The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-06-15
An orasioa Delivered on Senior G lass
az no ;fs orrsa Z Auditorium
~ a. s.lroyer, OF Bar
t,cgirl cours =

= - - y
the time Of the otssasit ne Of our.
d lie 81 cunfain state in I SG3s, VIC md
dwelling among her hills, only a few
ii ho,lsa nd brave. hardy and liberty-lov-
ing pioneers The cir education was for.
the most part in the forest. for SO neg
@IfgenI had the mother State been of
the Interest of h er fair daughter, that
from the Virginia State linesto the
Ohio, only few log cabin school
( houses we're to be found. Instead OF
the school bell echoing from hill to
hill, one could hear only the report
sofs the hunters rife, the ring OF the
81 axe, or the sound OF the
shreshing fail on the old barn floor
Yet as strong as was the spirit OF lib
{; erfg anon the hardy people, it was
{ not stronger than was the spirit OF
" ed our State saw with clear vision
her creates need-the developme nt
or manhood and womanhood through
1.-The education of her boys and girls
so they laid the foundation of her fu-
ture greatness in the establishment of
asfree school system.
Under this system, the schools be-
gan to increase rapidly and in 1869,
ssae fnd$in existence more than four
hundred schools with total enroll
ment of eighteen thousand pupils. At
the head of this noble work was Dr.
White, a nan of foresight, who had
x - - = oo,,rare, of q 0oD ee1.
TO institute new measures and carry
them out. He did much toward found
& ing our efficient school system, and
sin arousing an educational interest
IN West Virginia
Dur school system had not long
been in existence until the people OF
the State saw the great need of eff
Gent teachers as well as schools that
would prpare our teachers for COM
petent work; so in 1865 the first Nor
NAL School in the State was estab-
8Iished by private citizens at Fairmont-
But before they completed their build
ing, IT passed, in 1868, under the con-
stroI of the State. During this time
the Legislature had established
7Ior1nal School at Huntington, and an
few years West Virginia had six
Normal Schools. We, as West Vir-
ssinians, are proud Of all these institu-
tons, and realize that they have been
great benefit the people; but we
are Iroudest OF our own State Normal
at Fairmont. DR. White. the first
principal of this school after it became
state Institution, desired to estab-
aIishs a model school in which he could
train the young men and young women
for one of the most important posi-
s..cns in life, that of teacher.
BY his untiring efforts, he laid the
foundation upon which his successor,
nsr.Rlair, built a strong institution AS
in all other great undertakings OF life.
lit seems as If a kind Providence turn-
sished his noble man for the purpose
of com 1eting a structure which for
over thirty years has stood the at
lacks of The enemies of progress and
enlightenment. For this great work,
he was well prepared, and he was able
to inspire every pupil under his in
55stI.iic tion Ito obtain an education that
he might become useful citizen.
Z There was real life in the school, and
$ SdSu liSN laws y - - 80
wi thin her halls. The people now be-
G gan to see what the school was doing
i for this part of the State, so that when
she was assaed in 1885, By the Leg
1. islatl.re the friends OF the school were
able sto withstand the attack, and to
bring her out of the contest stronger
than ever before.
The growth of all institution OF
learning is like the growth OF an lndi'
svidual. Protected only by the care OF
The devoted few, it must pass through
/. the period of infancy and childhood.
z It must Withstand the various attacks
of unpopularity, Of poverty, and of I'M
certainty to prove thatCit possesses the
inherent principles Of virtue and
worth.
After this struggle of 1876, the
school made rapid progress Year
after year she sent out teachers who
gave proof of the good work that was
being done by the institution under
her wise director-teachers who be-
came leaders III the brave army fight
ing among our hills and valleys, for
the true emancipation of strong peo-
pie. To DR.. Blair the school owes its
early prosperity and growth. He was
criticised but he remained at his post
49, cfn aivPrSiIy