Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-12-04
West Virginia School System.
To tie Editor OF tie lSpiirit of .zee.,so,

70 the Editor Of the Spirit of Jefferson:
SR-In your issue of this week is an ar
tlcle commenting severely on the school laws
OF West Virginia, and on the manner in
which they are administered in this county,
especially in your township of Charlestown.
L have nothing to complain of personally in
this article, but think that as public Off.
Ger l am somewhat bound to explain to uour
people why it is that no part of the school
fund has been appropriated to their use.
When was elected to the office of county
superintendent L resolved to do Justice to all
parts of the county and to all parties, without
reference to any partialities that naight be
supposed to entertain. With this idea in
view, called meeting of all the school
commissioners to assemble an Charlestorn,
the most convenient point in the county. and
IN my selection of locality for the meeting
conceived that was doing somethiag to.
wards Showing disposition to .,bury the
hatchet." announced that the object of
the meeting was to concert measures for or
ganizing the best system possible under onr
peculiar circumstances, andI made an ear
nest appeal to all friends ofpublic education
to second my endeavors to establish Free
Schools Not one member of your Board of
Education attended our meeting, and it may
be remembered that even the g Spirit of JET.
Ie,'Son made our little meeting subject of
jest, not forgetting to relate certain anecdotes
ottstthe County .S1perintenden which wonId.
answer very well for a social CATHERINE. but
which were, think, somewhat out of place
when connected with the serious subject un-
der consideration. From that time to this.
your Board of Education has not taken a sin
gle step towards complying with the REQUIRE
ments of the law, and, in consequence, by the
advice and command of the State Superin>
tendent, have entered complaint against
them before the Board of County Supervisors.
Ii they are removed and others appointed, L
have the authority of the State Superinten-
dent for saying that CharIestown Township
Will have to the 18th of March next to com
ply with the requirements of the law. If,
then, census be made out by any person be-
its share for this year, and if, by making
levy for building purposes, you show a dis
position to establish schools, l have has word
that you will get your proportion of last gears
fund
The truth is that in your township majors
lty of the people appear, to me, to be bitterly
opposed to free schools under any circum-
Stances and especially SO to any system ema-
mating from Vest Ti'ginia LegiS2ature.-
1t ought to be remembered, however, that as
the people may and must continue to paw
neaVy taxes 10 support schools, they, in US
tice to themselves, ought to use what little is
returned to them from the State Treasury;
especially as men of all parties in this county
are endeavoring to have-the school laws so
amended, that every county will hereafter
support its own schools.
will conclude by saying, that between
those in your township who are opposed to
free schools on principle, and those who favor
them in theory, but who are too lazy or too
t'n'id to exert themselves in aiding me, 1
have hard time generally. To both these
parties I will say that the obsolete ideas of
the one, and the timidity of the other, will
at no distant day be subjects of derision, and
advise them if they value their own repu-
tations not to put any obstacles in the way of
general education, asst must be evident that the
spirit Of the age is such as to insure the sue
cessful march of intelligence, in spite of all
opposition. JOSEPH BARRY,
County Superintendent.
HARPER's FERRY, Nov. 28th, 1866