The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-04-07

state departm ent of schools and an
assistant IN the state superin-
tendents office was des grated as the
chief of the division. This ott1clai
began Immediately to gather tnfor-
nation concerning the high schools
of the state. Blanks were sent cut
and reports were obtained from all
of the schools reported as high
schools the previous year. Some OF
the schools were visited by the CHIEF
OF the division and personally IN
'spected by him.
1t was found that nor a few of the
schools reported were doing very
little real high school work. Many
of them continued for term of only
SIX or seven months In some In
stances schools claiming to give
three-years' and even four-years
course of study employed but one
high school teacher. Some schools
had no libraries and some OF them
possessed no equipment whatever for
laboratory and demonstration work
in the sciences.
The chief of the division of htgn
schools gave some time also to the
organic .ng Of new high schools. and
nine new high schools were estaD-
ilishad during the year 1909.
Financial Assistance Furnished:
Il IN I9 IU #Lu9 SGnS4d4 CoAS1NASsA
board of New York offered the state
university an annua: appropriation
to provide for a professor of secon-
dairy education and state inspector
of high schools This offer was &C
! cepted and il was agreed that the
person appointed to the position
should be attached to the state de-
partment OF schools for the greater
part of the year, but should give IN
y rTn9raFSifV at
4 least during the summer term. Y
was further arranged that he should
\ give his time except when engaged
4 at the university to the organization
] of new high schools and the inspec-
ton OF high schools.
From the first there was consid-
cradle demand for the assistance OF
the high school inspector n con-
\ Quoting campaigns for the establish
Z ment OF new high schools and a
/ considerable part of his time was
4 given to this work. AS much of his
tine as possible. however, was spent
T in visiting. high schools and gather
ing information in regard to their
work and equipment.
| Classification and State Aid.
1t was soon found that the task
/! OF classification meant fixing OF
definite standards When the legis-
I Iature convened. in 1914, therefore,
bill was prepared and introduced
providing for the classificat on OF
the high schools of the state and
for the distribution OF state aid to
classified high schools. This bill
was passed and became law m May,
1911.
The benefits resulting from this
law have exceeded expectations and
have more than justified the expen-
diture of the money appropriated by
the act. Some of the most noticeaole
results are as follows:
First, it has provided what is IN
effect a defln ton OF the term thigh
SCHOOL, for this state. Before the
enactment of the law there were
some schools in the state locally
known as high schools in which liz
tie or no high school work was
Second, it has aided in the estab-
lishme1t and development of new
high schools.
Third, it has created desire on
the part of boards of education anu
communities to improve their high
schools IN order to obtain as nigh
rank as possible.
Fourth, it has resulted in the en-
pIoying OF additional teachers in
some high schools that before had
an Inadequate teaching force, and
has established uniform standard
OF scholastic training for high school
teachers There are more college
trained teachers N tho nigh schools
OF the state than eyer balore