West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-06-02
TINS rRrsNNr or OUR SCHOOLS.


TII PRESENT. or OUR SCHOOLS.
! Before vonturiug upon any methods
for tho Improvement of our schools, or
saying anything ii relation In oar school
interests, il * only pertinent and proper
to taiSc gonorul survey of the present
status Of the school affairs Of tho county.
| Under our school law tho County super
int"ndont is CNpoctoI To have n general
supervision aud caro- of tho schools of
hts county and thereby Is made, To- n
considerable extont, responsible for their
successful and otcient working. Like
tho physician, who must SOC his paticnt
| or have ut least worry definite information
from ono who has seon tho symptoms or
| condition of the patient. before ho can
safely and ofiectually prescribed remedy
or trentmcnt so with the County super.
intcndent in school matters. lie must
SEQ all the schools of his county i'm their
actual every day working condition. and
then from this personal knowledge of
their condition shape his course and pol
| Icy In relation To his supervision over
| them.
In pursuance of The law md with n
detormlucd purpose To sec all could of
the schools, during tic past Winter
visited, with few exceptions, all tho
schools OF tho county, and gained what
consider "A clear understanding of their
condition. Based upon tho information
thus derived, 7 now propose to con slder
what, II my Judgment Is proper pol~
! Icy to ronder moro efficient tho free
school systom of our comfy,
But, rs ! said, the object of tho present
article is to show the present status Of
our schools. From what | have been able
to sec of them my simple conclusion Is
that tho amount of money invested and
the vital interests in, Owed, ought TO
render our schools more ofIlcient than
| thoy are at present.
\ lihural and generous public senu.
mont has opened the public treasury of
| tho county and state, ard supplied 1856
comfortable school houses. now scattered
| throughout the county, and In
! " hich tho 6,67f youth Of our county, b,S
twoen and II years, arc taught their
| y
education during four months OF each
year by I5l teachers also paid out of the
public treasury. Considering the fact
that our county Is rather sparsly settled
and our people generally of moderate
means, this is doing reasonably we'll, al
least, from the money standpoint.
All must acknowledge and admit that
1 Iaa 81 L.. -,
any people arc dependent upon the do.
gree OF its popular education, 80, at least
the money invested and the interests In
vOlved should render our schools OH
ciont If properly managed and directed
BE " far from mo to say that tho schools
of tho county have not done great anc
benevolent work bat do say ia { will
q better and wiser ecoEomy of tho mean,
at our disposal our schools may do muol
more of the good work, fruits of wbicl
we SEQ every day around nv. The ro'
possibility for this misdiroction rests &
, some extent upon all the factors in tn
system.
The pupils of our schools, as rulc
hcve no definite manner in view b.
which they hope To acquire that educa
ton oneraa them by the State; no atten
tive and cordial corporation OF tho par
, ent in their daily school work, and man,
other circumstances which serve NOR
to DISCOURAGE than 10 en courage thom J
this workshop of their youth.
Teachers arc inefficient often; Their
= are no Inducements offered which ma
Load them TO become better teachers
they arc paid moro, as "a rulo. for thei
mere qualification in tho branches to b
taught than for their true and succe ssfu
work i'm the school room; and. as q rule
they donOt receive parental co>operatiol
in their work.
School officers often uso unwise oCcn
omy in tho use Of tho public money ant
often the public good is made su bsorvi.
, ent TO personal feeling or interest.
3 Tine patrons of our schools also do no
se0U To- realize the nee, ssity and import
ancc Of The education OF their children
r and consequently havo not shown tina
8 interest and hearty cooperation sqnec
esSary 10 the success of our schO lis.
To takeall these matters, together witt
b n multitude of other hlndrances and 81
, shape, fashion and direct tho work an,
| action Of all the factors in our schOO
= system 50 as ~ render IL as efficient AM
2 | successful as every cent of money ia
= vested and every matter Of interest in
volVed would indicate il what devOlve
upon the supervision Of our schools,
Feeling my responsibility in this mat
2 Ter II shall be my purpose from time I
time during the Summer "a indicat
what deem proper policy ~ respect
tho school system of our own county,
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strange Marriage aud "a Divorce