Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-09
CHANGE IN SCHOOL BOOKS
In Ohio County Does Not Meet With
the Approval of Patrons of the

In Ohio County Does Not Meet With
the Approval of Patrons of the
Schools.
To the Editor of the Register.
Strive notice an article in last
Sundays Register in regard to the
changes in school books in the rural
districts of Ohio county. To say that
the action Of the school book board
does not meet with the approval of the
parons Of the schools in the country
districts of Ohio county is putting it
in the mildest language the circum-
stances of the case will permit.
1t is true as stated in the article re-
ferred to in the Register that the mem
bers of the Ohio county book board
cannot give a good and sufficient rea-
son for making the changes they did,
nor do we believe any of them will at
tempt to give a reason. We under
stand that one member of the board
undertook to give a reason why the
State history should be changed, but
the reason was Of so little merit that
we are ashamed to record it.
The members of the Ohio county
book board are supposed to be the ser
wants of the people of Ohio county;
and yet we are credibly informed that
when petitions were presented from
the patrons and teachers of the schools
Of Ohio county, praying the honorable
board to make no change in the text
books. one member of the board sug-
gested that the petitions might as we'll
be put in the fire. The books changed
by the Ohio county board were all up
to date text books, having been adopt
ed only five years ago. The teachers
petition, which found SO little favor
with the book board, We are informed,
was signed by a large majority of the
teachers of Ohio county, any one of
whom is the peer of any teacher on
the board, and just as capable to select
text books suitable for the pupils of
Ohio county as the teachers who were
members of the board. The petitions
from the patrons, we are credibly in
formed, were numerously signed.
Every patron in the county to whom
the petitions were presented signed the
same without hesitation, and expressed
strong hopes that there would be no
change made in the books, as they
were entirely satisfactory.
We want to say right here that a
great majority of the patrons who sign
ed those petitions are just as intelli-
gent, and equally as well equipped to
select suitable text books for their
children as are a great majority of the
members of the Ohio county book
board; and yet, all their petitioning
and praying to the members of that
honorable body went for naught. But
why discuss the petition business fur
Their; the whole proceedings of the
board on the 22d of February was If
regular and not according to the law
governing school book boards, Their
duties, etc.
We refer those interested to chapter
As, section 57a, l., which reads as fol-
lows: There is hereby established in
every county of this State a school
book board, to be composed of the
county superintendent Of the county,
who shall be a member and the secre-
tary of the board, and eight other
reputable citizens and taxpayers of the
county. At least four of the eight shall
be free-holders and not school teachers,
and at least three shall be persons ac-
tually engaged as teachers in the
schools of the county, and shall hold
a teachers number one certificate or
its equivalent"
Now we are informed, and I guess
we can verify the statement, that there
were only two teachers of the eight
members appointed by the county
court, who were actively engaged in
teaching on February 22d, when the
new text books were adopted, and two
of the other class of members were not
residing in Ohio county at that time.
Yet they helped adopt the new text
books for the citizens of the county.
Surely there is much cause for an in
junction case in Ohio as in any other
county in the States. RURAL.