The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-28
WEST VIRGINIA.

| Scarcely any State in the Union is
making more vigorous eXertions in be-
half of general education, in proportion
to its ability, than West Virginia. The
liberty of the people in taxing them
selves for erecting school houses and
supporting schools is all that could be
desired. Two years ago there were no
school houses in the State except few
academy buildings. During the last
year three thousand were erected. The
State labors under great embarrass-
ment in having few 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, and second is waiting
only for funds sufficient to pay the sal
aries of teachers. The school laws of
the State are conformed in great meas
ure to those of Pennsylvania and Ohio.
The State Superintendent appears to be
well qualified for the duties Ofhis office,
and the county supGrintendents whom
| saw are self-sacriticing, efficient men.
Everything, therefore, appears very
promising, although the system is yet
in its infancy.
A particular account was given of
the conditions on which appropriations
were made. Iu general it would ap-
pear 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 teach
ers and prolongiug the schools to a pc
riod Of ten moths.
At Fairmont $1,000 was given to aid
the support of public schools, and $500
as an inducement to open the normal
school, which had not yet gone into op.
Grafton for want of funds.
In Morgantown there is an excellent
system of public schools, for whose sup
port no aid was needed; bat as the
State Agricultural College in that place
has been induced, by the or, at scarcity
of common school teachers, to open a
normal depar tment during the spring
term of every year, provision was made
for twenty-five young men to attend
that course of instruction the coming
spring, each being aided to the amount
of $50.
Iu Moundsville, where 400 children
were attending the public schools, and
where, during the last year, school.
house had been erected at an expense OF
$4,000, the sum of $1,000 was given on
condition of increasing the number and
prolongiug the terms of the schools.
In Parkersburg the annual ex,
pense of the schools is Sol, 900, and still,
of the 1000 children, only about 500 are
receiving instruction in them. Here
also an expensive school l-housc had just
been erected. The amount of aid grant
} ed (Sl5 5,000) was on condition of making
, further provision for the accommoda-
r tiOn of those children for whom there is
: no room in the public schools. The
town of Charleston pays $1,000 for the
support of its schools, under fourteen
: teachers, but it has no good school
houses. On condition of supplying this
$ dehclency and adding three months to
a the length of its schools, it is TO receive
D $1,000.
r In Clark.burg there is good system
OF graded schools, accommodating 4OO
D pupils Tor period of seven months at
an expense of $4,000. As a condition OF
D receiving $1,000, the school authorities
were requested to increase the corps OF
5 teachers and prolong the schools to ten
: months. The same amount was granted
to Grafton en- similar conditions.
la Martlnsbsrg there are 1000 child.
3 ren, for the instruction of whom only
} seven teachers are employed. The ex.
: penses of the town for school edifices
3 and salaries of teachers have bsey
heavy. The sum of $1,000 was given
. to encourage the people to make ample
/ provision for the whole population.
D The Normal school at Guyaudotte re-
ceived aid to the amount of $500. Some o.
e the county superintendent hold teach
: ers' institutes for six consecutive week: