The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-07-31
'sRIWREY
LETTER I0lNEMBERS
9E sGEggE 1lARl

STATE SUPER ne gDENT DIS.
Gus SEES M Ut Frs 70 = Ili oRT.
TO TER Y MAN ON THE
BOARD OF Ep Uc MIC NJ
{ The letter below has been sent DtiI
by State perintendent n. 2. Shaw.
key, of free schools 70 the niembeis
oflsehool boards throtg hout me state:
The letter contains many good things
and Is as follows: M s.,
To Members OF the School Boards
Gent leneIi During the School year
Just beginning You will deal with many
important matters, in handling all 81
which wish you the greatest posst
Bile success. II our public schools are
ID SUCCESS the welfareof the State will
he enhanced. These schools cannot
be a great success without you make
them so. But the work of the public
schools is not single handed job
int Is d cooperative business and de
imandsi The best that tea hers, parents
setticlaIs;4ail OF us. can give to It. j
may be- that the State superintendent
or his assistants can5help you in somt
of your problems, II you want oaI
services at any time, let us know. VIZ
will respond cheeriuly and do VIVA
we can to serve you.
May offer q few reminders? Thu
FIRST one is thisi Let all business b
done in a regular meeting OF the boart
and let all business at such meeting
be done and recorded In a regular way
Each question should be open for dis
cussion and then put TO vote and TIN
result recorded by the secretaf!
whose minutes should always be real
to the board for approval before max
ing the final record. This plan viii
avoid misunderstanding so likely 7
arise and then in case Of trouble late
you will have. a reliable record b.
which to settle 1t. Il
/ should like to put in a plea 10
teachers, salaries. | do not beliey'
there is a State in the Union wherl
the general character Of the teacher!
will average higher than in West VII
ginia. We have a number of teacher
yof many years Of successful expert
ence and we have a host of younge
zones most Of whom are working hart
/. to prepare themselves for the hes
nosslble service. Let us encourage
and HELM them by paying the best sal
orias CIV arh able. That will help ge
M better schools and there is no wise
investment than an investment 10
better schools.
Some of you will think Of distric
supervision. It is worth thinking
about. But in such matters we shoult
not attempt to go faster than condi
lions will justify. Don't. employ a dis
trfct superintendent until you can &c
a good one. Good ones are scarce t)s
cause this a. new field and to be reall'
good Tor this work a man should hay.
special training for It. Good distrtc
supervision will increase esefieienc!
Eof the average. district thirty to. fort.
per cent and 1t is therefore good bust
ness. Within the past year represer
tatIyes OF nearly a dozen other State
have been in West Virginia studying
rural supervision and they say on
plan Of district supervision Is good
/ If such able critics pronounce it good
we must be wise enough to give !
thorough consideration.
II you are building new houses
build good ones on good, large lot
with school gardens and playground
where possible.
Among our new school laws is
very excellent one providing for med
lical inspectors for our schools. Thii
law says all independent districtl
shall appoint such officials and magis
Eterial districts may do so. Many dis
tricts do not have the means to pa!
ANY considerable sum for this purpose
but perhaps you can find public
spirited doctor in your district whit
will visit the schools in his tsua
rounds for a mere nominal sum. !
so, you should not fail to avail your
yourselves of his services. The spread
-of contagious diseases should b.
checked and defective eyes, teeth
throats and lungs in children should
be treated for the sake of the added
health and progress In their studle!
that viii result.
October 18th Is to be "Clean-up;ant
Beauty Day" II we all join will
the schools in this crusade agains
unslghtliness, filth and disease, II will
tell for the health and happiness O
West Virginia.
The law makes 1t your duty to ap
point a truant officer. II you get 3
good honest, discreet man, he VIII Be
a strong factor in the better schools
for which we are all working.
There are many other things Of. In
terest, but they must be. discussed al
other times. The work is worthy Of
your best efforts. You will earn ten
times The pay you get but j believe
you will render the service patriot
cally and faithfully, #
Very cordially yours.
u .s NJ ~ M AIrfFT fRNtSNF