Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-05-26
COMMUNICATED.
THE NEW SCHOOL LAW.

THE NEW SCHOOL LAW.
Editor Register-In your paper of
May 10Th, we have noticed q comlnuni-
cation signed "Templar," in which the
writer makes the following statement:
"The School Law, as now amended, is
in many respects the best that we have
had since the organization of the State.
And further on: Gall that is now need
ed to make our school system grand
success is a vigorous and impartial en-
forcement of the School Law as 1t now
stands.
We do not know whether the writer
of that article meant to "putf the mem
bers of the Legislature, or whether he
really thought as he wrote. Possibly
the former, as we think from what we
have heretofore read of "Templar's" eff
fusions that he is rather given to "puff-
ing" He puffs everybody and every
thing. But, however, we do not intend
to criticise "Templar's' letter. We
only want to say few words about the
new School Law, 1.-The best we ever
had. 20
This new law IN one Of its provisions
requires that when the monthly average
of pupils falls below thirty-fve (35) per
cent of the total number enrolled in the
sub. district, the Trustees or the Board
of Education shall close the school. Re-
member now, that by the ''total NAM
Der enrolled in the District" is meant
the total number of persons living in
the District between the ages of six and
twenty one years. In sub-dlstrict No.
l, Mddleway Township, there are en-
rolled two hundred and forty-four per-
sons between six and twenty-one years.
There are four schools in this sub-dis-
trict. Thirty-fve per cent OF the num-
Der enrolled would be S5.4 or month
~ average to each school of 2l.35 dur
ing the whole session. Not one school
ia The District comes up 10 this average.
Possibly the schools may make it dur
ing the months Of January, February
aud March, but no other month during
the year, and taking this District as a
test, we think we can safely say that
not one school Outside of the towns) IN
The cOunfy Gun fuidN the req"irrmen's
re his hw during the whote term.
These are not mere supposi.ions. They
are facts. Eve know whereof we
speak" Knowing :hese things we do
not hesitate to say that if this law is en-
forced the days of Free Schools in this
State are numbered. This law is
deathblow to the whole system. The
Legislature has taken the power out of
the hands of the people. Heretofore it
has been the privilege OF the Board of
Education 10 fix the lowest average, and
the Boards in most of the Districts have
put it at fifteen, but now they have no
power over the matter at all. Some
may say that this law will cause the pa
rents to send their children TO school
more regularly. We do not think SO.
Nothing short of compulsory school
law will do that, and even that could
not be enforced. The trouble of the
whole matter is that the whole system
of Public Schools in this Stale is built
upon a rotten foundation, and in our
humble opinion is glitterihg humbug
We do not wish to he misunderstood.
We arc not an enemy to Public Schools.
There is no question about it, they have
done and are doing vast amount of
good, but we think that more good
could be accomplished with a better
law We sympathize with the teachers
of these schools, poorly paid, hard work
ed creatures they are, pursuing their
arduous toll, their thankless tasks with
So much patience. Here let me say that
perhaps there is no calling under the
sun more arduous, more thankless and
more poorly paid than that of the Pub
lie School Teacher Their noblest ef
forts often made the subjects of censure,
their every action cruelty criticised by
faul,-tinding ignorant fools that know
about as much about teaching as a jack
ass does about music. We pity them,
and would gladly welcome any law that
would benefit them. which we think
tho new law does not do
Yours with respect,
MIDDLEWAE.