The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-17
WEST VIRGINIA LEADS SOUTH
In AMOUNT GIVEN PER CAPITA
Attendance Equals That Of Most
Of Northern Progressive
States.
VARIED TRAINING OFFERED
Marked Signs Of Progress Shown
in System Of Admin
istration.
ny N. p. sHAwKEY.

ny NJ. P. sHAWKEY.
In State like West Virginia the
call OF business rings sharp in tho
ears OF the average young man. The
cream OF wGal:h and conquest is COM
mon among young people, coming to
years OF maturity, and when a boy can
stand at his fathers doorstep and see
adventurers making fortunes within d
few months through n rich strike III
oil or lucky coal deal or in the pur-
chase and sale OF ane tract OF tim.
Der. 1t is hard to make him realize
that 1t Is wise investment to put sM
10 ten years OF his time into high
school and college education. On tho
other hand the rapid development of
great business enterprises has created
a new demand for talent OF q high or.
der. and we'll trained heads and hands
and this has stimulated certain lines q
educational work In West Virginia.
where the race between development OF
our schools and development of our
great natural industries has been go.
ing on at gai!op speed for more than two
decades Our State university. for In
stance, maintains among other depart.
ments q college OF civil, mechanical ana
mining engineering. which has been
turning out number of graduates:
every year for some time past. and tho
record shows that avery graduate has
been employed at very respectable
salary, within sixty days after his
graduation.
In number Of instances these young
men have gone ahead rapidly and at
ta.ned within q few years after leaving
the university no little distinction. as
veil as winning in son1e cases salaries
Of such proportions as to class them
among tho notable few in the whole
country Other departments OF the
university have similar stories TO tell.
and tho influence OF this institution,
which stands at the head OF our educa-
tional system, has been marked on the
general interest In education through
out the State.
Normal Schools.
In addition to the State university
we established early in the history
of the State six normal schools. These
at first were devoted largely to sec
ondary academic work. because we
had very limited high school facilities,
but they are now developing into pro-
fessional schools for teachers. and
during all these years they nave CO.
operated with the university ano
other influences in developing genera
educational sentiment
the fact that her people are sufficient.
Iy Interested in education to raise
large amount OF funds by local tax
alton. For years there has not been
a district In tho State that has not
voted in favor OF the local school
levy. In fact, the State raises
larger amount per capita locally Tor
the support OF schools than any other
State in the South. and her public
10 IN
any Southern State, and up with many
OF the most progressive States In the
North and West. Nearly twenty years
ago our Legislature passed law re.
curing at least four months school
In every sub district in the State; then
later the length of term was increased
to five months, and finally In 1907 the
minimum term was Increased TO SIX
months. A few years back we began
working on q compulsory attendance
law. which at first was very liberal,
and comparatively ineffective. but It
has been amended and re-enacted until
ut present we have a law that equires
children between the ages OF eight and
fifteen to attend school at least SIX
months in the year, unless they are
receiving equivalent instruction IN
some other way or are physically un'
able to meet the requirements OF such
school attendance.
1000 School Houses.
West Virginia now has 1000 school
houses, with school population OF
nearly 100000 pupils, with 5000 teach
ers, Her total expenditures for public
education last year were little over
four and one third million dollars. Our
permanent school fund is small. being
limited by the Constitution to $1,000,
900. and we have no debts. except IN
the case of a few independent dis
tricts, where bonds have been issued
to a limited extent for the purpose
Of erecting school buildings.
Within the past three or four years
great interest has been aroused In the
establishment of city and rural high
schools A year ago the State SUI
perintendent appointed man as
supervisor Of the high school work,
and through the help OF the General
Education Board this plan was con-
verted into one for maintaining pro-
lessor Of secondary education In our
university, who Is at present giving
practically all Of his time to pro-
noting high school interests through
out the State. L l., Friend, who was
Assistant State Superintendent. is, now
In charge of that work, and Is meet
ing with gratifying success IN It. We
have no State aid for high schools
but the communities are aroused to
their needs and are building their own
schools as rapidly as they can be pro-
vided and cared for properly.
co-ordlppte with the high school
work is q plan to improve the ele-
mentary schools, especially in the
rural districts. and more than three
fourths Of our population Is rural
With the assistance OF the Peabody
Education Board. we have been able
also to provide for o rural school in
spectator. who assumed his duties the
LIST OF July.
L. ], Hanifan, graduate OF West
Virginia University and Harvard Uni
versity, and principal of the Charles.
ton High School during the year past
Is in charge OF this now division Of
the work,
Signs OF Prowress. iS
Our policy is to proceed as rapidly
a. y consistent With good manage