The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-10-05
EDUcATIoS IN WEST VIRGINIA.


REV. DR.. GEORGE, of Wheeling writes
to the independent an interesting accoun:
of the present educa'ionsl status OF Wess
Virginia. Ii, says, of the natural atil.
atioRs of that State:
Virginia and West Virginia are d.
yided by a mountain range, which forms
q natural barrier of empire. Bounded
for hundreds of miles by the territory of
Pennsvlvania and Ohio, the PEOPLE OF
West Virginia belong by instinct, con-
viction and association rather to the
Northern than to the southern portion
OF me Union II WAS the patriotic, ma
tionsl. free state IDEAS and sentiments OF
its citizens which brought them together
for the creation Of II new State govern
ment.
He then speaks of the condition OF
things at the close OF the war, and the
difficulties surmoun,ei in the es,ab-
lshment OF the free-school system, and
says:
Toe decade which has pas. shows aston
ishng improvement IN the free schools
of West VIrglnis. They have greatly
grown in popular favor; prejud &c
and opposition have gradually mei.7d
away; the system has been perfected
from time to Time, as experience revealed
defects and necessities the character OF
the schOol-hOuses has materially i'm
proved, and thousands of new and good
houses have been constructed; the mum
Der of children attending the free schools
as compared with the whole number OF
children of school age in the State, has
steadily increased; u much better cisss
of teachers mas been secured; md the pub
lie interest in the subject OF education has
been multiplied many iold.
He highly commends the management
of the Peobody Fund, and attributes to
it much of the success which has attended
tae Efforts for the elevation o! the schools
in general, and says that "the general,
decided and enthusiastic cooperation Of
the press and of the clergy of the State
has been of material and Unreasonable
advantage" And he thus sums up the
effect OF the combined efforts thus far put
forth:
The general result Of q million and
quarter of capital invested in school prop
erty; three thousand schools in sctual
operation and three quarters o! milllSn
annually contributor to run them; a
number of graded and high schools, and
hal. dozen normal schools, doing excel.
lent word; vast improvement IN che
competency and enthusiasm oil the teach
ers employed; schools kept open for a
longer period than four months in al
most every section oftho State, and out
OF l7OlO7 enrolled youths between the
ages of SIX and twenty-one years los, 500
actually gathered into the free schools Of
the State. "Wlhin less than single
decade" says DR.. w. X. Pendleton, the
present able and accomplished State
Superintendent, "there WAS, outside the
city of Wheeling, scarcely free school
in the State Now they rise up to greet
US beside every highway, and betoken q
future OF rapid and vigorous improve
meut. This is revolution that can not
90 backward. 1t creates Us own mo-
mentum. 1t moves by power within,
which increases as it moves, and which
strikes out the light and heat of its own
vitality
We may De sure that the citizens Of
West Virginia will withhold nothing re-
CURED TO give efficiency and success to
the free schools OF the State. It's future
growth and prosperity largely depend on
tuese schools. They harmonic and uni
fy ITS population, aud they attract en-.
tsrprise and cspi.al from every
quarter. each common free-school
teacher in our State rs one has APPLY |
said, sis practical and efficient com
missioner OF immigration" The vast re-
sources OF the State-ils wealth of forest
and mine, its mountains of coal aud /.
rir'rs of oil, lis possible production OF /
herds and grams and trui!s-need for /
their development trained. cultured /
and intelligent people. The public schools .
minister directly and indirectly to this !
grand necessity. They attract and they
develop; they show The path to wealtr .
and greatness ard power; and they slim
u ate all the energies OF h. people for b
g and and worthy destiny.