Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-04-26
JEFFERSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.


dent of this County, VIM. L. Wilson,
Esq - t''l'| '+'. -as
have the honor, herewith, TO present
my report of the condition and work OF
the free schools of this county for the
school year, ending September 80, 1872
Nv connection with these schools
dates from the first day Of january last
! In my first efforts to acquaint myself
with their condition and management,
encountered the discouraging tactthat
there was very general ignorance OF
neglect Of the school law, upon the part
of the local board and the subordinate
school officers. This was due in rart
to the fact that that some changes had
Just occurred in the membership of these
boards, and 10 other reasons, which
need not here mention.
Some of the boards of education were
crippled by long standing debts, others
! were moving without information as to
| their resources or liabilities.
My first labors were with n view to
remedy these evils; to communicate
among all parties more exact knowl-
edge of their duties and responsibilities,
and to rescue our schools from the dead
ening incubus of debt. BY abrld.lng
the school session in some townships,
although in no case did the schools re-
main open less than six months,l and
nusbinr the settlement of back claims,
believe our boards of education have
generally been able to enter upon the
current school year, unembarassed by
debt, and with the expectation OF con
Quoting successful school session, in
most cases, of quite ten months.
All of them, | am sure, begin with a
much clearer conception of their legiti-
mate mode of operation.
Other obstacles yet to overcome will
disappear, as the management Of the
schools increase in certainty and eff
cheney. We.need more good teachers,
teachers of better attainments and more
exclusively devoted to that special yo-
cation, a want which will doubtless he
satisfied. as the compensation and the
length of the school sessions become
ample and certain.
There are several points in this coun-
ty where good graded schools would
flourish and ought to be established,and
except for the approaching modification
of our school machinery to adapt it to
the new State organization, the attempt
would have been made to establish one
or more with the beginning Of the pres
ent school year.
There are several notifications III
our school law, which it is conceived
would make it more simple and more
certain, but as some of these have al
ready been brought to the attention of
the Legislature, and rs the new constl-
tuition of itself viii compel others, ! will
not enter into detail.
! will suggest the incongruity of re
curing county superintendent to re-
port for the year ending September 30,
when the actual school year ends Au-
gust 81, and all reports made to him are
for the latter.
| will further suggest the propriety
and expediency of allowing greater lati-
tude than is now permitted in the Sc
lection of textbooks for our public
schools. SO much scholarship and at
tention have lately been given to the
preparation of elementary school books,
and such rivalry sometimes exist be-
tween different parties, that there are,
in each one of the studies prescribed
for our-public schools, several sets of
books of equal and very great excell-
ence. A liberty of selection, therefor,
limited by such restrictions as have been
found necessary in other States to guard
against sudden and capricious changes,
would doubtless be more satisfactory to
those who conduct the schools, prove
peculiarly beneficial TO those who pur-
chase the books, and at the same time
without injuring the schools, do away
with unnecessary monopoly and nvidi-
Gus distinction. | have no changes
which | wish to suggest, bnt in my
opinion, at least two sets of textbooks,
in each study, should be given, in order
to allow some selection.
The report which forward is COM
plete in some respects. Especially has
it been difficult to secure exact financial
statistics; in some cases, because books
have been ncgligently kept; in others,
because of recent changes in the office
of secretary of the board of education.
This defect is particularly marked in
tn. report from Middleway township,
hut am happy to add that, in no one
of our seven townships are the schools
managed with more regard for the re-
Guirements of the school law, or the
school accounts and records kept with
more care and accuracv.t than III this one.
In conclusion, | would say that the
free schools of Jefferson county. if yet
very far from what they ought to be,
and from what they can with wise and
economical administration, are.such as
to encourage the hope that they will
eventually fill the vile field Of useful
ness now opening before them.
p. ST omitted to mention that two
new school houses, both brick, ornate
and commodious, have been built during
the year.
AS matter of information | append
the levy made by several boards of ed
ucation for the current school year, sut-
ficient in most cases to carrythe schools
through a ten months session, and to
provide for the wants of the colored
children.