Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-06-06
Special to the Register.

whose terms will expire on the 4th OF
March next, will be candidates for re-
election. These are Hon. John NJ. Row
an, State Treasurer; Hon. Virgil A.
Lewis. State Superintendent of Schools,
and Hon. T. S. Riley, Attorney General.
The Governor is not eligible for re-
election. Hon. l. V. Johnson. Auditor,
and Judge Homer A. Hall, Of the Sill
preme Court, are weary of public Office
and desire to retire to private life.
1t is presumed that there will be no
serious opposition to the denomination
by the State convention of the three
candidates named for the reason, first,
that 1t has always been the custom o.
the Democratic party to nominate State
officers for election to the second term
when they desired 1t, and, second, they
have made excellent officials and ought
in justice to the people whom they have
served so we'll be retained for another
term.
Col. Rowan has made an admirable
State Treasurer, and has given univer-
sal satisfaction. The Office is not so
unimportant as the average citizen is
inclined to believe. 1t is not so easy
to guard the public funds as might be
supposed Besides looking after the in
vestment of the permanent school fund
in a manner to make it safe and cause
it to yield the greatest possible income
to the State, he has the placing in the
public repositories the general State
funds, watching these repositories to
see that they are
ALWAYS SAFE AND SOUND,
and to so divide the public funds among
them as to do exact justice TO all. This
is not an easy task when it is remem-
bered that there is always a clamor
among the banks for public funds. Col.
Rowan has discharged these delicate
duties in so admirable manner as TO
compel the commentator of all who
have had business with the treasury de-
partment of the State. His readiness,
too, in giving information to The pub
lie concerning the condition OF the
treasury, of the separate funds in his
hands, and of the general affairs OF the
treasurer's Office has made 1t real
pleasure for citizens of the State to APP
ply, either in person or by letter, for
information. At the close OF the last
session of the Legislature the members
Of both houses were unstunfed in Their
praise of Col. Rowan for his attentive
courtesy and promptly giving them
every item of information and gener-
ously assisting them in every possible
way in their pursuit Of knowledge OF
the public business. Col. Rowan has
always been popular with the masses.
Being a man of sterling integrity and
honor. and having a lively interest in
the welfare of the people. he is natural
~ very popular with all classes. lie
will very likely be renominated Tor
treasurer by reclamation.
Hon. Virgil A. Lewis, State Superln-
tendent of Schools. is another member
of the State administration who has
served the people we'll, and will doubt
less be renominated and elected. West
Virginia has never had more indefat-
igable worker in the State Superintend-
ent's office than the present incumbent
He has been essentially the State SUI
perintendent of all
THE SCHOOLS OF THE STATE.
No school. from the lowest primary to
the university, has escaped his careful
consideration. He has done much to
improve our free school system with a
view to making it one grand system OF
progression-th primary school reach
ing I'D to the graded schools, the
graded schools joining hands with the
high schools, and the high schools and
normal schools being received into the
family OF the university, the head OF
the system. This has been his aim
and his ideal ever since he assumed the
duties of his Office, and he is working
energetically toward the accomplish
ment of this end.
Mr.. Lewis takes special interest in
the county institutes, and under his
guidance this work has become one OF
the strongest means in the State oil
nrenarIng the teacher for the duties OF
his profession. The preparation of the
programme of work for these insti-
tutes is in his hands. and he has made
this so practical that the work has
grown very popular with the teachers
as is indicated by the extraordinary in
crease in the institute enrolment
from 5.771 in 1892 to 1871 in 1895. In
this matter Mr. Lewis has aided much
nv his presence. having spent the most
NJ each summer visiting the institutes
and thus
COMING IN DIRECT CONTACT
with the teachers of the State. BY this
means he has had an opportunity tc
learn much about the systems of teach
ing in different parts OF the Safe, com
paring one with the other and finding
the good points of all. Through the
efforts of Mr.. Lewis the appropriation
of funds by the Legislature for the
s,1pport of these institutes has beer
doubled. and while there has been
strong disposition for some time on The
mart of the agent of the Peabody FunC
to withdraw the donation from tina
fund for institute work in this State
vet nv the persistent effort on the par
of the present State superintendent
showing the good work it is helping
the State TO maintain, it has been con
tinued.
Stunt. Lewis is the author OF the ad
mirsble Manual for Grading Thu
Country and Village Schools" said t.
he one of the best systems in existence
It has been taken as model for grad
ing the schools in several other States
In our own State it has been success
fully introduced into all the schools fol
which il was intended. 1t is most Ger
tainly working a revolution in 5h'
school work of the State. and the STATE
Superintendent deserves much credi
for the untiring effort which he ha!
made to perfect it and put it into work
ing order.
THE NORMAL SCHOOL WORK
1. L. liz cd -.