Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1911-08-09
To Members OF the School Boards.

During the school year just be-
ginning you will deal with many
important matters, in handling all |
of which wish you the greatest
possible success. If our public
schools are success the welfare Of
the state will be enhanced. These
schools cannot be great success
without you make them so. But
the work of the public schools is
not single handed job. 1t is a
cooperative business and demands
the best that teachers, parents,
officials, all of us can give to 1t. 1t
may be that the state superintend-
ent or his assistants can help you in
some of your problems. If you
want our services at any time let us
know. We will respond cheerfully
and do what we can to serve you.
May l offer few reminders?
Tue first one Is this. Let all bust
ness be done in a regular meeting
of the board and let all business at
such meeting be done and recorded
in regular way. Each question
should be open for discussion and
then put to vote and the result re-
corded by the secretary whose
minutes should always be read to
the board for approval before max
ing the faal record. This plan
will avoid Misunderstanding SO
likely TO arise and then in case of
trouble later you will have reliable
record by which to settle it.
l should like to pat in plea for
teachers salaries. | do not believe
there is state in the union where
the general character of the teach
ers will average higher than in
West Virginia. We have num-
Der Of teachers of many years of
successful experience and we have
a host Of younger ones most of
whom are working hard TO prepare
themselv for the best possible
service. Let us encourage and
help them by paying the best salar-
les we are able. That will hel p get
us better schools and there is no
wiser investment than an investment
for better schools.
Some of you will think of dis
trict supervision. 1t is worth think
ing about. But in such matters
we shonld not attempt to go faster
than conditions will justify. Don't
employ district superintendent I'M
I'll you can get good one. Good
ones are scarce because this j.!
neW field and to be really good Tor
this work man should have special
training for it. Good district sup.
ervision will increase the efficiency
of the average district thirty to
forty per cent and it is therefore
good business. Within the past
year representatives of nearly a
dozen other states have been in
West Virginia studying rural super
vision and they say our plan of dis
trlct supervision is good. If such
critics pronounce it good, we must
be wise enough to give it thorough
consideration.
If you are building new houses,
build good ones on good, large lots
with school gardens and play.
grounds where possible.
Among our new school laws is
very excellent one providing for
medical inspectors for our schools.
This law says all independent dis.
tricts shall appoint such officials
and nagisterjal districts may do so.
Many districts do not have the
means to pay any considerable sum
for this purpose but perhaps you
can find public spirited doctor 10
your district who will visit the
Schools 10 his usual rounds for Q
mere nominal sum. II so; you
should not fail to avail yourselves (
Of his services The spread Of
contagious diseases should be CT os
ed and defective ewes, teeth. !