The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-11
make
PLANS TO APPEAL
TO LEGISLATURE
Funds Are Needed To
Remedy The Teacher
Shortage

For the purpose of formulating
suggestions for legislation which
will relieve the teacher shortage IN
this state to the 1921 session of the
West Virginia legislature a meet:
ing OF the Legislative committee OF
the West Virginia State Education
association Is being held In this city
today.
The meeting which is an adjourn
cd session Of a meeting held last
week at Charleston Is being held at
The Fafrmont and convened this
morning at ten-thirty o'clock and
will continue in session all day, only
stopping for lunch to be served al
noon.
The Legislative committee was
appointed at the annual meeting OIL
the State Education Association for
the purpose Of Investigating the
teacher shortage in the state and
for securing data regarding the
cause of the shortage and to Bug-
gest remedial legislation which
would be put before the Legislature
at the next session.
The committee Is composed Of
W. W. Trent, of Elkins, secretary
of the State Education association;
o, G, Wilson, city superintendent OF
Fairmont schools; L. B. Hill, Of the
West Virginia university FTeder-
ick R, Hamilton, Of Marshall COL
lese, Huntington; W. c. Cook. ST.
perintendent of schools OF McDow-
ell county, of Welsh. Meeting with
the committee today are Prof. Wal
ter r Barnes, head Of the English
department of the Fairnont State
Normal school and president OF the
State Education Association; Ho-
mer Toothman, ex-county superin-
tendent Of schools Of Marion coun'
ty; s. S. Jacobs, treasurer OF the
state board Of education OF Wheel.
ing; A. T. Stanforth, principal Of
the Shinnston graded schools; L.
w, Burns, superintendent of the
Grafton schools; D. c. Tabler, prin-
cfpaI Of the Mannington schools;
J. A. jackson, superintendent OF
the Clarksburg schools. and G. H.
Colebank,. principal Of the FairmonE
High school.
It the meeting held IN CHARLES
ton on Friday and Saturday of last
week which was held in the State
Department of Schools oHfceS, In
addition to the legislative commit
tee and officials OF the State Educa.
ton Association there were present
Secretary of State Houston G.
Young, State Superintendent OF
Schools Morris P. Shawkey and 9th.
er members Of the state board OF
education as well as members ot
the tax commissioner Office.
At this meeting facts and statts-
tics we're presented which show
that the shortage Of teachers in
West Virginia is assuming alarm,
ing proportions. 1t is estimated
that there are eleven hundred
schools in West Virginia which
have no teachers and are conse-
uuently closed. Inquiries and can
vases were made OF twenty-six
counties which brought forth the
startling information that in these
26 counties 529 schools were with
out teachers. The remainder OF the
counties did not report, but accord
ing to estimates complied upon the
information received from the rs
counties which did report there are
approximately 1.100 schools in, the
state without teachers, In addition
to the teacher shortage IT is esti-
mated from figures compiled that
there are 1900 teachers In the state
that arc not competent. but have
been given certificates which en-
able them to teach.
According to figures submitted BY
the committee, there are from 36,'
900 to 100000 children in the state
who are receiving instruction from
teachers incompetent to give this
instruction or are not receiving any
schooling at all.
The purpose Of tho meeting today
is to discuss Legislation which ii
needed to remedy this condition
and to ascertain the appropriations
necessary and to deyise plans tc
lay those facts before the legisla'
ture at the coming session and ask
that body to work out the proper
rem edieS.