forms and relative
location of the various objects connected
with his study, and thus calls into active,
original life every faculty of the mind necessa
ry to a complete mastership of the subject.—
If he would make him a good mathematician,
he does not rest with a mere exposition of the
rales and formula of the science, but he puts
him at work, compels him to develop his math
emematical taleut by the reasonable exercise
of its own powers. In short, we see uo one
attempt to educate the pupils in his charge,
without putting them into the active practice
of those things he desires to teach.
The parent, therefore, who would make his
child benevolent and kiud, must do something
more than exhort to kiiuluess and benevolence. I
Objects of destitution and want must be pre
sented and the habitual bestowment of kind
ness and charities must be required, in order
to call into activity, and properly develope
those feelings and attributes iu the child. If
lie would make bim weak, tired and indolent,
he should permit him to encounter no opposi
tion—attack no formidable object—overcome
uo obstacles which may be in his way, whether
they be physical, mental or moral, and the
eud is nearly attained. But would he, ou the
contrary, have him resolute, persevering and
energetic, he should put the axe into his hand,
pnd let him attack the forest, whether the ob
ject he encounters be the literal forest, or the
tremendous growth of wickedness and error
in our land ; and suffer him never to filter at
any undertaking, provided it be worthy and
attainable.
Thus the feelings and sentiments are edu
cated ; aud thus we see why the mere preici
ing of those things accomplishes so little.—
There can be no education or human develop
ment. without entering into and doing those
things which we desire to have done as the
result of education.
The intellectual faculties constitute but a
limited part of the human mind ; aud we will
all agree that it requires the proper and liar
inouions development of the whole to consti
tute a model man. Why, then, shonld a por
tion of the mind be selected aud made the pe
culiar and exclusive subject of education ? As
well may one hand be taught its handiwork
and the other lashed powerless to the side.—
With as much propriety might the young
mathematician be taught divisiou without mul
tiplication. In fact, it is not uulike society
with one half its member' thoroughly educated
and the other half groveling in the grossest
itroorance. All the anomalies of such a socie
ty may be seeu in one highly educated, wicked,
brillitint, unscrupulous num.
llow many thousands are turned out of our
schools, educated iu the popular sense, yet
without energy or efficiency in the world :
or perhaps with great executive powers, but
all uncontroled aud undirected. We find
nothing in the human organism, either mental
or physical, but is es'eutial to virtue, prosjieri
ty and happiness. Those propensities of the
mind which Phrenologists tell us lead to vio
lence aud crime, are but the uueducated and
undirected motive powers of the man—-powers
which constitute him an executive being. To
encounter opposition, to combat error and evii
and overcome formidable obstacle? in estab
lishing riirht, truth and justice, are their le
gitimate functions, and when educated aud
trained to that end in common with the intel
lect —lead to those results aud to none other.
The highly finished engine with its hissing
pressure of steam is a noble machine, and is
regarded as safe or dangerous, good or evil
uccordiug as it is guided in its onward course.
If directed by the eugineer and the track on
which it is to travel, but little fear need be
entertained as to the amount of executive
power it may carry—the more, as a general
rule, the better, and the greater amount of
valuable labor it will accomplish. Its speed
aud power i? then regarded as the test of its
usefulness, and of the triumph of its manufac
ture. But let it run wild—undirected by rail
or engineer and the evil it may do is incalcula
ble. Then, the <reater amount of executive
[>ower it may possess the greater the calaui
itv. Is it not so with man Youths are ed
ucated in the arts and sciences—the machine
rv is polished and highly finished in many of
it? part', vet the passion? and feelincr 5 . which
prompt to action, remain uneducated —the
profiling powers untouched. By looking
abroad upon the world of humanity we can
see many a sad calamity which has resulted
therefrom.
Martin Lather may be regarded a good ex
ample of strong, yet well educated and we'll
disciplined executive powers. He early learned
to combat error, to strike well directed blows
at religions tyranny and oppression. It was
not hi? intellect that made him great, and en
abled him to accomplish so tnnch for religions
freedom Melar.cthou, his compeer, was far
his superior iu intellectual endowments ; yet
he accomplished comparatively little iu those
struggles. He was without energy—lacked
executive power—faltered at slight opposition
—disliked contention, even for truth's sake :
vet all he spake and wrote bear the impress of
scholarship and intellectual discipline. Had
Lather's strong combative powers received a
different impulse—had they been differently
educated and trained in h:s youth, he might
have been a pugilist : and Melaucthon with
ordinarv intellectual powers, combined with his
almost total want of executive power, would
have been a dolt.
