Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-05-01
WEST VIRGINIA SCHOOL LEGIS-
ISLATION-OLD AND NEW
BY NJ. P. Boyles.


now West Virginia, Governor Will
lam Berkeley, in his report of the Vir-
ginia colony said: "Thank God there
are no free schools or printing
presses, and / hope there will be
none for hundred years, for learn
ing has brought disobedience and
heresy and sects into the world and
printing has divulged these and other
libels." And strange to say the wish
of the Governor came true for Vir-
GINA did not provide for the educa-
ton of her youth until 1S4S-and
then the law left it to the discretion
of each county. Four counties west
of the Alleghenies took advantage Of
this Virginia School Legislation.
They were: Jefferson, Ohio, Kan
awha and Brooke.
In his message to the Legislature
which assembled June 20, 1868, Ar
thur |. Boreman called especial atten-
ton to that body in regard to school
legislation for the new state OF West
Virginia. His exact words We're: Il
trust you will take such action as will
result in an organization of thor
ough and efficient school system The
Legislature followed his instruction
and drafted the states first school code
and elected William R. White. rs our
first State Superintendent in 1864.
The Civil War retarded greatly the
educational development of not only
West Virginia but every state OF the
Union. Yet in the darkest days of
the war there were signs of educa-
tional life and schools were maintain
ed in most localities though for
shortened terms. One Of the sources
of financial aid after the war, came
through George Peabody who saw
the Southern States of the American
Union struggling to establish free
schools, amid the ruin and wreck OF
war, and by will in 1867 he created
the Peabody Educational Fund OF
$2,100,000 and appointed a board OF
| trustees to see to the distribution or
this money From this source the
state of West Virginia has since 1869
received many thousand dollars. The
Permanent School Fund which is
now limited to $1,0O0,000 and the
General School Fund, have been the
main financial streams, outside Of the
district levies, with which our edu-
catonal system has been maintained
In passing from the OLD school
legislation to the NEW it is inter
esting to note that West Virginia had
an elementary school law before Eng
land had England passed law pro
vding for elementary education II
| 1870
Our recent Legislature has wonder
fully improved our school laws in
adding to the length of the elemen-
tary school term; in raising the sal
aries of public school teachers to SIS
$50 and $45 for the respective grades
of certificates; in providing for better
compulsory attendance and in giving
the boards of education power to in
crease levies.
The fact that after the first day OF
July 1922, applicants for first grade
certificate shall have at least one
year in high school and in addition
thereto nine weeks study of profess
sicnal subjects, should be of especia
interest to the people in and about
this city Az present the Belingtor
sseIo 4sIg GIuo 9q4 S! IooqoS q5lE
High School in Barbour County
Since at least one year high schoo
work is required by 1922 and two
years Of high school work for the en-
suing four years, ] predict great
growth in the Belington High School
1t means that the boys and girls Of
the country districts will have to get
into high school if they expect tx
teach school.
At this point let me urge every
parent who has a boy or girl grad
uating from the common schools this
spring, to send that child to higf
school this fall. think you will a
gree that $75 per month is no near
salary and that school teaching is
to be more attractive. The law also
provides that boards of education
may go beyond this amount if they
choose.
If Barbour county is to furnish hen
teachers, the boys and girls must b.
brought into high school, and this
will mean sacrifice on the part of the
parents of the children but there is
nothing that you can do for your boy
or girl that will mean more and BE-
better appreciated by them than t.
do this thing.
4 | wish to conclude this article bS
writing few thoughts on a differ