The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1908-06-24

p. M shoMaiter PRESIDENT OF tasI
Faifmont Board Educ tion,l
4 We now come To an hon. whieSi
marks depart nre In the ore erIy In
eedure OF this relation when there
is introduced sintn Its life. mot a novel
element but one heretofore rot recog-
nizedg as entitled to participate in It's
deliberations, though from time I'm:
memorial afforded an interesting. II
not fruitful subject. for discnssion.
e Seldom. &c ever. has there been an
educational association convened, that
the Board of Education has not come
in for a prominent-share OF attention
and has been paradei and discussed,
s:ngly and collectively. as IN, instit-
ution. as a species, IS 4 a necessary
evil, as a public and private nuisance
and even as proper subject for ex.
hibition in a museum Of natural his
tory. ~ v
But tonight. for the first time. the
Board Y Of Education is given repre-
sentatlon on the programme, and /
am constrained to think tina. the In:
novation, though ill.shapen at first,
with apologies to Lord Bacon, is one
that II continued will not be regretted:
for while the members Of these boards
may not be able to contribute much
to the success of your conventions.
yet. II you can Interest, the members
of school boards generally. and bring
them into your meetings to listen to
your deliberations. 1t certainly cannot
harm them, and indeed, the mutual in
terchange OF ideas may be productive
OF some benefit to both you and our
selves: because the same motives
should Iactuate school officers and
teachers alike; and until there comes
the time when perfect harmony exists
between them, and all work together
with a common purpose, that stand
ard of excellence In your schools,
which Is truly to be desired. will not
be reached.
1t is quite evident that very large
proportion of the people have not been
heretofore duly impressed with the
importance OF this department OF the
government; but the popular impress
sion has been that when nan. who
by the sutferGges of the people has
been designated to act In this capacity,
las stopped his pillow In the furrow
long enough to size up the general
appearance OF the young man or wo-
man who stood before hin, with a
blank teachers contract. to which he
there affixed his scrawl, and then, by
q verbal understanding provided for
the building OF the fires and an &C.
casional sweeping OF the school house
floor. which did not carry with it any
stipulation as Is cob-webs on theSceil.
ing or denominations Of dust on the
desks. that his functions. were all per-
formed until the end of the year when
he should draw an order for his six or
twelve dollars compensation and have
the same credited upon his tax receipt;
but not SO. The value OF the services
of n Board of Education Is not to be
measured by the comments that may
be made In jest, nor by the compen-
Station In money received by its mem.
bers: but 1t is my deliberate judg-,
ment, that sincere. conscientious
man. who asplres to ne Ii public ser.
want and desires to render genuine
service to his fellows, can do Infinite.
~ more to promote the interests OF.
his community, in the capacity of
school director, II he bring to the POI
sition honest and intelligent effort.
than it would be possible for him to
do were he member OF the Congress
OF the Nation.
The Board Of Education l.: created
by law public corporation, and 1t |
may not be amiss here to give, hasty
resume OF the powers Of this corpor. :
c:fon,5 end incidentally In this connec.
ton the Importance OF the public
school system in the eye OF the law;
ard to do this, shall quote. II per- !
from brief have recently
fled In the Supreme Court of the !
State upon the question Of the ultra
wires of certain act OF one IF these
corporations. Boiled down. The ex.
rress powers vested In the Board OF
Educntion. MS contained In the General
Legislative Acts of this State are:
To appoint trustees; to determine the !,
number of teachers to be employed
and fix their salaries: TO Institute
and maintain suits; to receive. hold |
and dispose of property real and per-
sonal: to have general control and
supervision Of the schools and school
interests in their districts: to deter
mine the number and location OF the