The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-03-27
From the American Journal OF EducationJ
Educational Items.

hVNSuShe III SSuOoi iuhItero. Aucy
want better schools and better school
householder teachers and longer
school terms.
My neighbor paid taxes on 81 900
worth Of property last year; what
did the Missouri Normal Schools cost
him.
Less than four cents. Only ono
common cigar less would have moro
than paid his Normal School tax.
1t is good plan for our teachers
to organize reading clubs and get the
people together.
Parents are interested in getting
their children to declaim, or read, or
recite.
1t promotes harmony and good
feeling in the school district to bring
the patrons Of your school together
often.
If we do not educate more, VIC must
pay for the unwise laws laws enacted
by incompetent members Of the Leg
islature.
Three months schooling year will
not create generation of wise men
and women into whose hands the DIES.
tiny Of the State will soon be placed.
Better arrange for q six months
school at least, at the next annual
meeting, and to arrange also for
securing a competent teacher to con-
duct it.
This can be done by levying and
collecting money enough to pay them
living salary, and paying it every
month as it ought to be paid.
1t is Of FAR more consequence than
many think, whether the future farm
ing population of our State and coun-
try is to be active intelligent and
progressive, or dull, ignorant and
without energy or thrift. A man
whose mind is inactive and undevel-
oped, inevitably becomes stupid and
sluggish. 1t is high time that this
matter should receive most earnest
attention.
A great impulse might be given in
the right direction, without expense
to the State and with very slight cost
cost to the respective school districts.
We would suggest the following
plan:
Let law be passed, making it a
part of the duty of each public
school teacher in the country school
district to hold, on one evening in
eoch week, at the district school
house, meeting Of the older youth
residing in the district, at which
meeting he shall preside and deliver
a short lecture on some interesting
topic, scientific or otherwise, and
shall arrange and conduct other ex-
crcises of an entertaining and ipstruc-
tive character. To make such meet
ings attractive,a programme of about
the following character might be Oh
served:
l. Lecture Of the teacher, or some
other person invited by him.
2. General conversation or
discussion upon the topic Of the lect-
ure. H
g. Music-vocal or instrumental
or both, if there should be musical
talent among the persons present.
L. Conversation on matters Of in
terest to agriculturalists, or on pub
lie affairs OF the district, town, coun-
ty or State, or on other subjects Of
general INTEREST.
Our letters from school officers and
parents show steady growing inter-
est in the good work our teachers are
doing.
Schools are more successful and
more largely attended than ever be-
fore.
Pupils are more punctual and more
anxious to attend.
In fact there is pressing demand
where teachers have done well to con-
tinue private schools after the pub
lie schools have closed.
People prefer having the children
learning something that il usefal--A
forming god habits--aud the chill
dren themselves have come to know
that good habits and intelligence are
in demand.
One must have something more
than mere muscle nowadays when
so much manual labor il done by
steam power.
It is hard for q person to come in
to competitor with steam engine