The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-12-01
ENLARGE THE LIMITS
OF the Independent School
District.
COL. FAST SUGGESTS A REMEDY
Fer the Neglected Arrangements for
Primary Education in the Dis
trict Around Moreantown.

The lopsided, unequally balanced
condition of the school arrangements
of Morgan district was pointed out
in last weeks issue of the NEW Do
NINToN, and the ewes of "a great many
people hersabonts were opened to
the peculiar problem which con
fronts the Boards of Education of
Morgan and of Morgantown hide
pendent districts, which was more
deeply impressed from the fact that
the Chestnut Ridge school closed al,
together because the pupils who
properly belong there come into the
Morgantown schools for tie reason
that the schools here are nearer than
the one at Chestnut Ridge, and no
school is provided for them at Sun
nyside, where by all means a school
should be located The matter is
one in which the people are greatly
interested to find remedy. With the
idea of a solution Of this problem in
view, the New DOMINION called upon
Col r. f. Fast, a member of the
Morgantown Independent district
Board of Education, and said to
him
'Gol. Fast, presaEaing that you
have read in the NEw DOMINION about
the closing of one of the schools of
Morgan district, and the absence of
one nearer town, what would you
suggest as a remedy for this eondi
ton of the affairs of primary educa
ton around about usp'
To this he made the following re
ply, weighing well in his mind every
point before giving utteranee to il;
Yes, | have read your account of
the closing Of the Chestnut Ridge
school aud suggestions about trans
ferring it TO Sunnyside. There is
only one plan Of action which sug
gests itself to me as likely to pro
duce permanent improvement ia this
respect Enlarge the limits of the
Independent School district so as TO
include all persons who seek the
benefits of the Morgantown schools.
This can only be done by an act of
the legislature, II is true. as your
paper says, but the legislature meets
in January. Why not have the bill
passed at this session. 1t is not fair
to the taxpayers of the Independent
District to have a great number of
pupils transferred to it by neighbor
ing country districts This privilege
has always been literally exercised
No pupil, that | am aware Of, has
ever been denied the benefits OF the
Morgantown schools II is true the
law now provides certain fixed tut
ton to be paid by the district from
which the transfer is made; but this
compensation Is Inadequate TO meet
the requirements and would not jus
tify the Board in providing enlarged
school room facilities
Il will not attempt TO define the
boundaries of an extended Independ
ent district. but | will say that in
my judgment it ought to extend to
the following points at least:
"On the Falling Run road to in
elude John o. Xangilder's.
"On the Uniontown roads to T. J.
Meeks, thence TO Pools Rocks on
Decker's Greek
ION the Kingwoed pike az far out
as VIM j Wells lane.
"0n the Palatine pike ne IA as
the crossing on the b d O. r K
"On the Fairmont pike as far as
the forks OF the road leading to
Granville,
ION the Collins Ferry road as far
as 0. Fl Dille's.
with limits thus extended there
should be at least two if not three,
additional school buildings erected
for the accommodation of the pri
mary grades, one on Sunnyside, one
in South Morgantown, and. if the
third one should be found necessary,
one in Greenmont. The present
school building should accommodate
the primary grades within the cen
| VI al llfi tlbL VI tht lfNBs tuN oubbib
also be sort Of central High School
for the whole district
In the meantime, some sort OF
temporary arrangement should be
made for the accommodation Of the
Chestnut Ridge children who can
not reach the Flats or Woodland.
But it is out of the question to talk
about any joint action Of the Boards
looking to the establishment of a
school on Sunuyside this winter. 1t
would only be temporary. 1t would
never be satisfactory. The only
thing to do, to arrive at permanent
benefits, is to enlarge the district.
There is no danger Of getting it too
big. The larger the better Spread
it out. Then during the next year
provide for the school children"