Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1871-08-17
Graded School.

We commend the remarks of the Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction, to the attention
Of our School committee, Town council, and
patrons Of the School. Other to WINS of The
Valley are now making preparations to open
Graded Schools, and We can see nc
reason why Woodstock should not have
first class School of that character
We want al the the head of the School live
Principal, man who cons iders himself re-
sponsible for the success of the School AMI
whe is willing to undergo the necessary labor
and to give the necessary supervision to
attain that object. Let the committee APP
pointed for that purpose secure the services of
such a Teacher and give him competent
assistants, and all the support he requires in
the performance of his arduous duties, and
success must attend their efforts. Time is
passing. The education of our children is a
subject of too much Importance to be neglec
ted.
"0ur Divine Lord required that the publica-
ton ofllis Gospel should begin at Jerusalem.
Why so Because It was q great center of
infusnce. city set upon hill cannot be
hid. And SO 1t Is to some extent with all
cities and towns, be they on hills or in VAL
legs. They are conspicuous and influential.
Every body sees or hears what is done ia town.
Hence, good school at the Court House
helps all the schools of the county !; and a
mean school at the Court House is either
despised by every body, or it propagates its
meanness all over The county. Set up a
model school at the county scar, and all the
schools will be regulated by it, as the time
pieces are by the town clock.
1t is admitted that this is not always easy
to be done, fer town people som stim9s have
little notions that stand in the way-but still
it can be done Now, why are we so posi-
tive that it can be done Chiefly because
there is money in it and owns-peeple are
keen about money, as they ought TO be. Then
keep them looking at it, and they will grad
ually see that if they want to educate their
CHI idren, this is the chea, est way to do it
if they want a decent, orderly community,
without having o keep up an expensive DO
lice, this is the way TO have it , if they want
their laboring population honest and thrifty,
this is the way to have them SO if they
want people to come and buy let's build
houses, and set capital adoat, this is the
surest way to get them ALL The towns
people may be slow in seeing all this but
the more they are made to think about it,
the sooner they will see it; andif they should
be very slow in seeing the point, their vision
will be brightend by another sight. They
Will see rival towns, which have good schools,
getting ahead of them in population and
wealth-and by this time they will wish they
had been little quicker in their movements.
This has all happened over AMI over, and he
that watches the progress of events will see
it all happen in Virginia.
Then as to practical proceeding, let the
superintendent and trustees go squarely be-
fore the town council and ask them for what
is needed to have schools which will be g
credit to the town. and which will offer such
advantages that there will be no need for
any other schools. Have your teachers Sc
lected. and be sure to select such as not only
cannot be objected to in any respect, but
such % will command patronage. If the
schools are we'll attended, and graded as they
should be, the usual help from the Peabody
Fund may be expected. Then whatever
else be lacking must be made up in the town.
either municipality or privately, and the
month of August is the time to move vigor-
ously in preparation for schools to open in
September. By all means strike for a ses-
sion Of about eh months. This is required
in order to get the Peabody money, and it is
n every way the best. And as to the spirit
of your proceedings, let it be as distinguish
ed from apologize. You are State officers,
doing public work for public good. Your po-
sition and your cause entitle you to be heard
respectfully by every body. All should I'M
derstand that The time for sneTing at public
schools, and thrusting them into corners,
has passed, and that the sooner the claims Of
public education are recognized, the better
for IL.