The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-01-31
LETTER FROM WEST VIR-
GINA. Ei h
From the Nev.Exland Journal Of Eduea,ionl

The union of the Vest Tirgiaia
Jomndi ef' Education with the, Ma
tiondl journal If Education. and
the transfer of the subseriptien-lists,
good will and good works of the form
er journal TO the latter, have doubt
less created in the minds of the read
ers of the National Journal desire
to know more of their new neigh
bors." To crafty this desire, and
to present plainly the state of the
educational work in West Virginia,
is the object of this article, s8
/ do not claim for the masses of
this mountain State the culture of
New England, but claim that, con-
sidering the age of our educational
institutions, we have reason to be
proud of our progi ess. West Virgin
ia was born into the family of States
amidst the commissions of civil strife,
on the 10Th day of June, 1868. She
is the youngest daughter of the sod
Dominion," and is still in her eteens. =
Following the example of her older
sisters,-Ohio and lndiana,--she is
outstripping her mother in matters
pertaining to the education Of the
masses. 1t is generally known that,
previous to the Rebellion, Virginia
had no system of common schools.
She founded higher educational in
situations, but built no school houses
for the common people. She provid-
ed literally for the endowment of col
leges, but her fund for primary edu-
cation was made up annually of pre-,
carious sums arising from fines col
lected for violations of law; AMI this
was paid out for tuition of pupils
whose parents confessed themselves
too poor to pay for the education of
their own children. aesiia8f Is q
uoa 'lig THE PEOPLE e7F
inhabiting the territory which now
forms West Virginia were, previous
to the war, intimately connected by
the ties of trade, and many of them
by the ties of marriage, with the peo-
pie of Ohio and Pennsylvania, and
partook Of the spirit of northern. in
situations. The Virgiana Pan Han.
die" extending halfway from Mason
and Dixon's to Lake Erie, and the
entire northern and western borders,
and some Of the interior counties of
the State, contained a population
whose intelligence and enterprise
were little less than that of their
neighbors of the keystone on the
North, or the Buckeye on the West.
But while the people of the sections
named kept up with the progress OF
the times, despite the fact that the
State made no provision for primary
education, the masses, in many ofthe
interior counties, had very poor edu-
cational facilities. -sl.t....z.......f f.
AS proof Of the progressive spirit
of our people, / may refer to the
fact that, as soon as the new State,
West Virginia, Was recognized by
the Federal authorities, the people
proceeded at once to- adopt and to
organize complete system Of FIRE,
schools, embracing efficient State and
county supervision. They built in 9
shorttime, more than three thousand
neat, comfortable school, houses; they
erected six State normal Schools.
providing free tuition to those who
wished to be trained for teachers
and they founded.a State university
which affords advantages second, to
none west of the Alleghanies. We
have several denominational colleges
and seminaries doing frst-class
work, and system of county in
stitutes. conducted by experienced
educators, who are paid by the
State. .s.. ..le .-.... ...-..... 10
Most of our teachers are
PROGRESSIVE MEN AND WOMEN.
/ feel that I would be safe in saying
that all the leading educational jour-
nails of the land find readers among
the live teachers of West Virginia.
The last annual report of one Of oul
county superintendent states that
81 teachers out Of 80 employed in the
county were subscribers to some edu-
catiOnal journal. | have met, with
in ten days past, a number Of our
most live teachers and most success.
full superintendent, and with'femaft.
able unanimity they agree with 1.-THE
sentiment of the valedictery of the
editor of our late journal, 1.-THE Nq;
tioaal Journal Of Education is the
best educational publication in the
United States, and one that ought
to be in the hands Of every live teach
err" 59 giis.G' goiI3 saui 5ai n
The interest which / feel in tht
educational work OF West Virgins
leads me TO wish that every teacher
in the State would become reader
Of the -Vutioaat Journal of Educa-
ton. Iwould not remove from the
table of any teacher the journal which
Iofnd already there, but l would
have, him take. just that much more
stock in his profession because twill
pay. want no clearer proof Of the
incompetency of any teacher thar
to learn that he reads no educational
journal. ID He mag be incompetent
evea with it, but it is certain that hi
will not be a first-class teacher with
out it. The true teacher longs TO
the coming Of his journal as he hun
oars for hia daily bread and il ia az