Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-01-26
THE PEABODY FUND.


There was meeting of the Trustees of
the Peabody Southern Educational Fund, in
Baltimore, last week The report Of the
Executive Committee shows that during the.
year, $50, 600 of the fund have been apprO-
priated.
Dr. SEARS, the general agent, presented
detailed report of his operations during the
year. This report is quite lengthy, but very
interesting. We append SO much Of it as
refers to the schools and school system, of
West Virginia:
WEST VIRGINIA.
Scarcely any State in the Union is making
more vigorous exertionsin behalf of general
education, in proportion to its ability, than
West Virginia. The liberty of the people in
taxing themselves for erecting school houses
and supporting schools is all that could be de-
sired. Two years ago there were no schools
houses in the State except few academy bull
dings During the last year three thousand
were erected. The State labors under great
embarrassmentinh avingfew among the youth
who are qualified to teach schools, and few
men who have the requisite knowledge and
experience to organize and superintend schools.
To remedy the former evil one normal school
has been opened. aud a second is waiting only
for funds sufficient to pay the salaries of
teachers The school laws of the State are
conformed in great measure to those of Penne
sylyaniaand Ohio. The State superintendent
appears to be well qualified for the duties of
his Office, and the county superintendent
whom j saw are selfsacrifcing, efficient men.
Everything therefore; appears very promising,
although the system is yet in its infancy"
a particular account was given of the con.
ditions on which appropriations were made.
In general it would appear that for every
$1,000 given from the Peabody fund about
$4,000 were raised by the people, besides
what they paid for school houses. Some
further conditions, also were generally made,
such as increasing the number of teachers
and prolonging the schools to a period of ten
months.
at Fairmont 81 600 was given to aid the
support of public schools, and $500 as an in
ducement to open the normal school, which
had not yet gone into operation for want Of
funds.
In Morgantown there is an excellent sys-
tenn of public schools, for whose support no
aid was needed; but as the State Agricultu-
raj College in that place has been induced,
by the great scarcity of common school
teachers, to open normal department du-
ring the spring term of every year, provision
was made for twenty-fv young men to at
tend that course of instruction the coming
spring, each being aided to the amount of $40.
In Moundsville, where 400 children were
attending the public schools, and where, du-
ring the last year, a school. house had been
erected at an expense of S10,0 00, the sum
of 81 900 was given on condition of increas.
ing the number and prolonging the terms of
the schools. In Parkersburg the annual ex>
pense Of the schools is S61 600, and still, of
the 1000 children, only about 800 are re-
ceiving instruction in them Here also au
expensive school-house had just been erected.
The amount of aid granted (S15,000) was on
condition of making further provision for the
accommodation of those children for whom
there is no room in the public schools. The
town of Charleston pays IS 900 for the sup
port of its schools, under fourteen teachers,
but it has no good school houses. On condi-
ton of supplying this deficiency and adding
three months to the length of its schools, it is
to receive 81 900.
In Clarksburg there is good system of
graded schools, accommodating 400 pupils for
period of seven months atan expense of 3d.
900. Asa condition of receiving 5 600, the
school authorities were requested to increase
the corps of teachers and prolong the schools
to ten months. The same amount was grant
ed to Grafton on similar conditions.
In Martinsburg there are 1000 children,
for the instruction of whom only seven teach.
ers are employed. The expenses of the town
for school edifces and salaries of teachers have
been heavy. The sum of 81 900 was given
to encourage the people to make ample pro-
vision for the whole population.
The Normal school at Guyandotte received
aid to the amount ofS50O. Some of the coun.
ty superintendent hold teachers institutes
for six consecutive weeks during the vacation.
To each of these the sum of 500 was given.
The State superintendent was informed that
5000 would be placed at his disposal if he
would see that the teachers of the State were
furnished with journal of education.