The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-12-17
our sor,pai school,


LAuttpTS ANtsAtYoHppFs st.a
GEarLEMEn:-Sueh o school, / under
stand, issAbout TO be opened IN the
State, and for the htst time. i1tAprings
naturally out OF the new order Of things
which the war has produced, including
the establishment OF Free Schools.
Wherever Free Schools have aouflshed
In tho country, Normal Schools have
been established aud supported blythe
State, for the purpose Of qualifying It's
own oItlzenA, male and female, 70 be-
come the teachers therein; and thereby
make them what the wants and
condition OF the respective peoples re-
quifeu, and lat the Ilame time give 10
their own people respectively, remu-
nerative and honorable employment. II
would eeem eminentlyi proper that our
State should initiate the example.
The object is, doubtless, new 10. ANA
jorityl Of our people. While . part ofthe
old State and slavery existed, FREQ
Schools were comparatively unknown.
Hence both the Free and the Normal
Schools have TO be introduced In o
manner suited TO the present condition
and JeeliFg OF our people, In order, to
secure their cordial support. The minds
OF the adult portion have been already
pre-occupied with the old State System
ofeducation, and these have got 10 be
converted, II possible, which can only
be done by bringing homo to them, In
some obvious, palpRble form,
superior, substantial advantages,
arising from the new. They
must be made to see and feel such
advantages In order.to bewbn 70 uol !.
it'ItdTy support. Ifthe new system In.
cfeases their taxes they must sec there
Ia TO come, In some form or other, com.
pensatlng benefits.
My attention whs called to the sub.
ject by reading series Of able and In
strnctiye articles relating TO the origin,
object and benefits OF Normal Schools,
which have recently appeared IN your
paper over the signature Of "M.,
VIZ who l presume, 10 General Milton
Wells, the Superintendent Of Schools.
In our courtyard principal teacher Of
the Free School OF Wellsburg, which
numbers nearly 800 pupils. The arti-
clea evince In the author q complete
understanding Of the true LteoTtf, It
seems to me, and the unexampled sue
cess With which the General has con-
Quoted the large school that Is under
his immediate charge In Wellsburg
demonstrates that he knows how to re.
duce the theory TO practice. When he
took charge, OF our Free. School, soon
after the close fthe war, It was a new
thing both to parents and children; OK.
tremely unpopular, at least with those
who had sympathized with the rebel.
lion without much system or organi.
cation. and thinly attended. To-day, l
think ! may say, 1t Is eminently popu.
lar with all our people, thoroughly and
wisely systematized, and universally
attended, This fact attests the excel
lenee OF the system, when wisely con-
Quoted, and the fitness and genius OF
the man. And Notwithstanding the
Generals military record, which he
commenced as the chosen military lead.
or ofthosew were ut the time his pu.
pills att Normal School In Ohio, whose
head practically, he had been for seye-
raj years, and closed when his country
was saved, with u Generals com mission,
and those marks OF honor" about his
person, which though they disable,
pain and annoy, just and grateful
people will never suffer TO become the
cause OF regret to their true soldier. !
think he Is ready to exclaIm, al ac-
count this last-lhis Educational, my
proudest triumphW To teach and
train youth seems to be a hedrt.U0rk
with him and his enthusiasm awakens
corresponding sentiments In his pu-
pills. }aSaa 5l... 81. IS ~
While we all should deeply regret to
part with the General, we feel his rare
and eminent qualifications ct him for
a higher position and larger sphere of
action in our Free School system, on
the nupcees5ek TlIlnlI uvpanls 80 much
the future or West Virginia, and are
glad 10 see him q candidate(a and learn
the only one from our State for the
Principalship Of our Normal School
soon TO be opened In Cabell county.
or couse, we who knoW him, cannot
doubt for a moment that a native OF the
State, with his eminent claims and
qualifications. will be preferred by the
appointing Board 10 any citizen OF
another Slate, who, however well
qualified otherwise, must lack that in
innate knowledge OF the peculiar con.
dillon and wants of our people, which
General Wells possesses, and 10 which
he Is largely indebted for his extfaor-
dinary success hitherto. .
Very Respectfully. G. P.