Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1874-01-03
ges@ The LEGISLATURE AND TIE Nor

Ecc HE LEGISLATURES ANp TIE NoN-
NAL ScuooLs.-It is known to our read
ers that the late Legislature were unta
yorab.e to Normal Schools and that al
effort was made to "legislate them out
of existence" The first effort was to
turn them over TO the counties, in which
they were located, but still to require
Che said Counties to pay their full quota
of school tax into the State Treasury.
The following is the vote upon tins pro-
position in the House -
The ayes were: Messrs. Barrett, Bradford,
Brown. Bru,asraner, Crow, Deaver' Jr., till
s6n.. Foley, Quinn, U.nehman, liiPdman'
lively. Josnson Isafdlsy, Mcmillan. Morrison,
Prioce, Re>Ko Ids, Robinson, Rogers h1ckmah
short. Smilh, Snl,ier, (of Monongalia,) Spa'es,
Stone, Stout, Tay lor, (of R,,che,2 Iayio, ,toi
leu, Yinson, Wi,hrow, aud Wo6ddeil-36.
The noe, we're: Messrs Miller, (SpeaEer)
Baker, :,u,ther, Cappbeli, Davenport, DAVIS
FaIn,yorlt, Ferguson, Fleming, Flowers
iIady1n, kno'ls. (oi Calhoun.) Legg, Lewis.
Monroe, Panncil, Potter, Shirley, Snider' (oi
G!!mer,) ' uSsler ana " hite-Z.'
When the bill came before the Senate
it was indefinitely postponed.
The next move was to deprive them
Of the usual annual appropriation by
striking this item out of the general APP
preparation bill The bill passed the
Senate, but when it came to the House
it was summarily disposed Of and the
Legislature adjourned without passing
an appropriation bill.
The reason of this unfriendly legisla-
ton and violation of faith on the part
Of the Legislature is due, perhaps, to
several causes. The first and greatest
is, spite, work, because of the failure to
remove the Capital to Wheeling, and
opposition to Gov Jacob, who is awarn
friend TO these schools.
Secondly, it is claimed that these
Schools have failed to satisfy the public
demand and that the Deneiits derived
from them are not commensurate with
the expense incurred in carrying them
on.
Third, that the money appropriated
has been misapplied.
As to the first cause we have nothing
to say. That kind of action is more be-
coming boys than men.
As 10 the assertion that these schools
have failed 10 satisfy the demand Ill sup
plying teachers aud training others, it
must be remembered that the Oldest OF
them is not more than four years Of age,
and that time is not sufficient to test
the matter, as they had first TO educate
the pupils in mere mattcrso OF knowledge
before they could tram them as teachers
This must be borne in mind, that the
material and implements have to be
furnished AMI then the poSScsSors taught
ho,y TO use them. That the State has
absolute need of such schools no one
can deny. No efficient system OF Free
Schools can be carried on without them.
No State has yet succeeded with Its
Public School system, that does not sus-
tain and encourage Normal Schools to
supply them with teachers, and oui
State must either do this or depend up
ON its neighbors to furnish teachers for
its schools.
In one of the counties Of this State
out of the SO teachers examined only
two of them received number Ger
,ificate and the majority held Nos 4 and
5. One of the requirements OF pupils
entering our Normal Schools is, that
thew must be entitled to No. 4 certiti-
cate and yet, here are persons teaching
in the State who hold No. certifi-
cate. Can any school system be eff
Gent that permits this ? If the Free
Schools were better taught and of a
higher grade of instruction their pupils
could be so prepared as to require less
time 10 the Normal Schools to train
them for teaching.
Again, it is said that these Schools
are merely local high schools. 1t is
true of these, as of all others, the most
of the patronage comes from the imme-
date neighborhood, but it must be OF
necessity so, in this case, as those who
take advantage of these schools can not
afford to pay travelling expenses, and
board to go elsewhere, but when they
90 out to teach they are scattered far
and vide over the State.
1t is said also that the money appro-
priatcd has been misapplicd. We have
heard that this was the case at Marshall
College, where men losing sight of the
great work of teaching were totally alb
sorbed 10 making money, but the sins
of one school should not be visited upon
others. Let the remedy be applied TO
the guilty and encourage the others IN
their efforts to 90 good.
Our Normal School has received the
credit of being the best and most eco