The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-05-29
POLITICAL ADVERTISING.

high schools are appointed by and
subject TO the direct ton of the state
supertntende dent alone and without any
statutory safeguards whatsoever but
they are paid by a corporation known
as the general education board. AS
stated, they are not authorized by the
laws OF West Virginia, their powers
or duties are not limited or determin.
ed by the statutes OF West Virginia,
they arc not paid by the people Of
West Virginia. In fact, while having
vastly important powers and duties
among the schools Of West Virginia.
their allegiance and responsibility
are MOTTO the people OF West Virginia,
but to an outside corporation, over
which West Virginia has no power Of
control whatever. -t-5
"Ot the five men mentioned above
certain ones are alleged to have al.
ways more or less worked as political
agents. They are all good men, per-
sonally, but in the very nature OF the
case they owe their important posi-.
tions to the within of the state super.
intendent since they have no legal
standing, and In many instances II
would be hard for them to-resist the
temptation to do political service. It
Is, also, very readily seen that this
organization Is very complete for an
oversight designed to keep each i'm.
portaat part OF the school work OF
the state in line. For instance: No
! eals with the normal schools and
universities; No. 2 deals with. the
agricultural interests generally; No.
deals with colored schools; No. 4
deals with all rural schools; No. s
deals with all high schools.
u spoke of the nature of the duties
OF the, secretary Of the state board of
regents. The statute on the subject
merely authorizes the board OF re.
gents to employ secretary. At pres.
ent, however. the secretary is practi.
cally supervisor or travelling In.
spector, and there are indications
that many of the state school people
have resented the situation, as they
feel that their chances Of reelection
depend upon the chance Of pleasing
this Official.
AS to the colored schools, a ma.
tional organization recently sent a
man 10 West Virginia to study and
consider the advisability Of their plac.
ing negro school supervisor in the
state. None was appointed. and 1t is
understood that the reason Is that
they took the view that the few negro
schools in West Virginia are already
IN cities and strongly supervised dis.
tricts, and that there was no need Of
further state supervision. Indeed It
has been freely charged that the su.
pervisor is little more than political
agent.
With reference to the state super.
visor OF high schools this officer has
practical control Of the grading and
classification OF all OF the high schools
OF West Virginia, for, according to the
state law, such schools are ranked as
first. second or third class. Thus a
community may spend many thou.
sands OF dollars 3 year in maintaining
high school, and still have the obi.
UNI OF having its high school receive
low rating on account Of the notion
Of an official who has no legal stand.
In West Virginia and whose oblIga.
tons and responsibilities are to a cor.
poration without the state For in.
stance, the statute on the subject
does require high school teachers to
be college graduates, but the high
school supervisor has refused first
class standing OF high schools be.
cause certain teachers admittedly capa
be, were not college graduates. When
It is remembered that this supervisor
also teaches in the high school edu.
cation department OF the Wst Virg.
ginia University. one motive becomes
apparent why high school teachers
should be required by him to be grad.
yates.
What is this general education
board that you have mentioned?
(. 1.-THE General education board is a
corporation with an endowment fund
OF $39,4S5,546, which was established
as result Of the gifts from John D.
Rockefeller. 1t has offices in New