Parkersburg Public Schools, Wood 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 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. 190 - 193 Parkersburg Public Schools BY U. S. FLEMING, SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOL BUILDINGS In the constitution of West Virginia this very short paragraph about free schools will be found: "The Legislature shall provide by general law for a thorough and efficient system of free schools." The Legislature passed a general law in the fall of 1863, and in 1864 Parkersburg opened its first public school in what was then the Bap- tist church, at the corner of Ann and Sixth streets. Three or four other buildings were rented in convenient places and thus the free public school system had its beginning in this city. In 1865 the old Franklin building was erected at the corner of Ninth and Juliana streets. A newspaper published in Parkersburg April 16, 1867, had the fol- lowing notice: "The new brick school house dedicated Thursday last in the Fifth ward is an honor to the city. It contains four rooms capable of seating 250 pupils. The work throughout the building is well done, and the painting and graining by Mr. Rice, the principal of the building, is very neat. The building cost $6,000." This was the Washington building. From one building in 1865 the number has increased until now there are 18 buildings containing 82 school rooms. These buildings and grounds, according to the last report of the Board of Education are valued at $400,000, and not one dollar of debt upon them, and the con- tract has been let for a 16-room building upon the Park grounds at a cost of about $75,000. This will he paid without the issuing of bonds and shortly after the completion of the building. The Boards of Education that can equal this record are few. The average levy, by which all buildings are erected, repairs made, fuel purchased and janitors paid, for the last ten years, has been less than 30 cents on the $100 valuation; and the average levy for the teachers' fund during the same time, for the payment of teachers and the support of the new library, has been about 37 cents on the $100 valuation. Accompanying this article is a out of our largest bililding—the High School, with its 22 rooms and spacious corridors, and elsewhere in the vol- ume will be found a cut of our now Park School, with its 16 rooms and base- ment for manual training department. Besides the rooms used for library and schools in the High School building are two rooms supplied with apparatus for chemical and physical science work. Last three months of the year are devoted by the science class to laboratory work. During the last year $600 worth of paintings and statues have been placed in halls and rooms of High School. BOARD OF EDUCATION By a special act of the Legislature of 1882 the Board of Education was made to consist of five members—a president and four commis- sioners—the president and two members to be elected at the general election in November, to serve for four years beginning with the fol- lowing January. Two years after the president is elected two commissioners are elected for a term of four years; thus two commissioners are elected every two years and a president every four years. The present Board of Education consists of James A. Bryan, presi- dent; J. H. Fischer, R. B. Taylor, Stephen Davidson and B. D. Gangwer. The secretary, who is not a member of the Board, is George D. Heaton. Mr. Fischer has been a member since 1879; Mr. Taylor since 1882; Mr. Bryan since 1888; Mr. Davidson since 1901; and Mr. Gangwer entered the Board in 1903. Judge S. T. Stapleton was secretary from 1879 to 1900, being succeeded at the latter date by ex-Supt. W. M. Straus, and he in 1903 by George D. Heaton. SUPERINTENDENTS Rev. Mr. Falconer was probably the first superintendent (1873-4) of Parkersburg public schools, but his duties were scarcely more than those of a principal. From 1874 to the present time there have been but four superintendents—Mr. E. S. Cox, (1874-9); Mr. A. L. Purinton, (1879-1888); Mr. W. M. Straus, (1888-1898); and Mr. U. S. Fleming, (1898-to this date). No system of public schools could ever become an efficient one without careful supervision, so the work done by these four to grade the schools, to revise the course of study to meet the needs of growth, to popularize the schools, and to direct the work of new and inexperienced teachers has been of great value in making the schools what they are. TEACHERS Among the many who have taught in the Parkersburg public schools none have rendered longer or more faithful service than Miss Lizzie Hinckley and Miss Mary Tavenner, both of whom began teaching here In the '60's and are still in the work. The writer of this article is much in- debted to Miss Hinckley for