The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-07
SCHOOL MELANGE.


In the various discussions Of matters
pertaining to education among the great
body of teachers in session at Bellnire
during Friday afternoon and Saturday
morning of Thanksgiving week. the sub
ject of supervision held a prominent
place, l. e., supervision of the rural
schools. 1t does seem strange that Ohio
has not taken more advanced grounds
on this subject, or rather that she has
not long ago had her country schools un-
der supervision. Pennsylvania pas
county supervision with pay enough to
call for the very best talent in the coun-
ty to supervise the schools, and her
schools are Furnishing finely under the
systems. The county euperlnte ndeney
In that state Is considered the very right
arm, as It were, OF the system. West
Virginia has county supervision system
with salary so small that no one wishes
the position, and as a general thing, the
best teachers do not become superinten~
dents; on the contrary, 1t Is often the
very opposite Of this, and still the coLin-
~ superintendency has done and Is still
doing great work In West Virginia. AAll
our educational meetings when they
have anything at all to say on the mat
ter ask for better paid county superln-
tendency, knowing that the more etii-
Client the supervision, the better the
schools. The concensus OF opinion
among the Ohio teachers seems to tend
toward a township supervision. This
Is all right II not too expensive. The
unit for supervision we think. Should be
not less than fifty schools. This would
in large counties give several supervi.
sors. Did the people take time and
palms to consider this matter there
would soon be supervision In over all our
rural schools. because they would see
that the money paid for supervision was
well spent.
At meeting OF the principals, quite a
number of subjects were discussed. The
committee appointed to investigate the
subject Of language as TO how 1t IS
taught In other schools. reported pro-
gress. and announced that their report
would be made at the next meeting OF
the principals, which will be in the
month OF February, 1899. The commit
tee to revise the premium list for schoo!
matter at the next meeting OF the Tri-
State Fair, met after the meeting of
principals adjourned, and completed
their work-Inaklpg several changes. It
was developed at the maeting that quite
number OF the principals are opposed
to having an exhibit at the fair at all,
thinking that IN the main 1t Is an Injury
instead OF a help TO the school as a
whole. This is a subject worthy OF
thought. The writer has always favor
ed anything that brings the true work
OF the school before the public, and as
the public will not come to the school
10 see the work, we must take the work
the school, as It were, represented by
the work--to the public. Without az
tempting TO discuss the matter further
we would merely say that all school
work presented ms such ought to be Just
what It is represented to be.
The thanks OF every citizen OF Wheel
ing are due to Judge Hugus in prohibits
ing minors from attending the murder
trial now In progress in our criminal
court. Especially should the teachers
thank him, that the pupils OF the public
schools are not allowed TO throng the
court house. and listen to the tale of
blood and murder as told by the witt
nesses. Our young people, boys espec-'
Tally, have too much OF this In some
newspapers. and In the yellow backed
literature that Hoods our country.
In connection with the above we beg
leave to say to teachers In general, that
you can do no greater work for the boys
and girls under your charge, than TO
create in them 4 taste for good reading
and a corresponding dlstaste for bad
reading. There Is no one thing that Is
demorallzinE the young people OF Amer
tea to-day than Is the reading OF trashy
literature. II is so cheap that anyone
can buy It, and It Is so ruinous In Its
nature that It is poisoning the minds OF
our youth and unflrtIng them for every
thing that is good and noble. The only
way to counteract its influence IS to re-