Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-01-31
surs.istsaislt's Semi Annual Report.


school textbook question. 1t is, doubt
| less, known that the State Contract by
which the textbooks have been furnish
ed to cur public schools the past six
years, will, this year, expire; and that
the Legislature. now in session, will be
called upon to renew the old contract,
| to make a new contract or to do nothing
whatever in the matter, thus allowing
the various local authorities to select
such books as. in their judgment, will
best subserve their respective interests.
voice the sentiment of the Principals
of our schools, of our Board of Educa-
ton, and, certainly, of every tax payer
in our city, when l claim that State
Contract for textbooks is detrimental to
the best interests of education in our
State, and, that should such law be re-
enacted, our Representatives should zee
that it does not apply to the Independent
District of Martinsburg. We are, / am
sure, unit in opposing radical change
in our textbooks, and, moreover, if
changes are to be made, we prefer to
decide the question for ourselves. both
as to when these changes shall be made,
and as to the textbooks which shall,
from time to time, be introduced.
The contract system is unfair, partial,
iniquitous, preventing competition, while,
at the same time, the favored publishers,
by repeated revisions and new editions,
are continually making unjust demands
upon the taxpayers. Under the contract
system books cannot. as formerly, be
handed down from the Oldest to the
youngest member of the family, but on
the contrary, a latest revised edition.,
often inferior to the original book, is
issued. and, unless the patrons wish to
be - behind the times, " they are obliged
to purchase the revised edition -; or.
if radical change from the old to new
is not made, the teacher will be an
noyed by having two or three different
editions of each text book for every class
in his school.
/ commend heartily the action of our
school authorities in petitioning the Leg
islature of West Va. to give our Board
of Education, together with the Superin-
tendent and Principals, complete juris-
diction in the matter of selecting text
books for the free schools of Martinsburg
next wish to call the attention of the
Board to the subject of teachers exami-
nations and teachers certificates. Upon
this topic, as well as upon the remaining
two topics which l shall briefly discuss,
| express my individual views. l do not
wish to force my opinions upon any
body simply ask careful considera.
ton of the topics upon which propose,
for few moments, to dwell. / have
always held that teachers should be SUBJ
jected to the same tests which all other
professional men are obliged to undergo;
that they should be thoroughly examln-
ed by some competent authority and
that the certificate received upon that
IL l. E.. E.
Let the teacher thereafter, stand upon
his merits, or fall upon his dement's. just
as other professional men are obliged to
do. The examination is but an imper-
feet test at best for he who fails in dis
cipiine, fails, also, in teaching. We
should judge the teacher not so much by
the per cents received in an examina-
ton, where, often, through copying, and
other unfair means, the incompetent dp
pear to stand higher than those more
competent but rather by the advance
ment which the pupils make, who are
placed under his charge. 1t is wrong, !
believe, to compel a teacher who has
beea once thoroughly examined, to again
undergo the same trying ordeal: it is
still more unjust to subject those who
have already stood repeated examina-
tions. to endure, every year, or even
every fourth year, the same worrying
yet useless. so-called test.
The one examination of which | speak
should be thorough in every respect
The applicant should be examined sepa-
rate and apart from every other appli-
cant. He should be asked not simply
ten questions upon each branch of study
for therein lies one of the most serious
defects of our present system of exami-
nations but on the contrary, his exami-
, nation should be SO thorough as to con-
vince the examiner that he understands
fully the branches which he proposes to
teach. The certificate granted upon such
an examination should be good for life,
at least, in the town or county in which
it is granted.
have always been the true friend
of the competent teacher, and l shall
ever oppose the repeated examination es-
pecially of those teachers whose efficien-
: cy has, for years, been exemplified in
the daily work of the school-room.
One of the most serious defects. how
ever, which l note in the workings OF
our schools, is the fact that so many
children are permitted by their parents,
or guardians, to remain away from
school altogether or to attend SO irregu-
larly as to promote neither the pupil s
advancement, nor the teacher reputa-
tion as an instructor.
Un-American as the idea may seem to
anonymous critics, there is. nevertheless,
but one key which will solve correctly
this difficult problem viz. Compulsory
Education.
We do not need to move Ohio into
West Virginia, neither need ,ce move in
to Ohio, as certain nom de plume wisea-
ores would tell us but, believing that
we should profit by the experience of
our sister States; believing that we should
incorporate into our school system that
which is worthy of emulation. whether
it originate north or south of Mason &
Dixon's Line, am free to say that were
our Legislature to enact for West Vir-
ginia school law similar to that, at
present in existence in Ohio, our public
schools would enter upon an era of pros
perlty such as they have not hitherto ex-
perlenced.
conclude upon this important topic,
by quoting from former report, as
follows" The people are taxed to sup
port the free school system. Why not
compel the children to reap the benefits
to be derived from that system?
Is it right that the wealthy capitalist
mans child Yes, because his own pro.
perty and person are safer in an educat-
ed community than in an illiterate one
Is it right that the poor man should re-
fuse to send his child to school? No, be-
cause the very purposes for which the
free school system was created are thus
thwarted,-the wealthy man 8 money is
expended, while the poor man 8 child
remains in Ignorance
Several States have already adopted
compulsory education. Will our own
Legislators do as much for West Vir-
ginia ?"
Lastly, l contend that the Board of
Education should elect a Superintend-
ent, whose duty should be, in the main,
supervisory.
He should teach not more than three
or four of the most advanced branches
taught in the High School he should be
allowed to select from the competent
scholars of Martinsburg an assistant
Principal for the High School. whose
salary should not exceed that paid to the
Ward School Principals, and whose
method of teaching should conform er-
act'y to that prescribed by the Superin-
tendent; he should have stated office
hours so that patrons and others desiring
.