The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-11-28
Washington District.

Having seen a communication in |
the Chronicle from County Supt. !
Lester, in which he speaks very fav-
"rably of the progress our schools are
making anal says in reference To same
that The great problem is: How shall
we cause our pupils to make the lar
gest possible attachments in the foun-
dati"n branches, etc. Now, while we
are not a teacher, we are favorable to
the free school system and also to the
cause of education and moral i'm.
prOvement, but we think the teachers
and officers of the schools should 90
t. their work thoroughly equipped for
all the duties of said office or pruf.s
slpn, and our opinion is that most of
the failures in schools are on account
Of some failure ON the part of sworn
officers
Now IN order to correct thus, we
have to go outside OF the school house
anu beyond what the Supt. would see
III making his visits IL the several
schnnIs. There are school houses i'm
this district that me nothing more
than places where the teacher gees to
while away his time aud draw his
pay where II large portion of the
scholars tail To Z" because the teach
ers cannot teach the common branch
e.; where Glass in grammar gets but
one recitation week. If this is u
healthy condition, | would hate t. see
the schools unhealthy. Where shall
we go to c"rrect this? Surely not to
the parents or scholars.
We are not gning to say anything
about the BOARD OF Examiners now :,
but wish L" state that many Trustees
n"w IN service know no mure about
their business than if they bad never
been Trustee, and some can neither
read nor write their own name. These
are not appointed because there is no
competent men III the sub-district but
because all men cannot be used jusr
as teachers and officers desire to use
them.
we believe that the success or fail.
ure OF the schools depend as much ON
IN
he Board of Education and The Trifs
tees as upon parents aud teachers
While we do not think that the teach
ers are all competent to teach the
common branches, if We had Board
of Education and Trustees who would
81" their duty we could soon remedy
that evil, as the schunIs are in the
hands of these uficers and they let the
teachers run The school To sui. them.
selves, as though they were not sub
Ject to higher power.
Now, as To moral training. teacI,
er ought to he capable of teaching
morals, both by precept and example,
because the Board certifies that The,
are of good moral character, and if
they are not, the authorities have
the power To dismiss them.
But how different W. fud il here
We see The intoxicated teucher led
around by the President OF the Board
of Education, keeping hlm from fur.
Their harm, and never charge
brought.
will say in conclusion that I an,
not blaming Mr.. Lester tor the c,,d,
ton of our schools, aud have ma
doubt that, to Il visitor, the schools
made a good appearance, and his
report OF conditions were true 80 far
as his observation went.
But Ia one who lives here and secs
lie condition Of schools one day with
another, knows that the majority ot
schools are not doing much good and
that many + he teachers holding No.
| and 2 certificates, could not pass an
examination Of merit.
Certainly, we want to see the stan.
dard of education elevated to its pro.
per place, but we will never see it
I'LL we get officers who will do their
Whole duty without fear. If there
are MOI some changes made snon there
Is strong talk Of voting the levy down
III this district.
AN OBSERVER.
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