The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-29
BIENNIAL REPORT OF STATE SUPT.
OF SCHOOLS is MADE PUBLIC

BflDL UULlU
ter 10 determine The counties.
Ritchie ana Tyler. voted on the couns
\ ~ high school proposition this fan
land In the first It was defeated. but,
carried by handsome majority In
the second. In a few other counties
favorable action might result, but /
believe system Of district high
schools viii more nearly meet the de.
mands II today. While our school
law as viii be seen in section 1926.
now makes provision for establishing
such schools, there should be some adj.
ditional legislation on the sab1ecs.
and 1t is hoped that our next law.
making body will provide for the same.
The recent agitation of this question
in several towns OF the state is good
indication Of an awakened public sen.
timent snd 1t is believed that a number
nj the communities are going to deter.
mine that their youth shall have bet.
I ter educational facilities.
!! The difficulty in Supplying schools
with competent teachers Is not con,
fined to West Virginia. In Ohio. In.
diana, Pennsylvania, and even In
New York City, there is not a SUM-
Client number of qpaitaed instructors
TO supply the demand. The indus
trial development of the country has.
ihy the payment OF larger salaries,
been laying claim to the services Of
many of the best teachers and our
schools are suffering thereby. Young
men In clerical positions and young
women in telephone Offices and as
stenograPhers receive larger salaries
than do teachers even in graded
schools, and as long rs this continues
SO long will there be. depletion In
the teaching force. The further fact
that the work of these positions is
oftenttmes not SO exactfng and does
not require the expenditure of sol
much nervous energy, also has a good
deal TO do with the withdrawal of
some of our best teachers from the
work.
However, it will doubtless be a sur
prise to most persons to learn that
there are over a thousand more Ger.
tlhcates now in force in West Virginia
than there are schools In the state.
But this fact is shown by the follow.
Ink figures: 2.44s number one certffi.
Gates have been issued, all of which
are in force; 7,s05 number twos have
gone out, but those issued in 1908 have
expired, SO deduct 1887 from this
number, leaving GIGS; then 2,o25 mum.
Der threes were issued this year. max.
ing total Of 1868 certificates that
have been sent out under the uniform
system. These statistics viii be found
on page Ga of this report. To this nun.
Der should be added at least 700 Ger.
tihcates granted by the State board
examiners, and 500 issued by towns
and cities that have the authority to
examine their own teachers. In all
THIS makes 1889 certificates good at
The present time. But many teachers
hold two or more certificates. so we
Will be very liberal and deduct 5000
FOR such duplicates, when we have
$3.50 teachers holding certificates now
In force. and as there were only 4.
$50 teachers employed in all our
schools last year, 1t will be seen that
my first statement is correct, and that
there are in the State to-day a thous.
and persons holding certificates who
are not employed as teachers.
Notwithstanding these statistics
the fact remains that there are some
schools without teachers: but thew
are as rule, in remote sections of
the State, where salaries are low and
conditions less favorable. Many re.
tuse to teach for the low wages Civ.
en-, and on the other hand in some
places trustees do not want to employ
inexperienced young boys and girls.
as they call them, to instruct their
children.
However, an awakening has come
to many communities. and | confident.
y hope 20 see such an adjustment OIL
our educational work as will supply
all our schools with competent teach.
ers at fair wages. Nothing, however,
will contribute to this desirable end
In a more emphatic way than the pay.
ment of respectable salaries to teach.
ers. for which hope a progressive
public sentiment throughout the State
will make provision.