Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-08-15
NORTH MOUNTAIN.

NORTH MOUNTAIN.
A party of our jolly folks held a
moonlight cotilliOn in Ellis's wood,
Thursday evening.
Miss Sarah O'Connor is visiting rel
atives and friends at Tabs Crossing.
Mrs. Sallie Rhinaman went into her
smokehouse to get a piece of bacon,
recently, and was just reaching to
take it from the hooks when she saw
something on the log above her hand,
move, and to her horror, she saw it
was large snake. She lost no time
in informing her husband, who shot
it. 1t was spotted, about #. long,
and thick as a mans wrist. 1t is sup
posed his snakeship was lying on the
log catching mice.
Mrs. Lank Ross has gone to Ohio to
spend several week visiting relatives.
Last Tuesday evening as Mr.. Jas.
Pear of Little Georgetown, was cross
ing bridge on the B. & o. short
distance east of your city, he was
struck by the west bound express and
badly mangled. He must have died
instantly. The deceased was about &c
or 65 yrs old. He served in the MeXi-
can war and was placed on the list of
veterans, few years ago, and given
pension. He was buried by the B
& o. in Greenhill Cemetery.
Cora Elizabeth Ambrose, daughter
of Daniel and Phoebe Jane Ambrose,
died in Martinsburg, Aug. 9th aged
8 years, 20 days, and was inferred in
Greenhill Cemetery. She was an in
telligent and obedient child and was
cut down in the morning of her life to
be transplanted in Heaven. Morgan
Mercury please copy.
1t is said the firing of Hedges barn
was ofincendiary origin.
The honor of post master it is said,
will fall on Mr.. Joseph Slaughter, the
:" boss" shoemaker of this neighbor
hood.
A short time ago, we were shown a
chick with two heads. Both were
well formed, with the exception OF
the bill ON one, being shorter than
the lower part. Monstrosities of this
sort are of rare occurrence.
From appearance of things in our
generally quiet little village Wednes-
day evening one would have thought
the James boys had arrived. A dis
pute in which fists and firearms were
prominent aroused us from our leth.
argy. 1t was ended by the man with
the pistol being downed by his assail.
ant and the weapon secured, which
was handed over to safer hands until
the next day. Boys, you had better
leave your pistols where they will dc
no harm, or you may find yourselves
in the iron band of the law.
Corn is Selling here for 81 cents.
We notice in your issue of July 18th,
a communication from Tomahawk
signed Butcher in which he said : sc
see the school teachers want to reduce
their monthly term for % days
down to 20 days. am not in favor of
that change. / say % days for school
month we are no better than other
states, which hold the % day system
and only have six months and that
divided into two parts three months
winter and three months summer. -
This led us to inquire into the sys-
TENS under which some of the &C other
states" conduct their schools.
In Maryland, the schools are held
under the term method, ten weeks of
5 days each, making a term (which
would be two and half 20daymonths)
for which a No. l certificate draws
from S95 to S105. The schools run for
three terms fall, winter and spring.
The teachers are paid for the holiday
iCeek between Christmas and New
Year.
We have, from fellow teacher at
Massillon, Ohio, to whom we wrote on
the subject, letter from which we
copy few extracts which speak for
themselves. He said: I closed my
summer school on July Sd after 10
months of teaching with only tco
aceeks vacation in all that time. Twill
begin again about Sept. 1st, at the
same place. We teach 20 days for
month. Wages are not governed by
certificates. Certificates are granted
in this State for 1, 2, 3, and years.
A teacher witha one year certificate
can get as good wages as the one with
a two or three years if the directors
agree to pay as much-and frequently
they do. In each school district there
are elected three directors who hire
the teacher. School terms, outside of
cities and large towns, are from u to
10 months and if there is surplus of
funds the schools can be continued Jofaqer.
Wages paid men about here are from
$40 to $50, and, to some, more.
What contrast to our % days for
from S25 to $50.
Butcher also says in his article. " I
stop between and months / saw
six; small scholars have no show the
way the schools are conducted at the
present time"
Now, ifhe would pause and reflect
a moment, he could plainly see
that with an eight month school the
"small scholarsn will have Sept, Oct,
Nov, and with a mild winter, I'D to
Christmas to attend school, and i'm the
spring from the first of April into
May, making in all about four and a
halt months.
Here in our closefsted little State,
with our 4-to-7-month terms, teachers
have but little encouragement to i'm
prove themselves. With strict econo-
my teacher can exc out an existence
by working at something else during
vacation time, which might and
would be spent, by many teachers, at
some good Normal school if our e,lor-
nous salaries would permit, thus insur-
ing the people better schools /; better
talent, better teaching and real prog
ress. The school teacher is being
who must have meat and drink, be-
sides books and other expenses which
he would not have to incur outside of
the profession and is expected to go
well clothed at all times and if the
6 wherewithal,v is not furnished him
with which to live decent, he is CON-
PEELED to go where his work is ap-
preciated and better wages paid.
Is it any wonder that first class
teachers will remain only long enough
in the profession until they find some
thing better !? Now, if our schools are