We acknowledge it difficult to adopt any
well digested system for educating the feelings.
Tet we are, probably, not aware of the great
amount that may be accomplished, even with
out such svnem. But little has heretofore
been done, because but little has been tried.—
Gen. Washington aaid to Gen. Lee. when be
met the latter retreating with the Pennsylva
nia militia from a position he was directed to
hold at the battle of Monmonih, with the com
plaint that his men would not fight " Sv"
said the commander pointing his finger -imifi
cin'fy at him—" Sir •*>* t*re ff f *km **
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWANDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH.
'* REiSARDLESS of denunciation feom ant quarter."
As much might with truth be said of the sub
ject before us— lt has not been thoroughly tried.
In this connection I would present but a
few of the most prominent points of the sub
ject. Every teacher knows there is a great
diversity of feeling and disposition among his
scholars. Much has beeu said and written up
on the impropriety, and impracticability, even,
of governing all by the same rules ; aud valu
ble suggestions have beeu made for treatiug
children according to their respective disposi
tions. So far as governiug schools is concern
ed, and to this end the suggestions have
usually been made, it is all well, and much of
it may with propriety be applied to training
and modifying their dispositions themselves.
Some children are introduced into our schools
whose great ruling passion is to gaiu the
praise of others. Teachers finding this to be
the mainspring of their actions, appeal to it
whenever stimulus is desired, aud thus pam
per aDd feed it. till the child grows up to be a
crawling, cringing sycophant—ready to sell its
niauhood to procure the smiles and praises of
those standing above him. This class is nu
merous, and we need not look far into social,
religious or political circles to find them.
But while this fact is looking ns full in the
face we should not forget, that on the reverse
side of the picture are those who are almost en
tirely indiffere it to the opinions ol those around
them. To such the appeal cannot be too fre
quently made—their love of the praise and ap
probation of others cannot be too often nor
too strongly excited. Public opinion is a great
conservator, and holds thousands within the
bounds of decency and respectabiity ; but
this class grow up to disregard her high au
thority, and many times publicly demean them
selves without a blush. Now. may not a prop
er course of discipline in our common schools
materially improve both classes, and esje
cialiy develope and strengthen, in this latter
class, a weak, and apparently, powerless feel
ing, until it lie able to hold, to some extent
at least, control over their conduct ?
Others, again, appear on the stage who are
huuirbty and arrogant, who think themselves
superior to those around them, and who, con
sequently, disregard the rights, feelings and in
terests of others. Considering themselves
about perfect in all desirable point?, they leave
the school self conceited simpletons, and finally
become vain, iguoraut aristocrats of the world.
To them the great principle of human equality
is unappreciated or uukuown. If powerful
enough, and intelligent enough, they would
soon convert our government into a splendid
aristocracy, in which the few, like themselves,
would tvraunize over and enslave the mass.
Upon turning this picture over, we find on
the reverse side, those who fancy themselves
inferior to every body else—who lack confi
dence in theraelves—distrust their own ah:!i
ties. They become the underling' of the world
—possess mind but allow others to use it. In
short they play "second fiddle " all tiieir lives,
when they have talent sufficient to have taken
the leal. Why miv not these feelings be
modified ? Whv not the one class be hum
bled, and brought to respect the rights and
feelings, and properly value the opinions of
others and why not the other class be imbu
ed with self-respect—made self reliant, and to
properly appreciate their own capabilities?—
And all through a training process in our com
mon schools. If not there, then where ?
"Sir ! it has not been tried."
A want of proper respect and courtesy to
old people is a marked characteristic of the
American youth. Rudeness and impertinence
grow np with them, and we are not nnfre
quently compelled to hang our heads at their
conduct iu this respect even when grown to
manhood. Probably, there is uo feeling so
easily modified or educated in our schools, a'
that of deference and respect for the opinions
and persons of the aged E location in this
respect, was in times past tried, aud although
coufiued to outward appearances, and many
times attended with awkwardness and even
buffoonery, still, we are compelled to admit,
that ou the whole, it was productive of good.
