Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-05-13
| Proceedings of Board of Education
/ Teachers, Answer to Inquiries.

L
Commissioners Hill, Heller and NC
Dowell.
On motion of Commissioner Heller
$40 additional was allowed j. X.
Clifford to pay an assistant at color
ed school.
A communication was received
from the pupils of Grammar School,
requesting one daily session, which
was laid on the table.
The following report was received
from the teachers, on the subjects re-
ferred to them at a former meeting,
for their discussion:
To the Board Of Education of the city
Of Mdrtinsburg:
GENTLEMEN-In compliance with
your request, the teachers of the diff
ferent wards have held several meet
ings and freely and fully discussed
the questions submitted to them by
you. Instead of each school report
ing separately in writing, as had last
been agreed upon, it has since been
thought the better plan to report
through one document for two rea-
sons-to avoid repetition, as our
views are in harmony in almost eve
ry particular, and to save the Board
the trouble of examining so many
papers. We therefore most respect
fully submit the following as the re-
suit of our deliberations. Allow us
to add, gentlemen, that we sincerely
appreciate the privilege you have ac-
corded to us, of presenting our views
upon points in which we are particu-
larly interested:
l. Wherein is our school system, as
conducted at present. hefectire?
We answer this question by stat
ing what we regard as essential to
the system, leaving you to Judge
whether our system is deficient or
not in any of these requisites 1st.
Harmony and concert of action on
the part of school officers and teach
ers. I'd. Literary and scientific quail
ifications of superintendent. Sd. A
fair standard of scholarship and NOR
al character of teachers. 4th. Equal
ization OF labor for teachers. 5th. A
reasonable salary. 9th. Permanently
of true and tried teachers. 18th. Sta
ted meetings of teachers or Institutes.
9th. A rigid requirement of pupils
regular attendance. 9th. Frequent
school visiting by parents and others.
III. Shontd there be t,D0 eCdn1ind-
tons, one for the grammar school
teashers, and one for primary teach
erS?
We answer affirmatively, allowing
primary teachers the privilege, if de-
ired, to be examined ON higher BRAN
hes for promotion.
LII. Should the teachers salaries be
f1ed according to the grade Of eertif-
cate on not?
We answer negatively. If the
grade is based upon scholarship alone,
such a course would De unjust to ma
ny successful teacher. In our opin-
ion the fixing Of salaries should be
based upon 1st. Previous success
in the school room. I'd. Life and
earnestness in the work. Sd. Amount
of labor perform & and how?
". Would not the teaching of Uocal
7aatsic, 0s q science, be q great benefit
and promote the interests of the school i?
We answer affirmatively. AS to
how, we would Say, 1st. By the en-
ployment of a teacher as speciality,
or, I'd, by one of the regular teach
ers, one in each school being requir-
ed, competent to do it, his or her
class being taken charge of by the
teacher in whose room music is being
taught.
V. Could draooiEg be taught 10 TIL
success!
Same answer and plan as in music.
vi. Should mental arithmetic be
fought?
We answer affirmatively. LIST. In
the primary schools in regular classes
with tie It. book. I'd. In higher de-
pertinent, as auxiliary to written
arithmetic, without text book.
VII. What steps should be taken Ia
order to conGatct the schools on more
economical basis, aoithoM interfering
Nth the efficiency Of the system
We answer not by curtailing teach
er's salaries. This is the last plan to
economic, and cannot be done with
out serious ce6r;ment to the system.
Able aid successful teachers give eff
ficiency, strength and character to
the system, and they should be en-
couraged, sustained and retained by
fair compensation for their labor.
2. We ate Of opinion that some re-
trenchment could be effected by
change in the character of the office
of Superintendent. For instance
let each Principal have the control of
his ward to a certain extent, and let
such matters as belong to the gene
raj control be administered and adj
justed by committee of Principals,
or of all the Principals, with a chair
man a. nominal Superintendent. Let
this committee have stated meetings,
to fix the grade, adjust difficulties re-
ferred to them, define boundaries, to
equalize the schools in number and
work in the different wards, and at
tend to such other duties as are with
in the range of the superintendency
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