Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1878-03-02
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AT the request of several Of our pa
irons we clip the following article from
the Martinsburg Statesman, written to
that paper by Justice" from Gerards-
town.
We have always been led to believe
that law is-or should be-founded
upon common sense. and justice. 1t is
an indisputable fact, however, that
great deal of law is devoid of either of
these valuable constituents. Noticeable
among the latter is clause in our
school law which reads thus "No col
lege diploma or certificate, or recon-
mendation from the president, or facul-
ty of any college or academy, shall be
taken to supercede the necessity of ex
animation by the board of examiners.
Reading further on, upon the following
page. if we mistake not, we find this
sentence, diplomas granted to students
of the Normal school departments of
the several Normal schools of this State,
shall be accepted as certificate ofqual-
ihcation to teach common schools
throughout the State" To say the very
least of this portion of our school law
has but very little justice in it. For in
stance, man may be graduate, or
regular A. M. of one of the first colleges
in the United States, aud yet his diplo
ma cannot be accepted as any evidence
of his competency to teach. He must
undergo an examination before the ex
aiming board of the county, and be
satisfied with such certificate as they
may choose to give him. There comes
another man, bearing a certificate OF the
fact that he has been at some little Nor
NAL for two years, which renders him a
graduate thereof, and hence full fedg-
ed teacher. He asks no favors of any
one, no examination for him; he faunts
his parchment in your face and demands
a position as a frst-class teacher, and
the law declares him so to be. Now is
there any Justice in this? Can any one
believe that a graduate of Normal
school is any better qualified to teach
than a graduate of Princeton or any
other frst,class college or seminary! Are
they any better qualified to teach than
the schools nearer home! Observation
and experience teaches us that they are
not Much more might be said in this
connection, but the inference can readi-
ly draw from the suggestions. There
is al other portion of our school law
which, to our mind, is entirely wrong
1t is this: Every teacher in the county,
except those who are favored with Nor
NAL diplomas, is required to stand the
examination before the board of exami-
ners year after year, no matter what
grade of proficiency they many attain
unto. Each year is the same old rou-
tine, pay the dollar and answer certain
number of questions. We have known
teachers TO obtain a No. certificate
for four or FIVE successive years, yet
these are not accepted as evidences OF
qualification. Is there any common
sense in this? After a teacher has
secured two, or at the outside, three
No. / certificates, should he not be re-
Ieved of the nececessity OF undergoing
these examinations! The same'teacher
very often has the same school for sew
eral years in succession. If he is capa-
bic of teaching the school one year is
he not the next? In other words, does
this yearly examination make him
more efficient teacher? We have often
thought of what miserable farce II is
| to cause such men as John Seller and
| of nj
we might mention-men who have for
gotten more than the board of exami-
iners ever knew, we say what misera-
bic farce it is 10 compel men so well
qualified as are these to appear before
the board of examiners at all. Yet such
is the law, and the same law which re-
quires this of these men OF experience
and ability, allows these Normal school
diplomas, often in the hands of persons
Of no experience and little ability, to
supercede the necessity OF an examlna-
ton by the board of examiners. We
are compelled to believe that this is one
of the laws that is not founded upon
common sense and justice.
Chief Justice Chase says: "Mount
Union is among the best, cheapest and
most progressive of American Colleges,
rendering thorough education in any
Department accessible to ALL" Great
improvements lately made, new Build
ings under way. The College year of
Spring, Summer and Fall Terms, be-
ginning last Tuesday 10 February, May
and August each year, enables students
of either sex to earn expenses by teach
ing Winters, without losing time. Diff
ferent students last year, SIS; in 81
years, 1860; property worth $751;, 500,
benefting students. For new catalogue
address Pres Hartshorn, LII, ALI
ance, Ohio.