Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-04-27
SUPERINTENDENT MASON.
Reviews The Work of The
Public Schools

Improvement of The Schools He
/ Receives Generous Co Operation
! From The Patrons And Hopes For
Great Things In The Future
Saturday April 14th, the final dis
trict examination for Monongalia
county for the year 1900 was held at
4 Georgetown. There were in the coun-
! ty this year twenty three graduates.
In travelling over Monongalia county
the past winter visiting the schools, |
have been very kindly treated aud
royalty entertained by her people.
The immense wealth of Mononga-
/ liza county has been one of the themes
of conversation. In some parts il is
1 due to the sale Of coal, In other parts
the development of the oil and gas
belts, and in other sections tho fine
farms and pasture lands attract atten-
ton. The school houses OF Monon-
gala are generally good, there are
some in some parts Of the county
that should be replaced by new ones.
There are in Monongalia county at
present lis school-houses, employing
about l25 teachers.
The schools of Monongalia, have
been greatly hindered this winter by
I epidemics Of measles, or whooping
cough. ] have visited about one hun
dred and ten schools, and of that
number more than seventy OF them
have been interrupted by one and
sometimes both OF these diseases
But there is one consolation in this
matter, and that is it cannot occur
again for few years at least. Re-
gardless of all these disadvantages
the schools have done good work,
with very many ODDS against them.
There is a constant demand for bet.
ter teachers, and the progressive ones
are always coming To the front.
There were but few No. | certih-
Gates issued last year, and If we can
succeed in raising the standard of the
profession, the Board of Education
will be justified in raising the teach
er's salary. To this end we shall look
and hope. The Boards of Education
of the several districts have locked
we'll to the welfare Of the schools in
supplying them with some very ex-
cellent helps in the way of charts and
books.
Teachers you need not be afraid Of
your Boards of Education, they are
all earnest conscientious men and will
be glad TO help you If You make your
wants known.
There has been, since the first of
the school year several solid slate
black boards placed in the schools of
Monongalia, and most Of the districts
are going to place them in their
schools as fast as they. are needed.
Twelve square yards Of slate board
can be obtained, with the moulding
and chalk trough ready to put up for
about twenty dollars, and it will last
a lifetime, and always be good.
While the common wood board made
and kept in proper repair for ten
years costs as much as the slate, and
is always an expense TO Boards of
Education and will never be as good
as the slate. One of the greatest
disadvantages the schools OF this
county have to contend with is bad
the teachers could do much better
work.
In some parts of the county found
excellent beginnings of Libraries. at
Wadestown ] found a public library
of about 200 volumes. These consist
of the complete works of many OF the
standard authors, every book a gem
and peculiarly fitted for its purpose.
This library is due to the efforts of
Miss Maggie Spragg and Miss Blanche
Garrison, who had the enterprise in
hand and insured its success
There have been libraries established
also at The Willy School, Battelle
Distaict: The Conner School, Clay
District; Cassyille School, Cass Dis
trict and at Easton, 10 Union Dis
trict, and should be in every school
in the county. The books we read,
the thoughts we think, the impulses
we follow all unite to make up our
life's work, and If we read good books,
we picture TO ourselves the hero or
heroine of the book we read and our
| lives are bent in the direction of our
ideals.
Why don't some friend of education
offer prize Of $500 for the best all
round graduate of the free schools of
Monongalia county for next year.
The Boards of Education could east
ly give $50. 90 to the best three grad
yates of their districts, and it would
stimulate the boys and girls to do
better work. We know from expert
ence that the average pupil in school
cannot realize the great benefits to
| be obtained by an education. We
very often hear grown up people say:
II did not try to study very hard in
school for could not see where an
education would be of any benefit TO
me, but now | can and If | had my
school days to live over again, would
make proper use OF my time. Ii our
boys and girls in the several districts
| No. inn i'm cinht