There cau be nothing, however, in kindness
and deference to old people contravening our
rights as men. We are not required, thereby,
to yield the right to a fair and manly defence
of onr opinion? on all projier occasions. But
it should not !>e forgotten that there is a
way of exercising even the ricrht itseif. Teach
ers, however, have many t.mes driven their
scholars into the opposite extreme, and have
become instrumental iu subduing, breaking
down or driving into baseiiP" many a noble
and iuquiring mind. I admire an inquiring
and investigating mind, and respect the ra in
or boy who desires, aud has the moral cour
age to stand up for anj defend what he con
scientiously believes to be the truth. God de
sigued that every man should do this, and to
this eud he has given him the requisite de
sires and powers And yet the child that
dare question the infallibility of some teachers
on any point, and that shows a disposition to
maintain hi? opinions, is informed that such
conduct is criminal, and not nnfroquently he
is made to feel its enminihty by the infliction
of stripes. And while smarting under the re
bnke be thus receives, he naturally tarn' hi'
excited combattive power? and feeling? to other
and baser objects. Why should tnoe power'
be turned from their legitimate and intended
coarse to fiud vent and exercise in the fields of
crime ? Ye, who fear a child's investigation
of your ipsi dirit, may answer. Convince by
good argument or authority that yon are right,
or suffer yonrself to be convinced that the
child is riitht, and the feelings are talisfied, and
truth established in both minds A great
man once said—"Shoald I leave no other in
heritance to my children, by the blessing of
God I will leave them the inheritance of free
principles and opinions, and the example ot* a
manly and independent defence of them " I
would not be understood as maintaining that
children shoald exercise that right as freely and
as indiscriminately as adults. Neither would
I sav that they shoald neeer exercise it Ou
the contrary, I woald orge the necessity and
importance" of their being in the
exercise of those right? and frequently.
ami under the direction aud discipline of a
competent teacher.
Again, it has been Baid that our common
schools are prolific sources of lying. Humiliat
ing as it may be, we are compelled to acknowl
edge that to some exteut it is true, and on
the teachers a portion of the responsibility
rests. The uplifted rod—the frowning austere
countenance—the rigid and violent code of
laws which is executed with unrelenting severi
ty, have driven thausands into offences worse
than those for which they were to be punished
—such as lying in order to cheat the master
and his laws out of their " pound of flesh."
Offences must needs come, but doubly respon
sible is he who magnifies the offence by in
ducing other and greater ones perhaps through
fjar of bodily harm. Could we but see the of
fender aud the offence in their true light, we
would be less inclined to inflict blows ou the
young and tender flesh ; and could we then as
plainly see the consequences which almost in
variably follow, we would be inclined to forego
the practice altogether. If any course in the
world embitters the feelings, drives to lying
and deception, and stimulates to revenge, it is
inflicting pain on the body for the errors of the
head. The practice was inaugurated ages
ago, amid passiou aud cruelty and revenge,
is continued at this very day, in many instan
ces, from the same cause, and with the same
aceo m pan i men t s.
While some are thus driven to deception,
others are hired to disgrace themselves iu the
eyes of their fellows. I have cases in my
mind at this moment, of considerate youths be
ing seduced to thus disgrace themselves, first
by acknowledging themselves guilty of some
low offence, and secondly by telling an un
truth iu order to make themselves guilty in
the eyes of the teacher, and all under the
promise ot escaping punishment. Like Guli
ieo, who was constrained to say that the earth
did uot move, when out of hearing of his op
pressor declared that the earih did move not
withstanding,—so these youths, when grown
beyond the reach of the master's rod, persist
in saying that that the confessions thus ex
torted from them were in every particular
untrue.
But let us turn to a more congenial branch
of the subject. In this, the most beautiful
portion of the world, there is much to call
forth the higher and finer feeling'of onr sonls.
A landscape of great variety andfbeauty meets
our views whithersoever we turn. The eye can
not rest upon a single spot,is the w hole sweep of
its vision, in which there is not grandeur and
beauty. All the finer senses and feelings
which are capable of beimr wronght npon by
surrounding nature are most pleasurably ex
cited, aud the sources of that excitement are
so varied and numerous that we can rarely be
come wearied with them. The broad and lev
el prairie, although carpeted with the richest
profusion of dowers, soon becomes to the eye,
what a dull monotonous sound i? to the ear.
and we iustinctively turn from it for the wild
and rugged scenery of the hills. The ocean,
thongh grand at first, is of such sameness, that
we soon tire of its motion and music. But in
the beautiful valley of the Susquehanna there
is everything to iuspire us, and elevate our
minds to high and pure thoughts and feelings.
