Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-22


intendent.
| Correspondence Of the Register.
Until saw your weekly issue OF the
4th inst. was not informed what
amendments our State Solons had made
TO our school law. Having carefully
read the abstract of those amendments
contained in your paper Of that date, |
must crave space to notice some of
them, for they seem to be exceedingly
! Objectionable and fraught with evil TO
the system.
SEC. Is. "The board District Board
Of Educahon) shall meet on or before
the first Monday in September, choose
a number Of teachers sufficient for the
schools, assign each to his or her re-
spectlve school," &C., &c. Former
ly the Trustees OF the sub-district
were empowered to contract with
teachers, the contract being subject to
the approval of the Board of Education.
The trustees, being citizens Of the sub
district, and Immediately interested in
the school, were far better judges of its
requirements, and of the kind of teach
ers best calculated to advance its pupils,
than any Board of Education can posi-
bly be. They employed such teachers
as they knsW TO be best suited for them,
and If one who was a married man with
a family were a resident of their own
sub-district, other things being equal,
they gave the preference to him. Now
the distribution of the teachers of the
entire district is left to three men, who,
i'm ninety-nine cases out of a hundred,
are not one whit better qualified to
Judge OF the wants of a school than the
trustees That is, they are not better
qualified if they are well acquainted
with the school as the trustees,
and that they can not be. Next
winter. in Obediene of the mandate
ole the Board, leave my home and
family and 90 ten miles to teach school
where | am not wanted, and another
teacher, whom they would have gladly
received, is sent 10 take charge OF the
school which have heretofore taught
and taught so acceptaDly that the peO-
ple want no other teacher, and make
things generally so lively for the new
Incumbent that he is led to devoutly
wish that the Legislature OF 1883 had
been in-paradiSe ere they enacted
such law. The whole thing is arbi-
trlry and without precedent. IL Is use
less 10 argue that the Board will have
respect for the preferences OF the people
and teachers. The peoples prefer
enee and the teachers preference
will sometimes come in con-
aict. Heretofore if the residents
of sub-district wanted me to take
charge of a school, which, for any rea-
son. / did not want, | had only to re-
fuse. Now, il the Board has respect for
the wishes OF the people of that sub-dis-
trict, and assigns me TO that school, L
am Obliged 10 teach il, at whatever cost
or inconvenience it may be to me, or
must abandon the profession.
BY section twenty-nine, two grades OF
ccrtifcatesare abolished, and all teachers
are rated as one, two or three. This Is
a most egregious error. Five grades
were none too many. There are at least
five distict lines of demarkation In the
scholarship of the members OF our pro-
iessiOn teaching in our State. Indeed, II
has been such difficult matter to IN
clude them all in the five grades estab-
| Hshed bv law, that until the practice
was condemned by the State Superln-
tendent. the examining boards OF many
| counties were i'm the habit of granting
| fractional certificates, as, for instance,
pa In order 10 see how the provision
will work let us take county which l
have in nv minds eye.
In this county there are thirty-eight
schools taught by as many teachers.
/ The grades of certificates are as follows:
| OF number one, 5; number two, I; num-
| her three, II; number four, I; number
FIVE. 4 The salaries paid are as follows:
/ For number one, SO per month; num-
/ her two, So; number three, SO; num-
her iour. so; number five, Sl5. The
| cost of the schools of this county under
the present system is $500 tor term
/ of four months. e..
Now, the new method OF classification
/ comes up for adoption. This county has
/ thirty-eight schools and must nave
/ thirtv-eight teachers. There are no IN
/ ducements here to cause teachers to come
from distance, and it is not especially
/ desirable that they should come II there
/ were. In is demonstrated by actual trial
that our own teachers are, as a rule,
\ superior 10 those peripatetic Pedagogues
/ Who are ever on the alert for the highest
salary. and drift about from one place 10
/ another. as this place or that offers the
| richest gpOil. The county must furnish
| her own teachers from her own citizens,
| opd the hoard of examiners must pre-
/ nsre an examination 50 easy that all VINO
az now teachers can obtain certificates.
That is. the list of questions must De
| male so easy that those VINO
now hold certificates OF the grade
6ys can obtain grade three, This
Le;ny done. those who hold grades two
AMI thrae al once advance 10 one, and
H. fonr advance 10 two. Now we have
ths folIoWing list: No. l, %; No. :, Z;
ZoS "a The Board OF Education when
they meet to lay the levy and deter-
mine the salaries OF teachers, are Ia =
woeful dilemma The times are hAIu
and TO increase taxation Is SOCIAL suiciIe.
The schools of the county must DC
Taught four months for SS,Sco NOW,
thai this may be done they arrange the
salaries of teachers as follows; NO. l,
SOS. No. 2, So; No. s, 50. The thIee
teachers OF the county who are really
accomplished in every respect sunet
a reduction Of So per month IN their
s,laries: the seven who nave
beratosore been granted No. -
= raJuction OF 81 each per month.
Thns these ten teachers who are orna,
,,,ents IN the profession, are reduced
in salary 70 the level OF those who max maxi
little or no exertion to Mt themsely y,
for the stupendous task Of iorming .ne
minds and morals Of the rising genera
ton :s Rosris Of Ed.