The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-05-14
HARRISON COUNTY.
More About the CIaTksburg Graded
School.
LETTER FROM A PARENT

LETTER FROM A PARENT
To the Editors OF the Intelligeneer:
Having read the communications by Il
s. NorthCott, one of the School Commits
siouers in Clarksburg, and that BY Cruger
W. Smith, Jr., our County Superintend-
ent, and others concerning the graded
school in this place, desire as a parent,
in simple Justice, to add my testimony 10
the correctness of the Superintendents
report, and make brief statement Of laCts
as they VIGOROUSLY exist in Clarksburg,
and which no man with common sense
and an honest heart can deny, Our free
schools that are held in tho Academy have
been regarded by cur citizens as great
humbug ever since they have been under
their present charge. The report OF Mr.
Smith concerning these schools Is true,
every word Of It, and has met with the
hearty approval Of tho large majority OF
our citizens. The complaints about these
schools have been loud and long, and
when the County Superintendent called
the attention Of the proper officer to this
unfortunate state OF affairs in our schools,
he simply discharged an official duty. A
large number OF those parents who can
afford TO send their children 10 private
schools do so because they arc unwilling
TO entrust such great interests to such in
competent hands. Ihave to pay one hun.
dred dollars, in addition to my public
school tax, per year for the education OF
two Of my children in Clarksburg at a
private school, and do this not through
preference for private schools, but because
| am compelled to do 80 on account of in.
efficiency Of the public schools in our town.
The greatest complaint has been against
the principal. 1t Is charged that he Is
not q scholar and some boldly assert that
that he Is not man Of sound mind, but
on that give no opinion, as / do not de-
sire to say anything personally against
him, but l do kr0D that the way these
schools have been carried on Is an out
rage on the Taxpayers and the free school
system. The principal receives one hun
bred dollars per month 10 simply super
intend the school and 1t would be better
to give this principal that amount 10 keep
away from the school altogether. The
commissioners give him forty dollars per
year as Secretary oil the Board Of Educa.
ton, when the maximum amount allow
ed by law Is only twenty-five dollars, and
that amount can only DO lawfully paid on
q draft issued by the County Superinten-
dent If the Secretary's books are found to
have been correctly kept. The Secre-
tary has never submitted his books TO the
Superintendent for examination and he
has received his extra pay without any
draft ever having been issued for 1t. Be.
aides this same man Is paid for taking the
enumeration of youths and Is presented
with all the other little perquisites that
grow out Of the school fund apportioned
Tor this district. Iget these facts in rela'
ton TO the monies from member Of the
committee now investigating the alleged
frauds connected with the ClarksburgI
schools. l have looked over the report oil
the Secretary Of the Board on file In the
Superintendents Office, and see that the
Secretary, who Is also the Principal Of the
schools, about which there Is so much
dissatisfaction, reports officially that the
average cost for the education Of
each pupil per year In Clarks-
burg Is SEQ IS. l am also informed
that in addition TO this the district receives
eight hundred dollars per year from the
Peabody fund. II the schools were only
properly managed we would not complain
about their expense, but as matters have
been and now are, such state Of affairs
Is almost intolerable and we are glad that
an exposure has at last been made. My
own children have often told me ailer
school was out In the evening that they
had not been called upon to recite their
lessons that day, and on account Of the
slow progress made by children myself
and many others have taken our children
away from these schools, believing that
they were doing the children more injury
than good There has been little or no
discipline in the schools and It is high
time some one should sustain the County
Superintendent In his efforts to remove
this burning shame, Incompetent teach
ers have been employed, who teach only
for pay, and have received pay without
having obtained certificates as required BY
law. The other complaints would make
q long catalogue, but think have said
enough to let II DO known that the violent
attacks on the report OF the SuperintGn'
dent arc very unjust PARENT.
ANOTHER BRIEF NOTE FROM "CTTIZRN."
To the Editors Of the Inielligsneer:
Asmy communication published in the
INTELLIGENcRR January Sd, over the Gig.
nature OF "Citizen," was written without