West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1907-09-05
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
System Regarded as Social Blessing
and National Safeguard.
AID OF PARENTS is ESSENTIAL
Must See That Children Attend Regu.
larry Crying Need for curtsw
Law IN Kingwood.


The free school system is founded
upon the theory that is cheaper and
better for the government TO educate
and instruct the ignorant and vicious
than To maintain penitentiaries and
asylums for their punishment and
detention. Statistics show that Igno.
rance and vice are close companions.
AT the institution of the system Of
public schools the parents, who are
the natural guardians of their off
spring, IN many cases resented the
night Of the government TO assume
the control Of the education OF their
children, but the wisdom of our
system Of education has been SO
well established that all have come
to regard it as social blessing and
national safeguard.
The citizens of Kingwood district
have very generously given TO the
town of Kingwood an eight months
school. This, we understand, could
not be granted by the board of edu-
cation lawfully, and the additional
burden was assumed by a popular
vote Of public spirited ciuzens. This
means considerable increase to
the thousands OF dollars already ex
pended by Kingwood district ON her
public schools, and the question
naturally presents itself To every in
telligent and thinking taxpay err: Is
this wise aud judiciuus step and
one which Will bring sufficien, re
turn for the increase Of taxation?
The answer TO this will depend al
together upon tho children Of The
town. II they at;ehd tx hpnl AID
take advantage Of their uTpurtuui
ties this money could not b bs,;er
expended. II they DO NOT attend
the school and neglect thei~ ptivi
leges this money is miserably mis-
appropriated. The parents should
be sufficiently interested to see that
their children do attend school; but
should the parents be indifferent
upon this point 1t is the duty of
every good citizen in the community
TO see that the taxes he has helped
to pay should not miscarry in the
purpose for which they were raised.
To meet this end some states have
compulsory education, which may
be wise measure. But as this state
does not have such law, the same
end can be attained by careful in
terest given to this subject by the
good citizens and taxpayers Of the
community.
There is tendency, however,
which is a menace 10 the usefulness
OF the public schools and which
should also be guarded against.
That is, growing sentiment on the
pant Of careless and indifferent par
ents to regard the public schools as
"baby farm" to which they can
send their children and feel sure
they are well cared for during the
day, and in that manner transfer to
the government through the agency
of some kind and patient teacher
not only the responsibility of the
education Of their offspring, but the
care of the child's health, cleanliness
and good manners as well. These
same parents grow 50 accustomed to
being free from the responsibility
and care Of their children during
the day that in most instances, for
further relief, they turn them loose
on the streets and alleys when not
IN school, where they run unre
strained and uncared for until, weary
and exhausted, they go home to bed
The curfew was Instituted in this
town several years ago for the
purpose Of making these uncared
for children go to their homes
where they could at least meet and
become acquainted with their par
ents and have some opportunity TO
study their lessons for the succeed
ing day. The curfev has gone into
an innocuous desuetude. But rhe
crying demand for i, suIl exists.
When ignorant careless or vicious
parents do not look alter their off
spring the government should again
step in and exercise its strong arm
IN compelling them 20 care for their
children during certain hours in the
day when they are not in school
The curfcw in measure ans gers
this purpose.