The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-12-09
Mr.. Editor:

DdeD connected IN an cnclal capacI'y lOI
time with the public school interests
OF Mason county. | desire to write few
lines for publication in your columns in
advocacy Of the cause ia which we all
have a common interest. whether we re
aze it or not The Tree school system
is one Of modern date in the State Of
West Virginia, md comparatively, new
thing with many of US aud 10 conse
qrence of ils recent date as u system and
Of our inrxperisnce with its workings,
some are disposed to criticise add find
fault. not SO much with the system itself
as with the manner in which it is con
Quoted. The fact must be conceded,
however, that there are some things 10
this system which might be improved
In our opinion there are more school offs
fcers than there should be; il at least
one half Of the school officers were not
in existeuJc the system would be much
less complicated. While we do not
claim that our school laws are perfect in
every respect yet We do claim that they
compare favonbIy with those OF other
States; these slight defects and impef-
feclions however, may be accounted for
on the ground. that we need not expect
perfection in systems Of human origin,
While some other States arc in advance
Of US in point of education, yet we ara
not entirely in the rear. Since the or
ganizalon of free schools 10 West Vlr
rinin, results have been most gratifying
No State, we venture TO say, either an
cieni or modern, in tho Same length Of
limo ever made greater udvancem"n's in
lis onward march ia tho Intellectual aud
moral development Of the masses than
West Virginia. There ore schools
taught in every county in the State, the
expenses of which are betrayed 10 such
a wav as 10 afford all over six and un>
der twenty~ono years Of age, however,
niigent, an opportunity Of evaiIing
themselves Of common school educa
ion. No one in taking an enlightened
view Of this subject, will deny the prop
,stion that to The extent TO which any
State encourages and affords facilities for
educating the poorer clesses. Justin that
proportion will she b. prepare for self
and to fpaler and encour =.
age enterprise and the industrial pur-
suits Of oil her citizens. A feeling Of
opposition still exists, to some extent,
with some of our citizens toward this
grand enterprise, originating doubtless
from local prejudice and bias Of early
education. The Register Of last week
contained communication signed "Nol
a Teacher ia which this iealing Of To-
cal prejudice is pretty thoroughly dem
onstraed, 10 say nothing about certain
vulgsrisms as "carpet baggers,' etc -
All things being equal we should en-.
ploY our own citizpns as teaches first; 10
this we do not disagree. We should
encourage by every inducement we can
hold out industry on the part Of the
youth OF our State in acquiring n compe'
tent education. The author Of the com.
municaton under consideration should
have encouraged this. and not appealed
to the prejudices Of the people, He as
seris that mine times out OF ten those
who come here for schools can not get q
certificate at home Of grade sufficiently
high to command good school; while
great many Of them cannot get Ger
ufcaie Of any grade" | would ask the
writer how he knows this 10 be true?-
For his benefit. and others who may de
sire to know the facts in regard to this
matter, | would STATE that large pro.
portion Of the teachers referred to, when
examined by me, held respectable Cer'if
icales from other States, aad came we'll
recommended The schools st Point
Pleasant, West Columbia, Mason City
and Hartford City and some Others, are
under the control of teachers who will
compare hvorabIy with number one
teachers Of other States, at least Two Of
whom bold professional Ger iticates, one
from the State of New York and the