Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1874-09-12
Cur Public Schools.


Oa next Monday the Public Schools Of our
County will be re-opened, and the regular du-
ties of the scholastic year will be entered upon
as usual In view Of this fact. it may not be
ont Of place or improper to offer some sugges-
tious upon The subject. We, perhaps, feel a
deeper interest in these institutions from The
well-known fact that the venerable gentleman
who established and so long conducted the
"Old Family Journal" is not inap;ly styled
the Father Of the System" which, mainly
through his efforts, while in the State Senate,
was put into successful operation.
That our schools have not been conducted
heretofore 50 as to do the greatest amount Of
good to the greatest number Of children, the
best friends of popular education must admit.
But all will concur in The opinion that they
have done. aul are still doing the State vast
amount Of service Many causes have opera
ted against a successful management Of these
schools. Prominent among them in The Incl
pjency Of the undertaking was the deep-sea'ed
prejudice against such institutions. Happily
for the youth Of our county, that has in a
great measure passed away. But it will not
cease until the schools are placed on higher
platform than they have yet reached aud this
desirable end cannot be attained without a
steady increase ia The amount Of compensa-
ton paid to the Teachers This, we are well
aware, is not a very acceptable proposition to
many Of our heavy taxpayers, especially to
that large class who are won't % say that they
do not reap any immediate benefits from these
schools. 1t is true that many of our citizens
do not send their children 90 the Public Schools
because they are fully able to give them better
advantages in private institutions. Bni. II
these schools were q" COOL enough for the rich
est and cheap enough for the poorest, this OBJ
lection would be somewhat obyiated. That
they moy become so, We have no doubt, with
ont much additional revenue from taxation, as
we have taken occasion to say long ago.
Nothin, can he clearer than the fact, that II
we wish these schools 70 be elevated and their
usefulness increased, we must pay for it, and
pay literally. too. The better and the more
prompt the Teachers pay, the better the
schools will be- 4 rigid economy in every
branch of public expenditure, and judiciou'
care in the outlay cf the School Fund, will dc
much toward this greatly-to-be- desired result
The whole country is directly interested il
the promotion and Advancement Of popular
education. Surely, it tends to the advance
ment Of morality. Statistics show that crime
dimiuishes where the facilities for popular in-
struction are greatest. Possessed Of soil al
most unsurpassed in fertility, our people arc
fast recovering from the business prostrator
and wreck Of fortunes consequent upon pro-
.ractcd war; anil now is a good time to giv'
this matter the careful consideration it so emf
nently merits.
We are fortunate in having a gentleman o
Acknowledged ability and fitness in charge o
the educational interests in this county. Hin
self formerly, a most successful Teacher o
youth. he [WM l. WmsoN, ESQ brings t
the discharge Of his high and responsible du
ties that practical knowledge 50 necessary II
The management; Of these schools. II bis re-
commentators are followed out strictly, w
are quite sure that his efforts to elevate th'
grade OF the schools viii be crowned with snc
cess. We cherish the hope that this will b
the case-aud TIA, we shall yet have Hisl
School in this town, where the youth Of boih
sexes from all sections Of the county shall en
10y every facility for education 10 those branch
es that they do not a; present possess.