The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-17
GOVERNORS MESSAGE TO THE LEGISLATU

aeement Of all public institutions. This
secures uniformity in wages OF officers
and employees and conditions, ami is
said to result in considerable saving
in the purchasing Of supplies sach a
board consists usually of I'VE men;
sometimes of only three. Il 1t is
thought, however. that one board OF
three or fiye men would not have the
practical experience TO deal with ali
the various institutions Of the state,
that Is. deal with the reformatory as
wen as the educational institutions
then / trust You will consider the pro.
prtety Of placing all the educational In.
stitutions under one board. such as the
University, the preparatory schools
the Normal schools. and the schools
for the deaf and blind, with authori.
ty to this board, acting with the State
superintendent Of Free Schools, to
prescribe the curriculum Of said
schools, the common schools, and all
other schools maintained by public
money, 50 that we may have a system
of education in the State which would
lead UP from the common schools to
the University. Under present condi.
tons often when a youth has complet-
ed the course in our city high schools
and desires to enter the collegiate de-
partment of the University, It is found
that the course of Study IN the high
school does not articulate with that In
the University collegiate department,
and the youth is compelled to take up
studies in the preparatory schools Of
the University In order to round him
out for the collegiate department.
Al, the hospitals for the insane
could be put under one board, the
miners hospitals under another, and
the penitentiary under another. Ths
reform school and the Girls Industrial;
Home could be put with the education.
al institutions under another board.
abolition Of Treasurers Of Boards.
We Shout have all the officers nee.
essary for the convenient, efficient and
economical transaction of public bust
ness, but we shoald have no more. L
do not believe it is necessary to have
separate treasurers OF the boards OF
our public Institutions, except proba.
bly, the University. I recommend that
1t be provided that the superintendent
of principal of each institution in
charge Of board Of regents or of di.
rectors be constituted the treasurer OF
the funds Of the institution, and that
he be bonded in surety company, the
cost thereof to be paid by the State.
This would effect the saving Of consid.
cradle money. All OF those Institutions
have clerks or bookkeespers connect
ed with them, paid by the State, who
could we'll keep the accounts, and 1t
would be very little additional burden
upon the superintendent to act as
treasurers; in fact, some Of them are
now the practical treasurers. although
they are not nominafiy SO. As to the
University, owing to its ramifications,
the many different funds Involved, and
the handling OF money both OF the
State treasury for moneys appropriate
ed for their use. andt hese moneys are
then usually deposited in local banks
and the State loses the interest. AS
long as the money is in the State
treasury 1t draws three per cent. in.
terest. The law should require all
public funds. whether held by treasur.
ers OF public institutions or other
public officers, to be deposited in banks
designated for the purpose, interest
to be paid by the banks, and such in.
terest to go to the object for which
the money was appropriated.
Proposed New institutfons.
have been asked to recommend to
you the providing Of a home for color.
ed orphans, a hospital for inebriates,
and hospital for consumptives. Each
of these is charity appepaling to ev-
SiS man, anu IL tue Stdle ldu mSduS
to- put up buildings and pay the Elk.
penses Of maintaining these institu.
tions the money would be well and
worthily spent. 1 do not, however, see
from who you will obtain. funds for
these purposes considering the de-
mands that will be made upon you for
increased expenses for the mainten.
ance of the present institutions, for
the enlargement thereof, and for 9th.
or increasing expenses due to the
growth of the State and the increased
cost of living. There are a number
of private hospitals in the State, and
If you feel that these worthy objects
can be assisted by the State 1t might
be better to appropriate money for
that purpose to be used in connection
with some of the private hospitals,