Martinsburg Public Schools, Berkeley County, West Virginia This file was submitted by Valerie Crook, E-mail address: This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. All other rights reserved. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the WVGenWeb Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://www.usgwarchives.net/wv/wvfiles.htm Martinsburg Public Schools Source: History of Education in West Virginia Prepared under the direction of the State Superintendent of Free Schools 1904, Charleston: The Tribune Printing Company, 1904 pgs. 126 - 128 Martinsburg Public Schools BY W. A. PITZER, SECRETARY BOARD The public schools of Martinsburg were organized in 1865, but were not in full operation as such until 1866, when a part of the "Krugen property," located near the center of the city, was purchased at a cost of $7,500, and opened as a graded school. Dr. Irwin, Mr. W. C. Mathews, and Mr. Geo. R. Wysong were the first commissioners. About 500 pupils, taught by a corps of eight teachers, were accommodated in the building. The primary department, four grades, occupied the second story, which contained one large room and two smaller recitation rooms. The grammar department, consisting of three rooms, occupied the lower story. As the population in- creased, new houses were erected for the accommodation of the pupils. We have at present six school buildings, as follows: One in the Second Ward, erected at a cost of $6,900, to which an annex was added in 1900 at a cost of $3,000; one in the Third Ward, the "Krugen property," above referred to; one in the Fourth Ward, at a cost of $5,200; one in the Fifth Ward, a handsome, modern, brick building, erected in 1897, at a cost of about $10,000; a neat brick building in the Second Ward for the colored school; and the High School, a two-story brick edifice erected in 1884, at a cost of $7,500, pleasantly located on South Queen street, and furnished with heating apparatus and other modern conveniences. By an act of the Legislature passed in 1875, Martinsburg became an independent school district; since which time the schools have experienced a season of wonderful growth and prosperity. Twenty-nine teachers in all are at present employed, twenty-seven white and two colored. The city educates, for the roost part, its own teachers, giving in every instance, the preference to graduates of the High School, thus securing that unity of system and harmony of action which are essential to the efficiency of any school. The public schools of Martinsburg were never in a more prosperous condition. The teachers are zealous, industrious, and competent; the school officers watchful, considerate, and obliging; and the patrons cour- teous, refined, and intelligent. The High School is an accredited school to the University of West Virginia, and to the University of Cincinnati; and its graduates have in the last three years entered without examination, Washington and Lee University, Woman's College of Baltimore, and the University of Chicago. By his earnest efforts and zealous interest in all that pertains to the uplifting and success of the schools, Superintendent Cole has materially increased their efficiency. His policy is to retain and encourage merit and success, to urge the necessity of continuous improvement and ad- vancement in thought and practice, to stimulate the teachers in their efforts to do better work, and to utilize in a practical way modern methods of instruction. The people of Martinsburg, in fact, have every reason to feel proud of their most excellent school system; and have every reason to expect, in the future, a still greater degree of advancement and prosperity. No other city in the State of West Virginia affords better educational facilities than does the city of Martinsburg. A list of the Superintendents of the Martinsburg Public Schools from July 1, 1875, to July 1, 1903. David Speer, July 1, 1875-JuIy 1, 1876. A. Tegethoff, July 1, 1876-July 1, 1880. Wm. Gerhardt, July 1, 1880-Sept. 10, 1886. W. G. Hay, Sept. 10, 1886-Dec. 29, 1886. Jennie L. Ditto (Principal High School) Dec. 29, 1886-March 14, 1886. J. A. Cox, March 14, 1886-July 1, 1894. A. B. Carman, July 1, 1894-July 1, 1897. C. H. Cole, July 1, 1897— BOABD OF EDUCATION (1903) A. T. Russler, President and Commissioner, Fourth Ward. J. T. Paulding, Commissioner First Ward. J. W. Snoden, Commissioner Third Ward. R. K. Seibert, Commissioner Second Ward. J. H. Whetzel, Commissioner Fifth Ward. BOARD OF EXAMINEES (1902-3) C. H. Cole, President. W. A. Pitzer, Lee Siler, Associates. CORPS OF TEACHERS HIGH SCHOOL C. H. Cole, Principal; W. A. Creamer, C. P. C. Rinker, Alice V. Wilson, Ella M. Bowers, Assistants. SECOND WARD W. A. Pitzer, Principal; Lula V. Muth, Mollle Ryneal, Margaret Blue, Besie Harley, Lorena J. Mason, Assistants. THIRD WARD Lee Siler, Principal; Jessie McElroy, Berta Sharff, Vannetta Chambers, Grace Lindsay, Dora Matthaei, Assistants. FOURTH WARD D. H. Dodd, Principal; Lottie V. McKee, Laura Homrich, Ella Swartz, Assistants. FIFTH WARD C. W. Miller, Principal; Clara V. Cutting, Louise Ortman, Lucetta S. Logan, Mazie Sakerman, Mary M. Betz, Assistants. COLORED SCHOOL Wm. H. Philips, Principal; Mary B. B. Currey, Assistant.