And yet, amidst it all, our children are for
months, and even years, shut up within low
barren walls staudiug by the dusty street,
without a leaf or a bough to intercept the
scorching rays without, or to cheer the little
soul' within. Why could uot our fathers have
consulted their own wasted and worn-out
frames, and spared, in their hours of toil, a
few trees where our school houses were to
stand ? Ob, why cannot tha pre-ent genera
tion perform a little of theiaburof which their
fathers have done too much, and replace the
maple, the oak or the ehn about the houses of
our children, aud thus render their school
hours more tolerable and pleasant ? Why uot
the teacher hang branches at the glaring win
dow. place flowers upon the desks or cheering
pictures npou the walls? Their influence up
on the feelings of oar little ones i' most potent.
They silently breathe into Their impassive souls
the holy influence of Goi's eternal laws. Na
tional character, even, is moulded somewhat
by the power which nature exerts upon her
denizens. Her work, iu this respect, can
traced from the tropics to the poles. In this
country however, there is such a coustaut and
continual euange of locality, ami consequently
of climate and scenery, that her finger mark
are not so apparent : yet, eveu iu our own land,
the proposition find- proof.
Show me a people whose days have leen
'pent upon the arid plains of the South—where
tiie climate and the inherent energies of the
earth combine to supply to hand t te
food. and even raiment and habitations—
where meutal and physical labor is regarded
as gratuitious, and seidoin ii ever called forth
from cmidera t, on? of ncce*'ity, and where the
eye in its wanderings cannot rest on a single
spot in which there is beauty a id magnificence,
wherewith to relieve the tedium of a monoto
nous life, and I w ill show you a race, compara
tively speaking, weak, ignorant and deba'e l
while those, whose lives hive been S|e:it amid
the varied and beautiful scenery of the hiiis.
who have breathed the pure mountain air.
and drinked at her crystal fountains —where
the necessities for labor have developed and
made strong the energies of body and rn'iid
are comparatively, healthy, intelligent and
virtuous.
But to pufne this subject farther at this time
would be needless We designed to notice bat
a few polats. and leave trie good sense of oth
ers to supply the miuutia. Can we not do
more than we have heretofore done to cor
rect the evils to which we have alluded ? Can
we not see the early bent of the yoong and
tender mind, and train it. as would the plant,
to beauty, symmetry and usefulness ? That
much is needed no one will deny. Tuat much
mav very properly and profitably be done in
onr common schools, towards training aod
pwoperiy educating the feeling* and sentiments,
we entertain no reasonable doubt. Let no
one say then, that he can of himself do noth
ing. lest be render himself obo>x ; ous to the
charge—" Sir. you have r n t tried "
Report of the County Superintendent fcr
Bradford County.
My predecessor, for good and sufficient rea
son, as he claims, having declined to make the
annual report for the school year ending May
31, 1857, and the head of the School Dppart
ment haviug also, for good aud sufficient rea
sons, as he claims, urged me to prepare some
thing in the form of a report for Bradford, I
undertake the task not knowing what to write.
Although I have no formal report to make,
no statistical tallies to present, still I am not
willing that Bradford, a county with more
schools than any other iu the State iu which
there is no city, a county that numbers more
teachers than any other, with the exceptions
cited above, I say I ain not willing that Brad
ford shall not be wholly unrepresented in the
volume of school reports for 185 T.
The law of 1851, says, that " the C}unty
Superintendents shall annually, on or before
the first Monday in June, make an extended
report of the condition of the schools under
their charge, suggesting such improvements in
the school system as they may deem useful,
aud giving such other information in regard to
the practical operation of the common schools,
and the laws relating therefore, as may be
deemed of public interest.''
Now, it must be evident, that I cannot com
ply with this requisition, because I have no
knowledge what the Superintendent did do du
ring the year ending May 31, 185 T. I ain
not able to set forth the fitness or unfitness of
the teachers to perform their duties neither
their faithfulness or unfaithfulness, for I have
had no means of accertaining these particulars,
other than a general acquaintance with sever
al of the teachers of the county. I cannot re
port the condition of the schools, hecau-e I
have not visited them, only as a fellow-teacher.
I know not what account to give of the school
houses, for I have seen but few of them Not
having granted any certificates, or annulled
any, I can have nothing to say upon the topic, j
It will not be proper for me to report what
I intend to do when commissioned, for until
the field is looked over, it is impossible to tell
what I shall do. Still a report must be pre
pared. Bradford must not be left ont. If it
should not appear among the northern coun
ties. onr central and southern friends, may con
clude that we have repudiated the school
law.
The County. —Bradford is one of the larg
est counties iu the Commonwealth, and em
brace? a great variety of surface and soil
The Susquehanna river divides the county in
to exstern and western portions. On the
western side of the river two large streams,
which run nearly the whole length of that
part of the county empty theb - waters into the
river only about three miles from each other.
