The advocate. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1901-1913, 1912-04-18


confirming them in the penitentiar.'.
where they viii become contaminated
by association with criminals who are
beyond reformation.
Education.
The most important subject Of al.
those to be considered by the people
Of the. state is the education CT the
children. What Vest Virginia shall
be in few years from now. depends
entirely upon the manner in which
that part OF our population now OF
tender years is made ready to dis
charge the duties devolving upon them
when they have arrived at maturity.
The advancement of public educa-
ton in this state In the past few
years, under Republican rule, has been
remarkable. 1t has seldom been
'eQualled and never surpassed, but
much remains yet to be done. wish
to lay down as fundamental PROPOSE
ton, that money honestly and judici-
ouSly expended on. our public free
schools is money we'll spent. Along
no other lines can such tremendous
rived
The citizenship Of a state is its most
precious possession, infinitely more SO
than mines of gold or precious stones,
extensive forests or large areas OF
coal, for to all these things there must
some time come an end. But that
state which has built up for itself
body of highly intelligent and honor
able citizens will be able to endure
with happy homes and increasing
prosperity, finding new resources and
new ways of caring for them when
our present resources have been en-
hausted and the industries incident
thereto have vanished.
Therefore, in the day Of prosperity
it is we'll to take thought for the
future, and the best way to do SO is
to sec to it that every child who is
growing up in West Virginia is not
only provided with the opportunity TO
secure as high degree of education
as he is capable Of receiving, but also
that he takes advantage OF the Oppor
tunitics thus afforded and that in the
best possible way.
To this end the clement Of highest
Importance is the common schools.
both in the city and country. We need
better school houses, more comfort
able furniture, more and better appa-
ratuS, and more sanitary and more
plea SAINT surroundings. And, since tie
school teacher is the most vital c! :
ment Of good school, VIC must not
for a moment forget the necessity Of
constantly improving the character Of
our teaching force, both in general
education and professional ability.
Teachers should be paid a salary con-
nlcnsurate with the Importance Of
their work ard the position they hold
in the commEHity.
For the bei.etit OF all children who
have cCT'- .ctcd the course OF study
preScri' <. for The common schools, a
suRir mt number OF high schools
81: "a be established. III times past,
IT, common school has been called
the peoples college" because SO few
children ever advanced beyond it..
nut in this age Of greater OppOrtunia
ties and rapid development to OBJ
tain even moderate success in lille
demands more than a common school
education. No parent having the in
terest OF his children at heart can
or will be satisfied with less than O.
four years high school course for
them. And there should be in West
Virginia a sufficient number of these
schools, and these so conveniently To-
Gated as to enable the children of the
poor to have as ready access to them
as the children Of the rich. The coul-
try boys and girls should have rs
good an opportunity as those Of the
towns and cities.
Our normal and teachers training
schools should be made such in Tie
fullest and trucSt sense Of the word,
yet with the understanding that we
need great many more high schools
than we now have before these schools
can abandon the class of subjects us,l-
ally taught in the high school. Much
of our educational progress in the past
is due to the good work of the normal
schools and their influence should in
crease.
The state university stands at the
head Of our free school system. 1t is
designed to take up the work where
it is left off by the normal and high
schools and furnish an opportunity for
our ambitious young men and women
to advance themselves in general cdu-
cation, and to prepare themselves for
the professions and all sorts of use
full occupations. 1t should be heartily
and literally supported by the state.
Such buildings should be added from
time to time as are necessary to cna.
bic it to perform its great task and