Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1890-09-12
COMMUNICATED,
DIR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Had a stranger been in town on
Monday last he would have been as
tonished at the number OF children
passing along the streets in the direc,
ton of the Graded School, and mad
he followed them to their destination
he would have been still more aston
ished at the large attendance upon
that school and wondered where all
the children came from. The great
Improvement in the character OF this
school and the increased attendance
of pupils is a qualification to its friends
and q source of pride to the commu-
pity. The enrolment OF the school
for the first month will exceed two
hundred for the four teachers.
What is said Of this school may be
said of all the schools in this district
Reports from the several sub-distrlcts
note an increased attendance. Bet
ter results are expected from our
schools this year than ever before.
For several years past the Board OF
Education, with the hearty co-opera-
tion of the teachers, has been trying
| to reduce the absenteeism In this dls-
trict. and have been encouraged by
their success thus far, but it is not yet
what it ought to be, though the re-
ports show that the per centage OF at
tendance in this district is greater
| than in any other district in the
county. 1t was with this object In
view. and for the further purpose OF
making the several schools more use
| ful to the community, that the Board
of Education, in order more fully TO
carry out the requirements OF the
school law in reference to the branches
to be taught, adopted a schedule OF
studies and classification for the sew
eral schools, and directed the teach
ers to use every effort to carry them
into effect, which has been done with
gratifying results thus far. This was
not done to impose any hardships up
on the pupils, though it did make the
teachers work greater and did IN
crease his care and attention, but 1t
was done to give the people a better
training for their children and to en-
large their educational facilities.
There had been too little attention
given to the proper training OF the
Young mind and to the development
of its faculties. The student was left
to choose his own studies without re-
gard to his fitness TO undertake the
same, and often he was allowed to
pursue one study to the neglect OF all
the rest, thus making him a badly de-
yeloped scholar, lopsided boy, and
if he should desire as he grows older
to attend higher schools, he would not
be prepared to enter any class. 10
meet this felt want, the Board OF Ed
ucation, in compliance with the re-
uuirements of the law and under the
authority given them, required the
teachers to insist that the pupils shall
pursue all the studies prescribed and
that pupils should not be advanced
from lower grade to higher grade
until they had complied with the con-
ditions of the lower grade.
This provision encouraged the dill
gent and made the lazy ones dillgent
to keep up with their fellows and pre-
vented absenteeism, because this
would hinder their advancement.
The law makes it the duty OF the
Board OF Education to prescribe how
the required branches shall be taught
and makes it the duty Of the trustees
to see that the teachers carry out the
schedule prepared by the Board.
Every State Superintendent to which
| the question has been carried for ad-
Indication, has decided that the cor
porate authorities Of the school and
the teacher have the authority to say
what studies the pupils shall pursue,
and even the Attorney General OF
this State has recently given it as his
opinion that the pupils Of the public
schools, according to their age, are re-
auired to study all the branches pre-
scribed, unless the pupil is mentally
deficient.
No sensible man who is familiar
with the principles and methods of
mental training could give any other
| opinion and no parent who has at
heart the proper mental training and
educational development OF his child
could object to such regulations.
Our high schools and higher schol-
ars would then have less trouble with
the pupils sent to them and they
would be able to do their work bet
ter and we would find better scholars
turned out from schools Of all grades.
ONE WHO KNOWS.