The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-08-16
A SHORT SKETCH
OF the Next State Superintend-
emit of Schools-A Competent
and Practical Man to Succeed
the Present Efficient Incum-
bent.
To tie Editor EN- Rexists,-

MoRGANTowN, w. Va, Aug. A.
In the Register of July 10Th is found
a correspondence i'll which the fol-
! lowing words appear.
"As to Mr.. Butcher, the writer
considers it bad policy to change a
! known and tried officer, one who
has proved himself competent and
faithful, for one who is unknown
and untried-and, perhaps, mex
perienced. What do the people
of Ohio county know of either Mr..
Duffy or Mr.. Morgan9 But as the
nominations have been made and
can not be recalled, the counties
that have secured them. cannot do
less than enlighten the public as
to the qualifications of the gen
tlemen, who aspire to the high Of
fees of Auditor and State Superin-
tendent.
1t is true that Mr.. Butcher is a
competent and faithful officer. 1t
is also true that Mr.. Morgan is not
quite as well known as his late
competitor, Mr.. Butcher, neverthe-
less think Mr.. Morgan's county
can have no difficulty in convincing
the public as to his qualifications
for the high office of State Super
intendent. Indeed | know no
gentleman in the State Of West
Virginia who possesses better quail
fcations for that office than does
Benjamin S. Morgan. He is a
young man, it is true, but in the
short period of his life | think it
no exaggeration to say he has ac-
complished vastly more than most
men accomplish in the whole of a
long lifetime.
Benjamin S. Morgan is a lineal
descendent of David Morgan, who
with his brother blackwell, made a
settlement on the ground where
the town of Morgantown is now
located away back in the year II.
being the first successful settlement
ever made on West Virginia soil.
There are many romantic and inter
esting stories related of the desper-
ate bravery and thrilling adventures
of these old Morgans with the In
dams which the readers of the
Register would read with delight,
but they are not pertinent or mater
ial at this time, as B. S. Morgan
and his friends claim nothing for
him on account of illustrious par
entage or ancestry. His claim to
the suffrages of the people is based
solely on personal merit and fitness
for the office. And it was on &C
count of his eminent qualifications
that the Democracy was induced to
set aside SO good an officer as Mr..
Butcher.
Benjamin S. Morgan is the sec
ond son of Smallwood G.. Morgan,
farmer Of limited means residing
in Grant district, this county. His
childhood days were spent, like
those of most farmers boys, in as
sisting his father on the farm. By
his inherent energy and industry
his early education, acquired in the
public schools, fitted him at the
age of'sixteen for teaching, and at
that age, with ardor and enthusi-
asm, he began that profession with
the intention of making it his life
work. By teaching he procured
some means of his own, and, with
the laudable intention of further
fitting himself for usefulness in his
profession of teaching as well as of
satisfying his desire for knowledge,
he entered the State University at
Morgantown. He was obliged sew
eral times to leave his classes in
the University and to go out and
teach in the public schools to pro-
cure the means necessary to defray
his expenses, but he had the stay
ing qualities and surrounding all
these difficulties he conquered the
classical and military courses, and
graduated with distinction in June
1873. His record as student in
the University was first. class, as
will be abundantly testified to by
the professors and teachers in
charge of the University during his
attendance. His deportmet has al
ways been of the highest order. |
Of his department and scholarship
his teachers spoke in highest terms. |
And about the time of his gradua-
ton from the University, the then
President, who was Republican, |
that "Ben Morgan would |
surely go to heaven unless ex-
Guided by reason of his being
Democrat.
Mr.. Morgan was distinguished
while in college as a fluent and
elegant writer and speaker as we'll
as a thorough and pains-taking
student. AS teacher Mr.. Morgan
has no superior in Monongalia
county and | believe but few, if any,
in the State.
In May, 1873, just before he