West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-09-15
An Explanation.

The result of the recent examinations
of the teachers In this county may dissp-
point some teachers and surprise the pub
lie TO some extent, and for this reason
word of explanation is deemed advisable.
In the first place, IL was the fair square
and explicit understanding, publicly an
nounced through the county newspapers,
publicly discussed and accepted in the
educational meetings of last Winter, and
personally agreed upon between "A major
ity Of the BOards OF Education of the
county and the County superintendent,
that the standard of the grades of teachers
certificates should be considerably raised
this year. As result. "A majority Of the
dislricts increased the wages offered TO
teachers and the present action OF the
Board of Examiners Ia only In keeping with
this understanding aud agreement.
The standard has been so raised that
No. grade this year means more than
No. 2 grade last year and the simple
fact OF toach,rs holding No. 3 grade
this year should be no objection to his
employment whore No. 9 grade was
deemed competent To teach last year.
In the second place, the Board OF Exam
intrs sincerely believes that the SUCCESS Of
our schsOls depend mole upon the kind OF
teachers we employ than upon any one
other thing, and that the only way TO
build mp II class Of good teachers la the
county who shall be- respcc ted and prop.
erlY paid, Is tO make n teachers certificate
mean something. Our county school.
teachers, ~ class, have been and are
now as rule denominated by the public
as "mOssbacks," etc, and the chief cause
OF this disrespect is owing 10 the fact that
lreat many young men and women get
certificates TO teach school, and a great
many 20 teach, who are not competent TO
teach, and the only way to get just re-
turn for our school. tax aud render teaching
worthy the respect due it, Is TO make il
mean something, and to commence this
reform by granting certificates only where
TIE applicant shows himself competent to
teach rs required by law.
In the third place, the Board of Bxau.
liners are required to certify where Gel
tihcate is granted, that the teacher is
competent TO teach anj govern common
school. Now, the only wSy they have OF
ascertaining whether the teacher 10 com
petent 10 teach the common school branch
es Is by the examinations, and in the
present examinations where the applicant
shows by his written answers that be 10
not qualified to teach the practical part of
these common school branches, he has
been refused a certificate.
In the fourth place, the teachers were
graded mainly upon what they did en-.
swer, and not upon what they did not
answer. Some teachers claimed that some
Of the questions asked wers outside of
what ia usually taught in the country
schools; and that there might be no quee
ton IN this matter, the teachers aDswera
10 these questions were not taken into
accom- ~ the grading.
Ia the last place: Perhaps many OF the
teachers from different causes did not do
themselves justice this tine, but could do
better In another examination. 10 such
an opportunity Will be given by another
examination, about Oct. J. But IL any
teacher thinks that Injustice has been doDe
him, let bin notify the undersigned to (
that eject, and he will publish in both the /
county newspapers the questions
asked IN each branch and The exact an
swers such teacher made ~ them, and /
also the CORRECT answers, and thus let The !
public caudidly Judge whether injustice I
was done or not.
Very Respectfully,
Jos. n. HAwTHoRSg,