The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-06-24
Progress Of Education at West Lib
erty-stAse Normal school, etc.

merlCl4n OF lie may iook oack 10 perioo
in their remembrance, when 70 be hrst-
class school teacher it was only requisite
to be able to work arithmetic to the rule
of three. write plain hand and teach
the rudiments of English grammar.
Some thirty.fve years ago the Rev.
Nathan Stowell came to West Liberty as
q pastor for the Presbyterian Church. To
hls labor, energy and ability may be at
tribusei much of the tone Of the educa-
tionsl interest in this community. he
went forth and visited the high and the
low, the rich and the poor, and endeav-
ored to induce all to attend high school
he was building up, and of which he was
principal for number Of years. To this
gentleman aud this school q greater part
Of the intelligent, middle aged ladies and
gentlemen of this vicinity are indebted
for q part of their education.
Nineteen or twenty years ago our good
people started the project of building the
West Liberty Academy, for which they
raised subscription fund OF about
$1,000. With this amount subscribed,
they contracted for and put up build
ing ION lands donated for that purpose)
costing about $4,000. Some other dona-
tions had been made, but there was still
a debt of about 80, 900 due the builders.
On condition OF the State paying this
debt, and the expectation that the school
would be placed under q wise administrs-
tion that could not fail OF success, it Was
donated to her tor State Normal School
1t was accordingly taken possession OF by
the State officers, and the teacher who
was successfully conducting it, ousted,
contrary 10 the wishes OF the people, who
were directly interested, TO make room
for political favorite. Short ylsf,er the
people OF this State determined that Re
publican rule should cease, and our DEM
ocrstic officers IN turn placed another set
of teachers in charge, refusing, rs their
predecessors. to hear the people, with
whose interests they had been entrusted.
1t appears these iunctionsrles have ever
regarded the school rs their generous
liberslity 10 our people, and from re-
marks made by the Stale Superintendent
of Common Schools, two years since. II
msy be understood thst it is highly i'm
proper and impertinent for persons who
are receiving their munifcence to say
word, even if there has been mismanage-
ment, or public money appropriated to
private use.
Under these changes the school pro-
gressed with various success, until the
Legislature Of 1875 refused TO make an
for Its support and the
Board of Regents Of the normal schools,
knowing nothing else to do with it gave
il over TO the Executive Committee. Or
this committee two reside at distance
in the country and the third Is resident
of the village and president Of the
This functionsry seems to
be invested with plenary power, the
other members seldom taking al
active part in the business pertaining
TO the school. Its proceeds he manages
To fow into his OVID pockets, and II he
was denied this privilege, it might not be
well tor the one that refused. The
academy grounds he converts to his own
private use, and has long since eaten to
the earth with his lean stock. the shrub
berry and little monuments placed there
by the students The only member Cf
the previous committee that was compe-
tent and willing 70 perform his duty WA
removed and since that time, and partic
ulary within the current school
year, now nearly ut close,
the management of this committee.
has been uprecedently bad, nor are
the teachers blaneless, in not interpos~
Ing. 1t is Q fact that cannot be denied,
that the Normal building has been with
IN that period frequently prostltuted by
that committee TO the use OF every va
grant, mouptebank and gsggler-to
every strolIing troupe OF Ministries that
happen to come along, and it was said
that pay WAS ext rted in every instance
for the use OF Academy Hall. On the
18th day of April OF the present year
company of these vagrants calling
The Tsney Minstrels and
Virgins Serensders' put up at the
Liberty House, kept by the president OF
this committee. These strollers-the
rats OF Wellsburg and vicinity-procured
the use of Academy Hall in which they
gave soiree the same evening. The
Of this troupe were revolt
ing TO common decency; causing the
blush OF delicacy to msntel the cheeks OF
ladies and gentlemen present or that oc-
casion. II was such that description OF
it would be unfit to appear IN public
print and the sable African whom they
sttem pted to paint, would frown upon IN
his most uncultivated state. The entire
was Q second edition of
aTrimble's Varieties" Now, could my
host of the Liberty House have
been ignorant of the character OF this
troupes Certainly not; some OF them
were personally known to him. Whist
cares he for the respectability OF the
,choo. and the morals Of the youth OF
this community, o, which ne has BEEN
made in some measure, the cus:odlanY
Nothing, provided he can make few
psltry dimes BY the bargain and sale
The Liberty House is the general ren-
devious Tor travelling troupes and pro
f.,,ors not later than two weeks since.
pollard's colored troupe arrived there,
where they we're received by the gentle
uanly proprietor with Is much ceremony
and e,iauet,s % would foreign legation
a the White House. The members OF
the GensraFs family wed with one An
other in doing honor to their illustr'ous
guests while mine host and hostess, not
% be outdone in courtesy by the rest OF
the family, gave up their Own bedehsm-
her tor the accommodation Of 'ths r'e"
and broders and sisters" and sought .
roost for themselves in another part OF
the building. At night and on the next
this troupe gave literary enter,
taipment in the hail of the Normal
School.
If the people are TO be taxed 70 sup
port Normal Schools, it is right thai
they should demand their proper man
azements and We unhesitatingly say
that no school can prosper under sacn
an administration Those MONKEY
shows and other kndred amusemenu
have bad . most pernitious influence on
the school. They beget 'dleoess In toe
stpdentS and cause 2 waste OF time tnat