The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-06-22

LIE HutoIou ucSohSo Ouc vi sci
ious import when referred to the ap
plication Of political proclivities t.
the commonest school offices. 1t il
no uncommon thing to make dis
ordinations upon purely political
grounds, in the selection Of teachers
for common schools, in the appoint
mcnt of trustees by Boards of Educa
ton, in the election of school boards
and county superintendent. Were
politics, as defined by the great ma
jority, anything higher than blind
adherence to sectionalism or to the
principles for which "father fought
and voted, some respect might be
given to slight determinations in
these departments of service, but
politics as known to the great mum
Der Of the people, is farce, name
without an existing principle. OBJ
scryation has taught us that little
improvement has been made in Gle
waiting the standard of education in
our common schools within the past
decade. Many improvements have
been made, but, we speak from per
sonal experience when we affirm that
in many counties the standard is
lower than years ago, and the class
of teachers decidedly inferior. There
is constant and indeed just com
plant among the teachers of the
State that wages do not justify any
special effort on the part of the teach
err. l say these complaints are just,
and must be heard, but cannot be
under the present system of govern
ment in our common schools. The
tax payers as rule are ready to con-
tribute of their hard earned funds
toward any enterprise that proves
itself worthy Of patronage. 1 do not
say all Taxpayers, but the great ma
jority. With education at its pres
emit low standard the salaries paid
educational men, teachers, &c, are
commensurate with the requirements
of the situation. This is a just but
not healthful state of affairs, since
much improvement can be made, and
must be made if w. Va. holds her
station among the progressive States
of the West, the literary East and
the rapidly developing South. w.
Va. has choice talent. Examine the
records of W. Va. studeDts in every
college in the U. S. where our State
is represented and flattering reports
are always found. The W.Va.U. can
be improved in the number and char
acter of her students just in proper
ton as the fountain head of the
school-system is improved. the com
mon schools. Blind is the theory
that the W.V.U. must claim the at
tention of our legislatures to the neg
lect of the common schools, acade-
mics and normal schools, which are
the sources whence must be drawn
our supply. The idea that politics
must enter into campaign for the
election of school officers as it has
and does do even down to the APP
pointment of common school teach
crs, is q fatal stroke at the public
school system and subjects it to
harsh and too often deserved criti-
cisms by its opponents. 1t is wise
provision that county superinten-
dents are elected at time when the
heat of political campaigns is latent
But it has been custom for many
years in many counties of w. Va. to
elect n man for uperintendent who
is in sympathy with the predomi-
nant political sentiment of that
county, and any man elected, or who
will per nit his election on this basis
is decidedly incapable of admins
teriug the duties of the office free
from political bias. The result is,
the political teacher, the teacher who
is popular with political rings and
demagogucs, and not unfrequently,
indeed, he is not teacher, and never
was Il good one, is elected, regardless
of his educational ability, his official
merits, or the good Of the schools,
and in nine cases out of ten he is
eminently inferior to half the num-
Der one teachers in the county. The
board Of examiners is chosen from
among political brethren; the super
intendent must recommend him or
he is denounced as disloyal. Polit-
'ical favoritism is the primary object
and the improvement Of the schools
secondary one. The most prom
Using hope of improvement in the
schools of our State, that has recent
~ dawned, is the radical change
made in the election of superintend
ents this year; radical from a polit-
ical standpoint Merit has had the
ascendancy generally. The next
step is 20 invest the superintendent
with additional powers and duties,
multiply his responsibilities, give
him trust that will require ability,
character, merit and force to pre-
serve, duties that demand talent and
manhood to insure their effectual ex-
ecution. Grade the salary according
ly, and we will have superinten-
dent, not thing. Make the office
a paying one, and merit the essential
prerequisite for promotion to it. En-
large the common school curriculum,
raise the standard of county exami-
nations, and fill our schools with
teachers who kno7o and the people
will pay them.
Separate the schools entirely from