Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-08-22

teacher, and progress OD the par
of the pupils, particularly IL an
cient history.
On the oath we examined Oi.
vision 3 of the German depart
ment. The scholars in this divis-
ion passed a very fine examina-
tion on all the branches taught in
the same. Especially was your
committee pleased with cir pro-
ficiency in reading. On the 18th
we examined the colored school.
The discipline of this school. and
the progress of the pupils
attending it--taking into con-
siderati0n its crowded con-
dition, was truly remarkable. and
speaks we'll for that class of our
citizens who now, for the first
time, have it in their power to en-
joy the benefits of education.
We take pleasure in cougratu-
lating the Board upon the marked
improvement in grading, classifi-
cation and standing of the schools
of this district since the intermedi-
ate examination. The two essen
tial elements in a public school
system without which it is i'm
possible to have efficiency-ar
discipline and a progressive and
systematic grade. The response
bility of enforcing these must nee
essarily rest with the Superinten-
dent of the district. This duty
being imposed upon him, the
Board should give him ample
power to protect himself. If
teachers fail to enforce discipline.
or violate the prescribed grade of
their rooms, they should hold him
alone accountable. because it is to
him that the Board must look for
information on these subjects. We
feel that it is due to the present
Superintendent to state that, con-
sidering the condition of the
schools at the time he was APP
pointed to that position, he had
accomplished many marked results
in the grading and classification of
the scholars. This has been done
without any fixed or any accurate
system of grading, but now that
the Board has accomplished these
last two results, we hope, in COM
parison, to see still greater inn
provement at the end oftfle school
year Fortunately, we are no
longer trammeled and ann 3yed by
the Inconsistencies and the aiabig-
uities of the general school la w but
are acting under special law, APP
plicable alone to this district, which
places it within the power of the
Board to make such rules and reg
ulations, and confer such authority
upon the Superintendent in the
management of the schools as they
deem proper. Again, the efficien-
cy of our public school is much al
fected by the frequent absence of
scholars from daily recitation. We
would recommend that the Board
adopt stringent rules to enforce
regular attendance, and that
that they appeal to the sound
judgement of parents to aid them
in carrying out the same. This is o
universal drawback to q public
school system, and unless the evil
is remedied, wec,innot hope for first
class schools.
We would further recommend
that the German school at Wv
songs hall be dispensed with.-
The reasons upon which this rec
ommendation Is based, may be
briefly stated as follows. We be-
lieve the idea upon which ii was
organized is radically wrong. 1t
is impossible that children of the
tender age included in that grade,
can, with profit to themselves, or
honor to their teacher, grasp the
distinctions incident to the acquisi.
tin of two languages. One must
be sacrificed for the other, or fail
nre in both willbe the result. The
demonstration of the truth of this
suggestion may be found In almost
every city of our country, Another
objection, and one which has great
force with the committee, is that
such a system limits the instruc-
ton in the German language to
very small number of the children,
attending the public school, and
when they have reached a Certain
proficiency in the English branches
and are promoted, there is no Ger
man taught until they have reach
ed the highest division in the Ger
man department.
We would therefore recommend
that instruction in the German Ian
guage be optional, and that no pu-
pill be permitted to begin German
until he has entered Division c.. of
the grammar department, and then
grade the study of it through the
higher divisions of the school.
ID. I'll Riddle, NJ. l.. Cutler, Jno..
DnrrNnnan Chaa u AIatthnoi L