The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1883-05-09

we would call the attention Of our
citizens to the Importance Of the
last two, as upon their work, their
qualifications, their wisdom and
prudence, the. efficiency and sue
cess Of our public schools mainly
depend.
COMMISSIONERS.
These are at the foundation Of
the whole system. They are elect.
ed directly by the people, and SO.
lected from the immediate neigh.
borhood in which the school work
is TO be carried on; that they may
know by daily experience The ed.
ucatioDaI necessities Of their dis.
trict and being themselves person.
ally interested in satisfying these
wants to the fullest extent possible.
Were it otherwise, IL would be a
sad reflection 10 think, that in u
government, free and intelligent as
ours, confidence in the people is SO
far lost as to lead our lawmakers
to know and feel that the parents
Of the youth of our Republic viii
not take interest enough in these,
their children, as to elect men Of
character, Of purpose, of intelli.
gonce, to supply them with proper
aud suitable schools, and school
couveniences.
The design and purpose Of elect.
ing Boards Of Education, is eyi.
IDENTIFY to supply our State with
such school facilities as shall meet
the positive demands Of the age
M consideration of party politics,
or SecIarian feelings should hamp.
er The work Of their office, but a
broad aud comprehensive interest
should be the controlling element,
including in its true democratic
spirit all parties and sects, in one
common bond Of unity and fellow.
ship.
School sites, school buildings,
school teachers, school necessities
Of every kind ought not to depend
upon the vicious agency Of party
votes, or political alliances. M
science, whether rudimentary or
advanced, can tolerate or recognize
the contraclive aud degrading lin.
itatlons Of such a character. Text
books are not Democratic or Re.
publican, much less will the spirit
aud power and beauty or moral
truth bend to such notifications
Indeed, the whole foundation work
Of Boards of Education will, Of
necessity, be vitiated, il allowed to
depend in any way upon issues of
such a character.
Our school law, presuming that
the people would take sufficient in
teIest in their own children us to
elect the wisest and best men for
their school Directors, irrespective
OF political issues, has set apart II
year Tor this purpose, in which
neither State nor National discus
sions should disturb the more pro
found and the more absorbing in.
tcrests Of education. If men of
liberality, Of responsibility, men of
educated minds, men whose moral
lives should tinge their office with
the color and wealth of virtue, are
not selected for those great trusts
and duties, we shall have the sad
evidence of u general demoraliza.
ton Of our people that shall de.
maud the most serious considera.
ton Of the law making power Of
our State government. If Boards
Of Education, when elected, allow
themselves to be diverted from the
great purposes Of their Office, for.
getting its application to all in
common, independently Of any pc,
litical or social caste, it manifeSts
a weakness, a malfeasanCe that
should be promptly met by the
most prompt and summary remedy,
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT.
This officer stands at the head of
our educational interests in the
county. The people Of a nation
are judged for their intelligence
and progress in the march of en-.
lighIment, by the character and
power and virtue Of her public
men. What is true Of q nation, is
affirmative Of a State, County, or
District, The age that produced
Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Benton,
&c, &C., was the period most illus
trious in American history. The
great power Of mind force which
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