The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-02-03
THE DAILY REGISTER

iSemen{s not connected with 1t Will %
saarged icr ct ourregular rates.
raE NORMAL SCHOOLS.
Our suggestion. . lew days ago, that
it is within the range Of possibility for
citizen of West Virginia to be friend
of free schools without being very des-
perately devoted to the continuance OF
the several Normal schools in their
present shape, is rather Indignantly
secuted by some gentleman who writes
for the Fairmont West Virginidn. wei
do not believe that the interests OF
either the common free schools OF the
State or those OF the Normal schools
themselves will be promoted by angry
controversy or the bsndying of cpl
thets, and We do not intend 10 reply to
the article in the Vest Virginian in the
spirit in which 1t WAS written. 1t was. II
fact, to moderate the tone OF the espe-
cial champions Of the Normal schools
that we ventured to suggest that they
were not helping their cause by hurting
denunciations against those whose
earnest love for the free school system
ia no less than their own. 1t the
merits of the present Normal schools as
a part of the free school system are to
be publicly discussed, let it be done
deceutly and with due respect to the
opinions Of opponents.
1t should be remembered by all that
tue number OF those in West Virginia
who are opposed to the free school sy'
tenn per Sc is very small indeed. The
vote that was cast last summer in the
several school districts upon the ques-
ton Of authorizing local levies for
school purposes. establishes this truth
beyond the shadow OF q doubt All
over the State the levy was authorized,
in Democratic a. we'll as in Republican
communities, and the fearful souls who
see in every attempted improvement Of
the system or complaint because OF its
abuse, "a stab at the free schools" may
az we'll dismiss their unnecessary anx'
iety. The free schools have too strong
a hold in the affections Of all classes OF
people and upon all political parties. to
o. in any serious danger Of Gripping or
destruction. This lie 80 we'll known
tina. now only those who have axes to
grind attempt to delude the simple to
acontrsry belief.
As respects the usefulness. or rather
the economy Of the present system Of
Normal schools, there is an honest dif-
ference o! opinion among the friends OF
popular education. A Normal school
in the technical and pro per serse is an
institution for the instruction OF teach
ers. 1t is q professional school as dis
tinctively as a Theological, or Medical,
or Law school. Its primary object is
to instruct 10 ihe art of teaching. and
pupils should no more be received in
such an institution for elementary in
struction in the first branches usually
taught IN our common schools, than
they should 60 to q Law school to
study Geography or to q Theological
Institute to learn arithmetic. 1t is for
the express purpose Of training teachers
for our public schools that the Nor
NAL schools have been organized. and
for this purpose alone has State aid
been gwen to these institutions year
after year. Now let us see how we'll
the condition has been fulfilled.
M. Gate Superintendent B. w.
BYRNE, Pres dent Of the Regents OF the
State Normal school, presented a re-
port to the Legislature on the 4th Of
December. 1873. From that report
we learn that there were last
year in attendance at the State
Normal school and its several branches,
GOA pupils. OF these, 1919 are classed
as"Normal students" that is, they were
receiving high school education with
occasional instruction in the art oil
teaching. But who were the remain
ing 4032 The SSth section Of the schoo
law provides that in these several Nor
NAL schools "a pay department may
be established for the accommodation
OF students who may not desire to be-
come teachers. According to the manis
fest intention Of the law, only the
Normal students" are to be educated
at State expense. In view Of the fact that
txo-thirds Of the pupils at these schools
are not Normal students. we might ex-
pect that handsome revenue would be
derived from their tuition. But the
same report to which We have alluded
shows that the total amount Of expen-
ses betrayed by the schools indePeud-
emf OF State aid was 81. 1886. 43-contrib-
ut.d by 4Os pupils-whils for the edu'
cation Of her own 1919 the State had
paid $4,000. Again We ask who were