Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1921-12-30

tor the term Of three wears. ana
as much longer. ut their private
expense, rs their parents. guard
ianS or friends shall think prop
err"
Then began the work of the
"oid Field Schools" The small
loS house of one room. the large
fireplace with its eat and claw
chimney: the tiny hole in the
wall covered with oiled paDcr.
that served as a window: the nm
comfortable slab" benches. with
no backs. where the tired chill
dren sat for long hours: the guill
pens, made and "mended" by the
teacher: the ever-present and Of
tcn-uSed birch rod; the often il
i!terate and incompetent teach
er-all make picture of early
education that causes us TO won
der that so many we're attracted
to the paths Of learning.
The earliest irrcducible and
permanent school fund in the
United States was that known as
the Literary Fund Of Virginia, !"
ProVlded by an act of 1909. Next,
IN 1870. was passed an Act for
me establishment of District
Public School System" But the
western part of the state was
SLOW to receive and enjoy the
benefits of this law, and in 1864
there but three free schools wesi
OF the Allcghanies! These mad
equate schools were supplement-
cd by academies scattered thru
out the state, the oldest being a,
ShephcrdStown (the oldest town
In the State). The next in the
state and the first institution of
learning incorporated west of the
AlleohanieS, was the Randolph
Academy. incorporated in Clarks
1urS. Harrison county. in 1887.
The sixth was "The Lewisburg
Academy" Incorporated in 1915
and housed in one of the first
brick buildings erected i'm that
town. The whole community
lamentcd the necessity of tear
ing down this old schoolhouse q
lew years ago to make room for
last winter.
But our fathers saw that in
education lay the hope of the
world, and accordingly, in 1861.
Il Committee on Education was
its chairman heinz
Kew: Gordon Batelle. principal
for twelve years of the old North
western Academy at Clark sburg.
The successor to the Randolph
Academy; and the work Of This
committee is written into our
present public school system.
The pioneers had few books.
put these were read and rc-read,
and pondcred, and talked of, and
our fathes were a thoughtful and
by no means ignorant people.
They early saw the value of pub
lie Libraries, so that habits of
reading might supplement the
work bc8un-but never finished
i'll the SchoOlroom. Our own
county was among the first TO
try to supply this need. and on
December 81, 1923, "thc Lewis
burg Circulating Library Com
pany" was made "a body polite,
With perpetual succession" A
president, librarian, and other Of
Ulcers were chosen, and meetings
were to be held on the first Mon.
day in May and in December.
How long it lived and how it dicl
we 90 not know-lct us only hope
1t did not die from indifference
or neglect. In this same wear.
1875. an act of the Virginia As
scmbly provided for two Stale
Law Libraries" one to be at
Richmond, and one mt Lewis
burg, for the use of the Supreme
Court OF Appeals, which used to
ST there ninety days each year.
Copies of all books i'm the library
ii Richmond were sent to Lewis
burg. where the clerk of the court
was cr-oficiO librarian. During
The civil war all library work was
at a standstill, The law library
was scattered and lost. and il is
possible that the Lewisburg cir
culating library came to an end
al The same time and for the same
reason.
But the desire for education
Tor the trained, wcll-informcd
Eind-ncver died, and so i'm 1867;
we hear Of the incorporation of
the FairmOnt Literary Associa-
ton. the first Of it's kind in the
rev state.
The work of putting books
within the reach of all citizens
has gone on steadily from the
close OF the war, and our own
town and county are now trying
to establish a library, that. as we
stand among The best counties of
the state in regard to schools, so
we may stand among the best i'm
regard to the diffusion of knowl-