The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-01-28

I5IauuaIes Of pFlNate euucattOnal IN
stiatiOns.; placing these graduates on
the same planet Of the normal grade
ate for teaching is not consistent with
the exhaustive report just made By
the directors
The report says: There are about
seventy teachers employed in the six
normal schools at the present time.
This number win have to be increas-
ed In order to properly care for the
very great increase in attendance at
the various schools. =
Here It Is noticed there must De a
large increase in the number Of
teachers. In other words more teach
ers are In demand. 1t is evident from
this that the normals must seek
teachers elsewhere, as they appear to
be unable to furnish them for their
own Institutions. 1t may be argued
that the product of the normal school
Is not good enough for the normal IT.
self as teacher. If not it appears
the object sought is failure. And.
Pc normal graduates are not to be
had to teach in the normaIs, then
teachers must be gotten from some
other educational institution. The
practice has been to large extent to
get them from other states. Per-
haps, the private educational insti-
tuttons or the denominational one at
home could furnish them.
Next, one reads this in the report
of the regents: "The Board has been
greatly handicapped because of lack
of funds" Yet, the board is selfish
enough and sufficiently exacting as
to want the State itself to nut up
more money, when the truth Of the
matter is the denominattonal or pri-
vate higher educational institutions
are eager to come to the rescue by
furnishing teachers already equipped
and without a penny in cost to the
State.
Again, read this extract from the
report and reflect a moment on the
fact that the regents oppose the pro-
posed law:
Calls reach the principals by let.
ter, by telegram and in person from
county superintendent, city superin-
tendents and boards of education for
teachers OF all grades and frequently
some of the best students leave school
before graduation to accept posi-
tiohs."
Indeed, as the report says. the de-
mand is so great for teachers that
the normals have no hope of meeting
it. They confess that they are pow
erless to do so. Then. why not let
the denominational and the private
schools supply some of them? 1t
will scarcely be said that the gradu-
ates from one of the latter classes
of schools are not capable.
Also, it will be utterly impossible
for the State to meet the conditions
depicted below in the report, If the
proposed law is not, as the report sets
out that The normals financially are
not even thus early in the wonderful
growth prophesied able to cope with
the situation:
The people at large show increas-
ed interest in the State Normal
schools and the attendance has in
creased marvelously in recent years.
The enrolment at the Fairmont Nor
NAL is about 75 per cent. larger this
year than ever before during fall
term, while the other schools show
increases Of from 25 TO 40 per cent.
The school at Huntington is so large
that it is the marvel of the State.
There are possibilities for a great
school at Athens, also, while the
fields OF usefulness for Glenville,
West Liberty and Sheppard College
are growing wider and the schools
are showing encouraging growth and
There Is grave doubt as to whether
the State can afford to very largely
increase its appropriations for the
normal schools, certainly. if what the
board seeks, were to be achieved, the
burden of taxation would be far heav-
Ter than 1t need be. if the denom-
national and private school gradu-
ate were to be admitted to the teach
ing profession on equal terms with
he normal graduate.
Wesleyan College, Bethany and
Broaddus have young men and wom-
en- well trained to offer. These ,in-
-titutions can furnish teachers almost
without number fully equipped 10
AXE up the profession, and their
raining has not cost the State sim
yle red copper. Why not accept
hem. and II they are accepted. why
not give them recognition for the