Along these stream' arc valley more or less
extensive, aud between them are high, and in
some places preciptious blls or mountains. Be
tween the two branches of Towanda creek is
a coal and iron rauge. and the hill is so steep
that no passable highway can ever be con
structed over it. This feature renders the du
ties of the Superintendent more laborious than
they would otherwise be, making it necessary
in some cases to travel thirty or forty-five miles
to get from one township to another adjoining.
The eastern portion of the county is also trav
ersed by creeks, bnt the hills between them
are not so steep or as high, and the towns in
that section are more easily reached. The
most of these mouutaius are tillable to their
very tops, hence there is a great diversity of
soil, and consequently great difference in the
value of real estate. In Armenia, a newly •
settled hill township, uuimproved land is valu
ed at one dollar ami fifty cents, and improved
at six dollars per acre. While in Athens, an
old township lying along the Chemung and
Susquehanna rivers, unimproved land has a
valuation of three, and improved a valuation
of thirty dollars per acre. This, as will be
readily seen, must make a great difference in
the per centum of school tsx Armenia pays
a thirteen mill tax. and barely keep' her schools
open four months, and Athens lcevps her
-cbools open eight months with a tax of four
aud oae-fourth mills on the dollar.
The inequality of taxation ha' a tendency to
make some portions of the school law unpopu
lar in certain localities. Many of our hard
working farmer? are not ?t:fficie itly keen sight
ed to see, why a mau who is only abie to pur
chase a piece of land worth but a dollar aud
a half ]>er acre, situated on the top of the high
est mountain in the county, -should be obliged
to pay three times a' high a tax as the man
who can pay thirty dollar? per-jfc J .T£ for a firm
located in a pleasant valley, ani near a good
market. T.iis he must do. and theu have his
children at school only half as long. It is but
fair to say, however, that the onjio'ition to
school system is not genral!y found to exist
in the districts where taxation is the most bur
densome.
Oar county has a m'xed population ; the
greater pirt of which is cither from New Eng
land or New York, or the descendants of tLuse
who originally came from those State? : e?
peciaity is this the case with the citizens of th*
nothern and eastern sectiou? of the county.—
We have, however, large .settlements J Irish,
Germans, Engli'h, Scotch aid Welch. This
diversity of orlg ; ": and natio a! character,
giv " rise to corresponding diversity of ophiion
and sentiments relative to the method of e In
eating the rising generation, and indeed as to
the propriety of giving even a common school
education to each and every child in the Com
monwealth, at the public expense.
THE S "Hoo:. Nofwithstarding these
unpropitioos circumstances, and these inhar
monious element?, Bradford, a? a whole, is be
lieved to be at least ou an c-quailty with her
sister counties, as it regards her .du -atjona!
interests and and somewhat in ad
vance of several of them. Her inhabitant'
are mostly engaged in agricultural or mechan
ical pursuits. and are as a general thing. ii>
dostrioo?. prosperous and intelligent. It i?
not pretended that her scnools are all. or per
haps suy of them, as good as toey 'houid be :
j her t n a bcr' all weii qualified and zealous in
• **" 'education thit her s-.h''?' hc-jser
VOL. XVIII. —NO. 39.
are ail convenient and coin for table, or her citi
zens all as active and energetic in this cause
as its importance demands ; this is not claimed.
The whole school system is, in some localities
disapproved of: in others, certain provision* erf
the law are considered unjust aud oppressive.
But after making due allowance for all these,
it is safe to conclude that the cause is gaining
in popular favor. Tb opposition is becoming
lets and less vigorous, as the beneficial res oils
of the system are being more and more devel
oped.
E®I*CATIONAL AGEKCIKS. —There are in
Bradford some appliances to which the friends
of education look with interest and confidence
as aids. The Susquchauua Collegiate Insti
tute, located at Towanda, the county seat, is
doing a good work in the educational field, by
sending forth, from its Normal department,
some fifteen or twenty teachers each term
There hare been connected with this depart
ment of the institution, one hundred and for
ty-two pupils during the three years of its ope
ration. These young ladies and gentlemen
have not all attended a sufficient length .f
time to become thoroughly qualified for teach
ing ; yet all have received much valuable in
struction, aud are better teachers than they
were before. Several have attended through
the full term of three years, aud are compe
tent to teach all of the more advanced sciences
that are usually taught in our high schools.—
The elementary or common school branches
are well attended to by the students in the
X>rmal school department, and instruction is
da : !y given in the science of teaching.
