The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-08-30
IVES, Virginia Teacher $, Association

West Virginia Teacher - Assoctuuou'
The third annual meeting of the West
Virginia Teachers Association convened
at the First Presbyterian Church, on
Fourth street, yesterday morning at ten
o'clock. We are very sorry to say that
smalli number of persons were in
attendance during the day.
The meeting was called to order by
the President of the Association, Pro-
fessor White.
The exercises we're opened with PRAYER
by Rev. Mr.. Taggart, of this city.
The following welcoming address was
then made by Rev. Mr. Mcclure, Presi-
dent of the Ohio County Beard of Edu.
cation:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN 1T affords
me great pleasure to bid you welcome
to the city of Wheeling. l regret that
YOUR association is not more fully rep
resented at this, the opening hour, but
| will bid those who may yet come In a
hearty welcome in advance of the time
of their arrival. We claim to be among
the first to adopt the public school sys-
tenn in the original State of Virginia,
and now after about twenty years OF
experience as to its efficiency, we bid
Won welcome, as witnesses OF its value.
The public school system has pro-
Guced some strongly marked changes in
the affairs of society, and | am glad to
be able to affirm that in this instance,
progress has been in the right direction.
The class of teachers welding the
birch in the days Of my bOyhOod,
passed away, but they were
generally disqualified by want OF
Education, and often too, by bad hab-
its, to occupy places under the public
school system. The old text books
and log school houses have
passed away with them, and their loss
need not be seriously deplored.
Our fathers erred in failing to hold the
teacher in honorable estimation, exalt
muscle above mind, and placing science
below the craft and cunning of the
woodsman; but this error is now being
corrected, and the teacher is now being
recognized as occupying an honorable
position.
Every calling has q dignity and an
honor proportional TO its labors and re-
sponsibilities; and next to the minister
of the gospel, l will honor the teacher
Permit me to say, further, that the
struggle for the success of our pubic
school system is not yet ended. There
are still some who regard it with feel
ipqs of deep-seated hostility, and 1t be-
comes its friends to guard it still with
unceasing vigilance ~
Allow me to express the hope that
YOU will bring the influence of your
Association to bear in favor of provid-
ing literally for our schools; and that
the niggardly practice of employing
inferior teachers and using inferior
furniture and text books, in oder
to save little money, even
| though the interests of education
may suffer, will be condemned in strong
and unmistakable terms. With
the earnest hope that your meeting may
be pleasant to yourselves and profitable
TO the noble work in which you are en-
gagged, again bid you welcome to our
1 city and our homes. OR GlEE q
At the conclusion of Mr.. McClure's
remarks, Professor White replied. In
responding to the welcome of Rev; Mr.
Mcclure, Professor White alluded to the
several signs of promise Of progress in
the school enterprise. First new school
houses are. bsingrapidly built. Fornerl,
the school houses, Of which there were