The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-02-27
Lock Horns in Debate Over
Educational Bills Before
the State Senate.
Especial to The Telegram,

Especial TO The Telegram.
CHARLESON, Feb. 21.-It is not
unusual at this extra session of the
legislature for the senate to resolve
itself into what would appear on
casual observation to be a school
teachers institute. There are so
many educational bills to be consid-
cred and school teachers and ex-
school teachers are so numerous in
the upper house that such questions
find ready debate.
When the bill eliminating general
history from the common school
course came up on its second read
ing Senator Alex McVeigh Miller
asked where the merit in the meas
ure was and why it should be pass
ed.
Senator Carroll replied that 1t
was the sense of the Lincoln county
teachers institute that such a meas
ure should go through and took his
seat with the air of man who had
]
clinched his argument beyond per-
adventure
Senator Ashburn said he hesitat-
ed to take the opposite side of any
measure endorsed by Senator Car
roll and was just launching into n
speech when Senator Bailey got the
floor and moved to strike out the
enacting clause. w
This opened up the matter regir-
larly for debate and Senator Ash
burn took the floor again. He said
Senator Carroll was not always hon.
est and square. That this was not
insinuating that other senators did
not possess this quality. He point
ed out that the minimum salaries of
teachers had been increased. that
the salaries of the county superin-
tendents had been increased, that
the school term had been extended
that teachers certificates had been
made renewable and wondered why
an effort was now made to relieve
the teachers of some of their work.
Had not enough been done for the
school teachers? He did not want
school work to progress backward.
He felt that thirteen subjects were a
good many for the common schools
but did not favor this measure.
When Senator Ashburn made a
mention of the squareness and hon
esty of all the senators he may have
meant 1t in Plckwickian sense
since other representatives of like
nature called for an investigation.
Senator Carroll again took the
floor and made the sensational
charge that the whole examination
system of the state was at fault. He
asserted that the teachers examina-
ton was a humbug and that two
thirds of the school teachers hold
ing number one certificates were
not entitled to number threes.
Senator Johnson said there were
too many subjects in the present
course. He said there were too
many books and not enough work.
He said he had the utmost conf
dence in Senator Carroll. He be-
lieved that the Lincoln county sen.
ator knew what he was talking
about. He said Senator Carroll
may not haveThad an opportunity to
study general history while in
school but he had taken 1t up of
his own accord and was now a
splendid student.
Senator Ashburn arose and asked
Senator Johnson how old he thought
Carroll was. question suggested by
the intimation that general history
was not in the course in the school
days of the Lincoln county senator.
Senator Johnson had no way of
knowing the age of Senator Carroll
but he guessed 1t at forty. This
caused litter as Swisher's manual
of West Virginia puts the date OF
the Lincoln county senator's birth
at August II, 1887.
At this juncture motion was
made to adjourn and the discussion
was cut short but not until Senator
johnson had made it plain that he
had not concluded his. remarks.
AS the senators left the chamber
Senator Kidd was hear humming
the latest popular song:
School days, school days,