The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-01-14
PROF. CRAGO'S COMMENT

PROF. CRAGO'S COMMENT
Upon tho Observations OF Governor
Atkinson Relative to Educational
institutions ofthc State.
To the Editor of the Intclllgcncer:
s1R:-For: more than a quarter of n
century the writer has been engaged in
public school work in our young and
growing state. He came to the state at
n time when the Macedonian cry" for
help was being sent out to other states.
It was a time when there we're not
teachcrs:enough to fill the schools. He
has seen. the system grow to its present
proportions, and he can hardly realize
the progress made, 1t has been so great.
In all these years he has been n careful
observer, as well as hard worker, and
he thinks lie knows something of what
has made us what wc are educatlonallv
and he unheslta.Insly asserts that our
system, Of normal school and our teach
ers' institutes have been two OF the
greatest factors in this great work.
The writer himself thought that
three normal schools. the number in
operation when he, came to the state,
were sufficient TO meet the demands n nd
when. those Of shepherdstown, Athens
and Gleqvllle were established It was
feared that the people might rebe, ana
the whole system OF. normal schools
would Nhe abolished. The three schools
mentioned above. were established bv 4
legislature unfrienGly TO normal
schools 1t was done purposely to try
to destroy all the schools; this can ba
proven by members Of that legislature
still living. One of the prominent
mIHbers ina letter written to the vrI-
fer, during the sitting OF the legislature.
stated that this was the case. But In
stead of, these schools being hin
ORANGE to the cause. the years OF their
existence. have proved that they were
TO the sections where situated lust
what was needed and had they moi
been established hundreds OF young
men anu women. who have for years
been teaching successfully In gu:
schools. could not have been doing so
from the Very fact that they were not
able TO so away from home 10 yet the
training necessary TO prepare them for
teaching. These schools IRE a necessity
ana We have none too many OF them.
as TO the recommendation OF the gov
ernor that one purely normal school be
established, I am sure that to make arv
one school. In any certain section Of the
state. different from the others, will
not be 4 wise move, They ought 10 be
more purely normal than they now are
and they will be oil that they should
be. If thcy arc filled with teachers that
have real knowledge OF wha; our
schools need. and with the ability to
instruct teachers, !. e.. teach them hoy
to teach. II VIC have one purely profess
stonal school, let It be school Of media
Gogf In the university. do hope the
members OF the legislature will go slow
in the matter % meddllnG In any
manner whatever with our nor
NAL schools except It may be to make
them more efficient. The way to 10
this Is TO appropriate money enough to
empleS the very best OF teachers. No
one can imagine that the writer has
anything personal In this matter; oil he
wishes Is to see our public schools be-
come better year after year. Our
worthy governor means we'll 10 doubt,
but there may De- come things that
even a governor does not know all
about. especially matters. the details OF
which have not been made speciality
BY him. also hope that our solons
Will think long and we'll before they at
tempt to make a distribution OF the
irreduc!blc school fund. l will got ar
que this matter, until some good reason
IA advanced TO SHOW that It would be
for the best.
The argument that We have no re-
sponstb!lltv resting upon us In regard
10 the education OF future generations,
|. G.. that they will be more able to edu-
cate themselves than we are to edu-
cate ourselves. One might as we'll ar
cue that parent Is not under obliga-
tion to his offspring because they will
have better opportunities to become
educated than had the parent. Unless
some better argument thnn 7 have ever
yet heard advanced, be used. would
unhesltatinSly say keep our rreducIble
school fund intact. 1t might be well to
set limit at which It must stop in
crensing, but do not do awar with Il
entirely; It will be ~ great big step
backwards. do not write in spirI;
OF criticism. Our governor has made SO
many good suggestions, that he may be
pardoned for these two bad ones, |. c.,
bad in the humble opinion OF the writer
whose life thus Tar has been spent In
the cause OF public school education,
and WHO expects 10 continue In It yet
Cor years 10 come.
1t Is hoped that our legislators will
make the compulsory school law more
efficient and also make It 50 that It Will
apply TO Wheeling the very place
where 1t is most needed,
- F. II. CRAGo.
Wheeling, Jan. u. 1892