Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-05-19
SCHOOL LEGISLATION.


Superintendent George M. Ford. who
tenders grateful thanks TO all who help
ed to make possible the passage
of a large numDer OF laws looking TO
the immediate betterment OF all Our
schools, the bulletin gives digest oil
twenty three laws relating TO schools
in general. No mention Is made OF
measures referring only to inde-
pendent districts and local problems.
A brief study of the laws enacted IN
dictates that the chief purpose OF our
| lawmakers was 10 encourage more
capable young people to become teach
/ ers as well as TO hold experienced
| teachers in the profession and TO give
/ better schools to rural communities.
of first interest to teachers ano
| boards of education is the salary law
| House Bill 81. which increases the
minimum salaries that must be PAID
in all schools outside OF Incorporated
towns and cities in West Virginia. This
schedule must be adopted in all dis
tricts receiving State supplemental aid,
which probably means that it will be
adopted in all districts supporting both
rural and town schools. since large
bounties are given bv the State fo1
one-room and rural consolidated
schools which reach certain standards
to Be specified BY the State Board OF
Education.
Under the law. teachers holding a
third grade certificate will receive $50
for the first year and after that S53
Second grade certificates will yielc
Sos with gradual increases up to $50
for the sixth year. and SS5
after the tenth year. First grade
short course, and normal course GER
tficates will be worth SS5. 800 and Sl0C
respectively for the first wear. with
gradual increases I'D to 500. SlO5 and
Sis respectively for the sixth year.
and SlO5. Sll0 and $40 respectively
after the tenth year.
An appropriation of Si.000.0O0 each
year for the the next biennial period
was made TO supplement the general
school fund for purposes outlined in
ance was provided to make possible
in the poorer districts through State
supplemental aid and 10 carry out the
provisions of the new law relating TO
standardized one-room and consolid-
ated schools. One-room schools
meeting frst-class requirements will
receive Sl20 State aid annually. and
those meeting second-class REQUIRE
ments will receive 500 State aid each
year. The amount to be paid to stan
dardized consolidated schools is de-
termined bv the number of pupils. Sf
per pupil I'D to maximum of $500 a
year to first-class consolidated schools
and So per pupil I'D to a maximum OF
$500 for second class. The reau;re4
ments for Classification arc DLinp rr..
pared bv the Stat BOARD Of Fduca-
ton and will be available on request.
The elementary maintenance fund
maximum lew has been increased from
10 cents to Is cents. but the elementary
teachers fund lew remains unchane-
ed at 40 cents and the new huldnp
ard Improvement fund lew at 20 cents
Under the new law the lew for hip1,
school teachers and high school main
tenancc is not limited.
Senate Bill 81 does away with the ne
cessitY Of voting "For school lew
every four years. A vote for school
levies in 1922 makes it unnecessary I'd
vote again except upon the petition OF
forty per cent of the voters of any dis
trict
Hereafter, Thanksgiving and Christ,
mas 'aY be considered as HOLIDAYS ant
counted as DAYS taught. and the affirm.
alive vote of five out of seven members
OF the State Board of Education viii,
be required to make anv change in text
books. The latter law also limits the
number of subjects in which books car,
be changed to 30 per cent.
Another law requires the county
cour:s to paw clerical help for county
surerlntendcnts at the rate Of three
dollars 4 school I'D to 81 .20O nrd travel.
inc expenses not to exceed S2GN 2 rc1r
The number Cf subsidized hiyh
schools authorized to prepare teach-
ers through the Short Course has been
increased from 10 to 20 and the amour
of State aid given to each has been
raised from $500 to $1,000 annually.
Other laws relate to dental clinics
a course OF study in ire prevention.
certitication of teachers. qualification
of district supervisors. and the appoint
ment Of members Of the State Board
of Education.
The Kevser Preparatory School
which the 1919 legislature changed 10
the West Virginia Vocational Schoo,
after lulv LIST. 1921. will never be known
nv the latter name, since the recent
legislature preferred to have il desip-
mated rs the Potomac State School
M"ntComer" Preparatory School re,
Gently changed to the West Virginia
rades School. is changed again 10 the
New River State School