Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-09-29
The superintendent,s Report.

!
Below is given in full the report Of
Superintendent Of Public Schools c.. H..
Cole. which was made 10 the Board Of
Education and referred to the report yes
terday.
TO the Board of Education:
Gentlemen.-In accordance with your
published rules, | here with submit my
annual report. 1t is my purpose to call
attention to some Of the points Of special
interest to the patrons and all interested
in school work and to suggest some need
ed Improvements.
The number of different pupils enrolled
in all the schools during the past year was
1892. This is an increase Of * over the
proceeding year. But while we have an
increase in enrolment, there is a decrease
in the average daily attendance of "a
This to be sure is small when compared
with so many children. Whether it was
caused by sickness. bad weather, or negli-
gence on the part Of parents perhaps cam
not be definitely determined. Each no
doubt contributed its share. 1t is quite
certain that some parents do not see and
feel the importance to the child # regular
attendance. Many bright child. to say
nothing of the dull ones, is placed at a
lasting disadvantage because it is not in
school at the beginning. Where the in
struction is competent and progressive
and where the course Of study is sufficient
in amount to meet the demands Of the
average pupil, the loss of even week is
a serious matter to the majority Of pupils;
and yet there are pupils that do not enter
school for month after its opening. There
are pupils who have made good start,
have been keeping up for several months
and then are permitted to stay out for a
week. The connection of the work is
then lost the interest H. lost, and the pup
il regans with difficulty, if ever, the lost
ground. Not unfrequently the loss Of a
single lesson if it happens to be an inn
portant one will seriously affect a
pupils work.
The number of cases of corporal punish
ment is also less than the proceeding year.
THIS indicates growing skill in manage
ment on the part of the teachers. That
corporal punishment is necessary at times
is unquestoned but a too frequent use Of
it is sign of weakness on the part OF the
teachers.
The number of cases of hardness is
slightly increased over what was reported
one year ago. here is where the coop
eraCion of parents is especially needed.
am aware that it is no small task to see that
the children are started to school IN time
to be there on time. If started too soon
they are tempted to loiter and play by the
way and so be late; on the other hand if
they are not given time enough they are
easily discouraged in their efforts to be on
time, and give up trying. The habit OF
being on time is a valuable one, and since
business and society are all the time be-
coming more highly organized, the habit
of being on time is becoming every day
more important and necessary.
wish TO speak especially at this point
of the primary grades. There is no part
Of our school system that has made great
er progress in all respects thanthe prl-
mary grades There are several reasons
for this, among which may mention that
the teachers have had the fresher material
to work with, they have also had younger
and more flexible minds to work upon,
and the esults of better and newer meth
DDS are sooner seen. | wish also 10 add
al this point that the salaries of our prl-
mary teachers should be raised. 1t re-
qures more tact. more skill, more knowl-
edge, to be good primary teacher than
in any grade until the seventh or eighth
grade is reached The children come to
the primary teacher unclassified, unframed,
many of them not knowing what govern
ment means. They received their first
lessons in reading. writing, spelling and
number work, their first lessons in gov
ernnlent, manners and social restraints.
The classes must be made small and the
time of recitation short, for their minds
are weak. They have no knowledge OF
the use of books and to keep them busy
the teachers must prepare their work for
them, put it on the blackboard on their
slales. on paper for them, must work with
each individual pupil, more than in any
other grade in the whole system; and yet
their pay is less than in any other grade.
Twenty-seven dollars a month will satisfy
only him who says that anybody can teach
the children, that it does not take much
education to teach them the rudments. If
the mothers work with her child for the
first five years is more important than
any after, then the primary teachers work
is more important than any that comes
after, because she gives them the start,
and does any body believe that it is not
all important to get the right start? If to
get the right start is so important, is it a
promotion to 60 from the primary grade