The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-07
The Office of County superintendent
OF Free Schools and the West Wiz.

. q
The Office of County superintendent
OF Free Schools and Ihe West Wiz.
RInia Legislature. a.sua
Editors I1tteLLigence1 /: d. a-5 t.-. eEi
have read with much in terest the
proceedings of our West Virginia Leg
islature as reported through the COL
umns of the INTELLIGENCRR, and have
Deen favorably impressed with the wis
dom and intelligence with which the
a1airs OF that honorable body have
been conducted. 81. --.-ra
must say, however, that it is with
surprise and regret that discover a
disposition on the part of certain mem
oers 10 tamper with our system of pub
lie instruction in manner calculated
to seriously impair its efficiency. I
aIlude particularly to the effort made
1ntendent of Free Schools" =
Are the movers in this matter not
aware of the fact that the trainers Of
our state Constitution wisely inserted
In That instrument section which re-
quireS that provisions "be made nv
law for the election, and prescribing the
powers, duties and compensation of q
General Superintendent Of Free Schools
for the State, and for q County iSupe1.i3,
tende1t for each county," % - tsF .,Is
at the first session of the Iepia
lature after the adoption of the Con
stltutlon, Committee on Education
was appointed, with West Virginia's
most distinguished educator, Prof,
ROSS, as chairman. Upon Prof Ross
devolved the labor of framing a school
law for the State. Andthose Who yyere
members of the Legislature at that
time, will we'll rememember the zeal
ana earnestness with which he prose-
cuted his labors.- TI-EI !. II
He collected and carefully examined
the school laws of older States. the re.
ports of school superintendent and
scnooi authorities, correspondent and
consulted with the best educated and
educational men of the country. and
the bill which he framed and presents
ed may be regarded as an emanation
country on such matters. } q - 7.2HS
In all the New England, Middls
and Western States, he fonn5
that State, County and Citv sn-
perv1sion was regarded as i'm.
portant to the successful working OF
any system of public instruction. In
Oh1oI alone, had no provision been
made for county supervision, altbonSh
the organic law of the State, and leeis-
latioD1 had provided-for State and Civ
supervision. H r1 -E.I 400 IHJ
IL may here be remarked that the
friends of education in Ohio are f1IIv
convinced OF the necessity of COUNT
q
IN the Legislature, and will become =
law, establishing the office of COUNTY
Superintendent. .-fog ~ $50 : - y
Governor Cox, in an able address de.
1vere6 before the Ohio Teachers Asso-
citation in July last, made use of the
1olloWlng remark; 1--WE must confess
that in this important particular. orr
school system is behind that of 0nr
most enlightened sister States. and we
shou!q spare no pains to make the ne
cesS1ty this improvements so apnarent
that public sentiment will both sns-
ta!n ana demand the legislative action.
when once the schools of a county
are under constant and systematic SUI
pefV1s1oh, and no longer left to the care
of directors whose hands are fnII IF
other business, and can only give the
occasional attention of leisure hour To
their wants, and even this without anv
real cooperation in the several town
ships, We.may look for rapid progress.
I'll then I.fear but little can be done. .
He expressed the hope that at their
next anniversary he may congratulate
the teachers of Ohio upon "the accom-.
plishment of this desirable result. - viz.
the passage ola law creating the office
OF County Superintendent of Public
Low / tngilrf lIIlV & 7IrT 800 |
It is an evil to be deprecated that
while the motto of other States ia
there are those In our own
State, and even in our legislative halls. |
who favor retrograde action, "a The
abolition of the office OF Super |
would be striking ar, |
death blow to our ed
ucational system. And so well are |
the enemies of free schools satisfied OF |
this fact, that to a man may they be
found in favor of the measure. ~ =
: Letour worthy Legislators look we'll |
TO it that they give no eountenance to
this very unwise and unconstitutional
Nothing tends more effec-
Lually to- encourage immigation to a
State than a. thorough and complete
system of general education. One of
Inc first questions likely to be asked nv
intelligent citizens of other States! be-
'ore deciding to take up their abode in
ours, would be "what educational IA
,ilit1es are offered f,fWfll our children
paye advantages for acquiring an edn-
'ation equal to those which thew now
sn1oy?' i"ff lHsrsIg ssE NsGFTsSP ~
2 Tam aware that there are those WIN
view this subject solely from IA finan.
nal stand point. No efficient, system
u public instruction can be maintained
Il a