Year: 1872

Special Correspondence of the Register.l


FAIRMoNT, Juns 26.


The morning trains from the Eas,
and from the West brought into the
hilly town of Fairmont last Tuesday
morning goodly array of the school
teachers of the State. They came not
with birchen rod, or leather strap, or
still more dreaded ferule, dire instru>
ments OF torture that were wont to be
displayed. rampant, as the teacher 8
coat OF arms; but with pleasant smiles,
CHEEKY voices, and, it must be admitted
as to many Of the ladies at least, with
blooming and prepossessing counte-
nances. Not even the small boys OF
the place, with all their instructive
dread OF school-masters, seemed to feel
the slightest trepidation in the pres
ence of these cheerful pedagogues, and
not a single one was known to leave
his game OF marbles and dodge around
the coruer until the master" went by.
Many of the good people of Fairmont
looked with unfe,gned astonishment
upon the crowds that came charging up
the stony street from the railroad de-
pot. They bad hardly realized before
what big thing the West Virginia
State Teachers Association is. Some
of them had anticipated the presence of
lie schools, and some of the more ex-
travagant in their ideas had been known
TO hint that possibly one hundred
teachers might attend, but when about
Two hundred and fifty had struggled up
the hill aud the cry was still they
come" they were lost in astonishmsnt
at the magnitude OF the invasion.
However, their hospitality rose equal to
the emergency, and after some necessary
delay, in consequence Of the number to
be provided for being much larger than
the local committee had expected, COM
Portable quarters for the free entertain
ment Of all were furnished and there
was room to spare at the tables, in the
homes, and in the hearts of the generous
Fairmontese.'


STATE NORMAL SCHOOL.


The attention Of both citizens and
visitors was occupied during Tuesday
forenoon by the closing exercises Of the
late session of the Normal School. A
class composed of three ladies and one
gentleman had completed the prescribed
course and, having passed the requisite
examination, were regularly graduated.
The essays and orations delivered upon
the occasion were in the usual style OF
such performances, but were, upon the
whole, rather above than below the
customary standard. Essays were also
read and orations pronounced by several
OF the students who were not OF the
graduating class. and all passed oil
very credtably indeed. The school
appears TO be in a very hourishing
condition. There is a larger number
OF students in attendance than ever
before a larger number Of nonresident
pupils have availed themselves of the
opportunity for normal instruction dur
ing the past year thanfin any preceding
one; and the testimony of all parties
seems to be that Rev. DR.. Blair, the
present principal, is the right man in
the right place. The foundation of a
new building for the use of the school
has been laid and the work is being
pressed forward vigorously. When the
structure is completed it will more than
double the present capacity Of the
school, and, it is to be hoped, will cor
respondingly increase its usefulness.


STATE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.


Thesession of the State Teachers Asso,
cistion was formally opened at 3 clock
Tuesday afternoon. 1t was held in the
Methodist Protestant Church and long
before the time fixed for the opening
every seat was filled, the aisles were
filled with chairs and every available
spot OF standing room was occupied.
majority of those present were
ladies', though nearly halt were young
men. with here and there a gray head
or white beard among them. The ap-
pearance Of average intelligence and
education was what might be fairly ex>
pected from those who are the educa-
tors in the public schools of the State,
and all seemed to be full of enthusiasm
for their work and anxious to avail
themselves of tho instruction to be
afforded at the annual meeting OF the
Association.


After prayer by Rev. Prickett, a very
appropriate, though extemporaneous
address was delivered by Hop. C. S.
Lewis, State Superintendent and Presi-
de t Of the Association. He referred
to the fact that in all his travels through
the State he had found no organized
opposition to the public school system
that both political parties were fully
committed to and equally enthusiastic
in its support; and that wherever any
individual opposition existed it could
usually be traced to some abuse of the
system at the hands of unworthy off.
cials, rather than to hostility to the
system itself.


An address of welcome" was then
delivered to the Association by ex Gov
ernor Peirpoint, who said that be fell
happy In seeing 80 many of the teachers
present and in witnessing so striking a
proof OF the progress and vitality of the
new State in whose foundation he had
borne some part. He referred to the
days Of the war; the dangers and
fears of the time; snd said that the
men Of that day had faith that God
would prosper the work OF their hands


The printed programme called for su