Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-12-13
THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
Schools viii Close on Dec. Path
and Reopen on Ian 5.
SUPT. COLES ANNUAL REPORT
Matter Of Holding School on lnclement DAYS
Was Left in the Hands Of Supedatendent
and P incipals.

ses i,n .rcpday With President Rus
sler in the chair and all of the COM
missioners present. The minutes Of
the last meeting were read and APP
proved. A few bills against the board
were presented AID ordered paid. The
public schools of this city were order
ed to be closed from the Gath Of De-
cember to Monday Jan. 9TH for the
Christmas HOLIDAYS.
The subject in reference to the op-
ening of the publio schools in inclem-
ent weather was brought before the
board Monday night. The matter was
carefully considered by them and thew
decided that this should be left entire
liz to the discretion OF the Superinten-
dent and the Principals of the schools.
The secretary was instructed by the
board to Issue the checks to the jani-
tors on the "A Of December. Commits
sioner Evans was appointed as a COM
mittee of one to bring before the City
Council in their next meeting the COM
plant Of the had pavements between
Liberty street aud the Fifth Ward
School.
Prof. Cole, Superintendent of the
Public Schools of this city, then pre-
sented his report which was as follows {:
To the Board of Education, Martins
burg. w. Va.
Gentlemen In the following COM
munication. l wish to lay before your
honorable body a few facts of general
interest in connection with our edu-
cational system. In the first place 1
wish to state that the general efficiency
of the teaching force is steadily in
creasing. The changes in the teach
ing corps for the past few years have
been few in number. This necessarily
gives to growing teachers increasing
skill aad efficiency; for the longer
they are in their positions the
valuable they become. / need hardly
add that cor the increased efficiency
in the work of the High School the
credit lis largely dine to the better
work done by the teachers below the
High School. For the High School
must build all its work on what is
done before the pupils reach there.
The HiRh School course has been
continually growing in scope and
thoroughness. The English work, is
gwen equal rank with every other
study. English grammar. compost
ton, rhetoric. and literature are car
led throughout the entire four years
with a recitation every day. so that
all college and university requirements
in English are met before graduation.
Mathematics is taught the entire year
every vear Of the four. FIVE DAYS in the
weekand has been for the past FIVE
years at least. Algebra the entire first
year. Arithmetic the emit e slcnnd wear.
Geometry the entire third year, and
Algebra the entire fourth year. I
believe every reasonable and intelli-
gent patron, one hat knows some
thing Of modern methods of teaching,
would address the Supt. somewhat
ON this wise. "Mr. Supt. there must
be something wrong somewhere, either
with vour textbooks or with your
methods Of teaching. if after the pu-
pills have had the subject of Arithme-
ric for five years. wears work in
she High School does not fit them TO
meet all the ordinary demands of life.
1 reply. There is a defect somewhere.
and we have been striving for the
past four years to remove it in 3 meas
ure. We have met with many OBJ.
s%tacles. but we are not discouraged
Likewise in the Latin, it is taught
every wear for four years, FIVE lessons
a week the introductory lessons the
first year. four books of Caesar with
composition the second year, five ora
tions of Cicero with composition, (the
class last year read six the third year.
and six books Of Vergil's Aeneid dur
ing the senior year. In German the
work covers but two wears, the junior
and senior. and the class last wear at
the time Of their graduation had read
besides their gramn n about four hun
rded pages Of German text This is IS
much as is read in any but the oldest
High Schools in the country. The
Work in History overs three years.
each entire e five recitations a
week. American history the first
year, General history the second wear.
and English history the third wear.
A e a is allotted to bookkeeping. a
half year each to Physiology, PHYSICAL
Geography, and Civil Government,
and a year to PHYSICS.
Below is a statement Of the studies
pursued and the number in each
branch
Boys Girls Total