The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-01-20
oea s5saTE seAooLs

~ fot T. n 81 III Il ii
ogetnofs lite fl his mes SAGE Ia
The fEfsegis atnfe renews shis recon-!
a ;fiie 81 lions two FEARS ago concern;
Ing the ab6ll ttonS ~ four d the State
Normal sehoo ne thinks the State
u Y satttetmlptin 100 much In the matter
.!o n demic training, a work belong.
ing primarily to- the counties. we
give sbelowFhis discussion Of the Sub.
:jectHwhich is both timely and sensl:
bic. The governor says rs Z!
N "While$the State, III my opinion Is
not doing all that'it should lfor The
primary or public schools, we may
well ask ourselves whether we 4 are
not attempting too much in some 9th;
,ers directions. We have at this time
Six so.called normal schools, two pre-.
'raratory schools for the State Uni.
yersity. and two 4 colored Institutes,
Inaking ten schools o.. an academic
Grade. In my message TO the last
Legislature ] called attention TO these
matters andsto the fact that the great
State Of Ohio had not had any nor,
nal schools for many years, and had
recently undertaken 4 the giving OF
training 10 school teachers by.
establishing departments for that
purpose In two of Its universities at
& small additional expense. 1t was
also pointed out that our normal
schools are not normal schools In
fact, and that at present special nor:
nal training Is given at but one Of
these so.callcd normal schools. In
reality these schools arc but aca-
dcmic or high schools, anu do work
upon a par with that OF the best of
high schools. The question before
ne Legislature is how to maintain
ali Of our present State Institutions
and>to keep up with the growth and
demands which they make upon the
public treasury. The members Of the
Legislature will earnestly desire, | am
sure, to;do their duty by the primary
Or public schools and by the Uniyer.
slty, which Is the cap shcaf OF our
educational system; but We may ask
ourselves II We are not trying to do
TOO much in the way of secondary or
academic educational work at the
sole expense Of the State.
y suggested to the Legislature of
1909 Nthc propr!cty of dlsposing Of at
least four OF the normal schools ana
also the two preparatory branch
schools, and | renew that recommen-
dation to your body. outlined a
feasible and just plan in my. message
to the Legislature Of 1909, by which
SIX of these institutions can be con.
timed with but little further expense
10 the State, and at the same time be
conducted effectively as free county
high schools in the communities
where located: The State could con.
tribute $25o0 or $4,000 year to each
Of the six schools TO aid in supply.
Ing teachers, and donate the plants to
the counties OH certain conditions.
as said in my former. message: IL
the State, having created the six in.
situations, which would be given over
Under this plan, at a cost aggregat:
ing hundreds OF thousands Of dollars,
could now be relieved Of their further
care and responsibility, 1t would. be
in no sense an injustice TO any sec.
ton Of the State, and would relieve
the State of burdens which have be.
come too great. This would enable
the Legislature to take care of the
University and the remaining educa.
tional institutions in a more generous
manner"