The Bradford County Teachers' Association
is also rendering efficient aid to teachers, as
well as to directors and others, engaged in ad
vancing the cause of common schools in the
county. This organization has been in suc
cessful operation for about three years, and is
growing in popular favor. Its meetings, which
are quarterly, and held in different parts of
the county, are numerously attended by all
classes in the community where they are held
arid it is believed that in no instance have
they failed to be followed by salutary results.
A spirit of inquiry aud a de-ire for improve
ment have thus been stirred up. which must
eventually produce great go.xl to the cau-e—
--many objections to the school law have been
removed, and much useful information has
been disseminated by the addresses, essays and
discussions. These organizations have hither
to harmoniously operated together, and the
schools of the county arc already beg'uuiag to
exhibit the effects of their joint labors.
CERTIFICATES.—I am not to favor
any alterations in the school law that require
legislative enactments. Permanency, stability
and reliability, in a system of public instruc
tion, even if it he not the best that it could be
made, are to be preferred to eoustant change.
People want to know what they are to dmeiid
upon. Yet. while I would oppose 3r.y altera
tions in the organic strneture of our sy-tem,
I would at the same time suggest the proprie
ty of having the Department change some
what the form <>f teachers' certificates, aud
the terms and conditions nj-on which they are
to be held. Many teachers may not be fully
entitled to " pri.frssinnal certificates" who
ought not, however, to be required every
twelve-month to present themselves before the
examining officers, and answer just about the
same queries, and receive the same kind of
a certificate from year to year. Is not this
plan calculated to make a large cia< of our
teachers, and iu many instances the best teach
ers in the profession, di-satisfied with the
whole system of inspections ? Teachers of
iong experience, and of acknowledged natural
and acqtrred ability, are thus not unfreqnent-
Iy obliged to come before a young, inexperi
enced, and it may be. illy qualified inspector,
and go through the farce of an examination.
While 1 w u!J have the avenues to the teach
er's profession carefully watched and sedulous
ly guarded : and while 1 would. ifpo-ible, have
the standard of qualifications required by law.
elevated, I would not require =H"h teachers,
as referred to above, to go through the form
of an inspection merely because the law re
quires it.
\Y ORK TO RE T>>vr.— Although I cannot re
port hat h'js ie-u it may nut be out of
place for me, in idosing. to express my opinion
as to tkr ir>,rk V- bt dmi during the eu-uing
' year. There are a!out fix hundred teachers
to be examin- 1. and the ?ame number of cer
tificates to be i-soed, three hundred and thir
ty-one schooN to be visited within less than
six months, ti.is being the average time taught
' —thousands of miles are to lie traveled, and
almost inaccessible noon tain- to l>e asceuded
and descended—opj**sition is t 1*
i ed. kind!? met. and patient!? borae with—
' public opinion is to he aroused and directed
: to the can-e of popular ami universal educa
tion—directors are to be stimulated to th*
faithful performance "f their arduous duties.
• and encnnrngi-d to labor on against Oj.posi
\ tion and without j>ay—touchers are to be urg
-1 ed and persuaded, if jio—uhle, lo qualify them
<a-'iT-s to teach and gov- rn belter —to be more
j faith?-:', more u-eful—public iut-rngs are to
• l>e od ire-sod—teachers* as-oeistions to be
1 sustained—iiistltut'-s to * i e esudi*h'-d and
eon loet- -I—th -n-emd* of question*, rv la tire to
tin? school sv-t'C>i iti all its varied and njuftt
f-.rm opora'ions are to"Tii couriered and an
-wer-d—ii.iuis.in : s of letters to i* written,
and tliOß'aads of ntlser thine- 1 to be done, or
which one n;iaeqa*in'ed v th the duties of the
< office can haw no k owicdge. Indeed, so foes
. iniua I*> c<* - the aiaoout of iafeor to be per
formed in the eosaty appt-AT, ami .> fearful
i are the continences which are to flew front
i tlie 'aithfui or unfaithful p-r forma nee of tieso
j duties, that in custrnplauntr them 1 am ef
ito exclaim who is snfficnat for the-e things ! '
CHARLKS n Crtrnv.
fVai'V Svytnt'nft-'.
T"WAV: A. Jane 3. l Sc>7
r a yenng stock broker, hv r<g n an-ied
j a fat old widow with 4100 "d, -ar >t was
j cot h? w Je's h~- ?! Nt sttra.tc; him ■?-.■
*< the P * ::t