Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-06-27
Communicated.

Dear Mr.. Snyder:-Since my last
letter to you concerning the matter vi
supervision for our schools, IT has Deen
nav pleasure TO hear a large numoer
Of the leading citizens of Shepherdstown
District say without any hesitation
whatever that the doing away with
superyision of the schools IN our district
would be but little short OF a calamity,
and that they were for supervision all
the time. They feel that our chill
dren need the best there is in the matter
of education, and that the best can only
be secured through the most advanced
methods as worked by a supervisor
MANY of them expressing this view are
the heaviest taxpayers in the district.
The Board of Education should nave
no fear but should continue the scheme
if they want to interpret the Will OF
those who are thinking on this matter.
There is another phase OF this matter
that appeals to men who are lnciinea
m reckon in dollars and cents that
should be presented, in view OF the
fact that two of the members OF the
BOARD of Education must be elected
at the regulation election in November
and that is the relationship that exists
between Shepherd College and the scnool
system of Shepherdstown district. men
who are thinking OF the Value OF
Shepherd College to this community
in dollars and cents should be informed
as TO the effect which would result
from a severing of the contract mat
now prevails between these two IN
situations. In the first place the Ia"
provides for State Board OF Regents
whose duty it is to prescribe rules ana
regulations governing the Norman
Schools. This Board has decreeo that
the Normal Diploma shall be grantee
to those who have completed a certain
course of study, and it is not much use
saving that if the right TO grant diplomas
m students be taken away from an
institution, the usefulness ofthat scnooi
would be very much curtailed, yet 1t is
necessary to say it. II the Craaed
and rural schools of this district DC
closed TO the Normal School as pracuC;e
and observation schools, there Would
be no other plan by which the studentS
in Shepherd College might secure tliS
practice work and this observation.
Then the granting of diplomas TO
Normal graduates would cease, ana
that splendid body of young men and
women which has been coming TO our
town will drop off, as they would seek
q school which could and which did
grant diplomas. Our community would
suffer in many ways from this con-
dition of affairs. First, we would lose
the influence of these young people
in our community life, and that is no
little thing. Then, we would lose the
usefulness of the school as it applies
to our own children, and that IS no
mean thing. Then, and matter OF no
little importance TO the economic lie
of the community, we would lose the
use of thousands of dollars which di-
rectly and indirectly fall into the COT
fers of our tradespeople. This sum
NAV be varously estimated but it must
be in the neghborhood of $4,000 or
100000 annually.
This school is a High School to this
community, and if it were not here
we would have to provide for this part
of the education of our youth either
BY building a High School or providing
lot the nigh SCllOOl SNuSdtlOI vi Jul
youth in some other place, as the law
provides. Now, it can not be assured
that the Normal School will always be
the High School for this district, but
it has been. and if the proper spirit
prevails among the people of the dis
trict the time may be quite far of
when we will be compelled to provide
separate High School for Shepherds
town district.
This, Mr.. Snyder, leads me to be-
lieve that we should get behind our
present Board of Education and tell
them that we want the present system
continued, and also that we see to it
that men with the pro'er view of the
matters in hand be selected for our
candidates for President and Member
of the Board of Education to be voted
upon in November.
Very truly yours,
A PATRON.