Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-08-07
NORTH MOUNTAIN.

Mr.. G. A. Chrisman visited this
Tuesday.
This section was struck by very
heavy storm Of wind and rain SUM-
day evening. The water ran in tor
rents. The wind blew the corn down
breaking much of it off.
Mr.. j. Henry Sperow of near Shep-
herdstown is visiting relatives in l..
Georgetown.
On Monday, near Tabbs crossing,
Mr.. Enoch Hedges was struck by an
engine and badly injured. He step
ped from one track, to avoid train,
to the other just as one going in the
opposite direction came along.
We could not learn the extent of his
injuries.
Mrs. Pardew arrived home from
visiting relatives in Pennsylvania, on
Tuesday evening.
Mr.. Seibert of near Clearspring was
in this vicinity buying sheep this
week and took home some very nice
ones.
The school election of Hedgesville
district, resulted in favor offs months !;
105 votes being cast for and eight
against eight months school.
The Board Of Education is alive to
improving the school property, all
permanent improvements being of
the best material and quality to be
had. We are getting improved furni-
ture, new houses, iron roofs, &c.
There is one thing, however, that
should not be overlooked while they
require teachers to be of the first class,
better wages than at present should
be given.
There will be teachers meeting
held at Hedgesville, on September
4th, for the improvement of the
schools of the district. All school Of
ficers and those interested in the well
fare of our schools are invited to be
present.
The past year has shown a marked
improvement on the part of our teach
ers in methods of instruction, and l
feel perfectly justified in saying that
the progress of the pupils in the var
ious branches of study, and in such
things as will make them when they
grow up to be men and women, equip
ped for the great battle of life, has
been more rapid and satisfactory than
in any year before.
The chief cause of this better teach
ing and better progress of pupils, l
believe, is to be found in the excel
lence of our teachers institute.
Teachers can not attend such institu-
ties as we have had in this county for
the last few years without imbibing
some of the earnest zeal of the instruc-
tors, and learning there are better
methods of teaching than those prac-
ticed in years gone by. So brethren
and sister teachers, don't think it a
hardship if we are compelled to at
tend an institute every year for week
at our own expense. Let us prepare
ourselves for the great battle against
ignorance by all means in our power,
perhaps we may build better than we
know.
Let us all be up and doing
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
The new school houses that our
Board of Education are building, are
neat and comfortable, but our school
house grounds are generally in bad
condition. Many houses being built
in the forest, the underbruSh is suffer
ed to grow up to their veiy walls. 1t
is hoped that our Boards of Education
will turn their attention to the clear
ing up and enclosing of the school
house grounds that we may in the
near future be able to plant shade
trees and make our school houses and
their surroundings present tasteful
and attractive appearance.
McGuffey's revised readers. Harvey's
revised grammars, and Rays revised
arithmetic should be introduced into
our school, when it can be done with
out additional expense, as these are
great improvements over the old
editions of the same. Then it can
be so easily done at the exchange
that no patron would grumble al
the small additional cost of exchang-
ing the old for the new, when so
much is to be gained by so doing.
The publishers, Van Antwerp, Bragg
& Co., pay all postage and freight
on books exchanged both to and
from their publishing house, and
it would be better to make the
change now, while we can get the
benefit of the exchange price, than
to wait a few years until confusion
will creep into our schools on &C
count of the two editions.
NELLIE.
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