No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 253 



The CHAIR: The next number on the program is, "Advantages 

 to be Derived from the Centralization of Township Schools," by 

 Prof. Samuel B. Bayle, Superintendent of Erie county public schools, 

 Fairview, Pa. 



In introducing Prof. Bayle, the Chairman stated that he had the 

 distinguished honor of being the first man to establish the centrali- 

 zation of township schools, and that he now has the supervision of 

 more schools and teachers teaching agriculture to farmers' boys 

 and girls of his own township than anyone else. 



The following is Prof. Bayle's address: , 



ADVANTAGES TO BE DERIVED FROM THE CENTRALIZED 



AND TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS. 



BY Prop. Samuel B. Bayle, Superintendent of Public Schools, Erie County. Fairview, Pa. 



Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen: In this beautiful valley of 

 Chester, we are learning a lesson from one of the greatest farmers 

 in our land, instructive to us as we go over that beautiful road bor- 

 dering on great historic places; and then these excellent speeches 

 to-night that reached deep into truth and unfolded it beautifully to 

 our view. Now isn't it about time for us to quit and go to bed? 

 In fact, I think if I were you and in your place, I would simply say, 

 "good evening" and go; but ladies and gentlemen, as I look you in the 

 face I come to the conclusion that I am talking nearly to the whole 

 State of Pennsylvania, the grandest of Commonwealths, rich in her 

 hills and her mountains, with wealth teeming forth from her valleys, 

 with her great manufacturing interests and her immense mines of 

 coal that extend from mountain to mountain, giving the world a 

 chance to live. I am proud that I am a Pennsylvanian as I look out 

 upon the blue waters of our own Lake Erie; I am proud that 

 I am a Pennsylvanian as I look at the waters of the Delaware 

 as they empty into old ocean; proud that I am a Pennsylvanian as 1 

 go through your Quaker city and behold its greatness, also the 

 beautiful city of the northwest, our own Erie; proud of our public 

 school system that gives to the boys and girls of our great Common- 

 wealth a chance to live, that develops your sons and daughters and 

 my sons and daughters, and makes them citizens of this old Key- 

 stone State of ours, along with the other great revolutions and de- 

 velopments that have aided so much in our progress, there is none 

 that has been more important or more wonderful than the progress 

 of our public schools. 



