The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-12-18
Our Normal Schools.
MouNpsYnLE. Decamber l6

MVuNbaNALLEl OtCemueE Aut
Edltou IntslllgenCer
So the greatest objection to our normal
schools seems to be that they are nothing
more or less than @local high Schools
| think It no more than just that the facts
in the case should be fairly presented, l
am glad to see that Prof. Blair OF
FairmonL has given statistics Of the
Fairmont school that utterly refutes the
charge as far as that school is concerned,
and ~ had the honor oibeing PRINCIPAL
Of the West Liberty School for several
years, 1t may not be amiss to present q
few facts concerning it, The first cata.
logue showed an attendance Of OF; repre-
senting the counties OF Brooke, Ohio,
Marshall, Wetzel, Tyler and Wood, and
Wheeling City, The second year we had
class Of 10 graduates. The third year,
closing July lst, 1873, gave the following
Members enrolled, ITO; graduates 20.
These pupils were from the following
counties, viz: Brooke, Ohio, Marshall,
Wetzel, Tyler, Wood, and Wheeling City,
in our own State, and from Washington
co, Pa, and Monroe co, Ohio, About one
half Of these were boarders. There were
Al Of them State Cadets, Notwithstanding
It appears from the last report Of the
State Superintendent |. Q, in the report Of
the Wheeling Superintendent to him, that
there were never at one time more than
thirty Cadets in the school. The MAORI
ty Of the pupils paid tuition which was a
source OF revenue to the school. The
school increased slowly in numbers, but
greatly in interest all the time had
charge oft, and l was confident Of open
ing up in the fall of 1878 with at least
one hundred students had the posi-
tive assurance Of more than twenty-five
new Cadets, but who from some cause did
not 60 after was discontinued, Some
went to Waynesburg, few to Fairmont
and the rest came to Moundsville.
don't claim that the West Liberty Nor
NAL School was better than other schools
or even aS good, but do claim thorough
scholars were made there, and | am sat.
isfed had. II not been for the ruinous
policy pursued toward it there would TO-
day be atlleast two hundred pupils in al
tendance. II II along with others
Of our schools, is no more than a local
school, 1t Is because il has been made 10
by unwtse legislation. They were all
tlourishing at one time, and would have
been yet IL lot alone, These things may
not be palatable TO some, but they are
truths that can not be denied. quite |
agree with DR.. Blair in all his arguments
in favor Of normal training, and | will
make the assertion, without fear Of sue
cesStul contradiction, that no school syS-
tenn can succeed we'll without this train
ing We can never make normal de- |
parlment In our University meet the |
demand for good teachers for our COM
mon ungraded schools; and l think II Ia
surely not wisdom on the part Of itS
friends to urge il. Our University looks,
or should look, to the giving Of higher
education, and IL Ia but few Of those who |
graduate there that will ever teach in
our common schools. But give proper
encouragement 10 the normal schools Of
our State; send from them competent
teachers into all the schools OF our State;
and there will soon be awakened such an
interest In the cause that will GIL our
University with pupils striving for higher
attachments. II properly conducted all
our schools will soon be the best feeders
to our University and our Colleges. But
to make them such we must have teachers
and we must look to our Normal Schools
for The teachers. Now what Is to be done
under the CircumstancesH understand
that the majority Of our people think we
have too many Normal Schools, but that
they cannot make the number less with.
out destroying all, for fear OF offending
some one. Away with such policy. Do
what is for The best interest OF the State,
without fear or favor, and leave the result
to the future.
Our schools Just now are very much in
need OF wise legislation, and ii il to be
hoyed that our legislators will sec 10 It
that they get it. +. II. CRAdo