facts and dates in the early history of our schools. The teachers of the Parkersburg High School are Supt. U. S. Fleming, (who teaches one class daily); H. L. Willis, principal, and the following- assistants; Chas. L. Wilson, C. W. Boetticher, Miss Dora Rogers, Miss Rose Bosbury, Miss Laura Fowler, Miss Hortense Morris. Other principals of the High School have been: Thomas J. Slattery, George K. Scott, John L. Steele, W. M. Straus, Frank Snyder, J. S. Cornwell, F. P. Ames, E. D. Albright, H. T. Upson. The principals of the ward schools at this time comprise some of the best teachers the city has ever had: A. B. Cummins, Jefferson School. D. C. Tabler, Park School. Miss Flora P. Cooper, Garfield School. Miss Nannie Vinton, Franklin School. Miss Rose Curry, Thirteenth Street School. L. L. Headley, Willard School. George Hall, Sand Plains School. Mrs. Carrie Caldwell, Fairview No. 2 School. Miss Louie Lowther, Beechwood School. Miss Addie Burk, Riverside No. 1 School. R. A. McPherson, Fairview No. 1 School. Parkersburg has a special Board of Examiners for the examination of teachers consisting of Supt. Fleming, Principal Willis, of the High School, and Miss Flora P. Cooper, principal of the Garfield School. Three grades of certificates are granted—primary, grammar, and High School. Whenever a teacher makes a grade of 85 per cent in a study, examination upon that branch ceases. All primary and grammar teachers are examined in music. Certificates are renewed after 85 per cent has been made in all branches. Examinations are held each year in May. During the ten years that Mr. Straus was superintendent the number of teachers increased from 37 to 68; and in six years of Mr. Fleming's supervision (1898-1904) from 58 to 80. The enrollment of children In- creased during the ten years, 1888-1898, from 1500 to 2500; and from 1898 to 1904 to more than 3600. The sum of money paid to the teachers each school term of 9 1-2 months now exceeds $30,000. GRADUATES The first class to be graduated at a commencement and to receive diplomas was the class of 1877. Since that date, and counting the class of 27 that will be graduated June 3, 1904, there have been 453 graduates. In the last five years 128 have received diplomas and many have entered higher institutions of learning. Since 1903 the 12 years school course has been changed to make four years in the High School and eight years below it, instead of three and nine year divisions. During the year 1903-4 the number of pupils enrolled in each class of the High School was as follows: First year class, 88 girls, 64 boys. Second year class, 54 girls, 30 boys. Third year, of Junior class, 29 girls, 11 boys. Fourth year, or Senior class, 24 girls, 5 boys. Total enrolled in High School, 305. PARKERSBURG HIGH SCHOOL COURSE OF STUDY FIRST YEAR LATIN COURSE SCIENCE COURSE 1 English Grammar (4 1/2 mo.). 1 English Grammar (4 1/2 mo.). Reading, Spelling. Reading, Spelling. State History. State History. 2 Mental and Written 2 Mental and Written Arithmetic. Arithmetic. 3 Algebra to 3 Algebra to Simple Ind. Equations. Simple Ind. Equations. 4 Latin, First Year. 4 Physiology and Botany. ENGLISH-COMMERCIAL COURSE 1 English Grammar (4 1/2 mo.). Reading, Spelling, State History. 2 Mental and Written Arithmetic. 3 Algebra to Simple Ind. Equations. 4 Physiology and Botany. SECOND YEAR LATIN COURSE SCIENCE COURSE 1 Latin—Caesar. 1 Physical Geography, Geology. 2 Greek and Roman History. 2 Greek and Roman History. 3 Algebra (6 mo.) Plane Geometry 3 Algebra (6 mo.) Plane Geometry (3 mo.). (3 mo.). 4 Rhetoric, Composition and Lit- 4 Rhetoric, Composition and Lit- erature. erature. ENGLISH-COMMERCIAL COURSE 1 Commercial Geography, Book-keeping. 2 Greek and Roman History. 3 Algebra (6 mo.) Plane Geometry (3 mo.). 4 Rhetoric, Composition and Literature. THIRD OR JUNIOR YEAR. LATIN COURSE SCIENCE COURSE 1 Latin—Cicero. 1 Physics. 2 Plane and Solid Geometry. 2 Plane and Solid Geometry. 3 Mediaeval and Modern History. 3 Mediaeval and Modern History. 4 German (first year). 4 German (first year). ENGLISH-COMMERCIAL COURSE 1 Physics. 2 Plane and Solid Geometry. 3 Mediaeval and Modern History. 4 American Literature, History American Literature, Advanced Rhetoric. FOURTH OR SENIOR YEAR. LATIN COURSE SCIENCE COURSE 1 Virgil. 1 Chemistry. 2 German (second year) or French 2 German (second year) or French (first year). (first year). 3 Elementry Psychology and Civics. 3 Elementry Psychology and Civics. 4 English Literature, History Eng- 4 English Literature, History Eng- lish Literature (college 'require- lish Literature (college require- ments). ments). ENGLISH-COMMERCIAL COURSE 1 Chemistry. 2 Art of Teaching, General Review. 3 Elementary Psychology and Civics. 4 English Literature, History English Lit- erature (college requirements). LIBRARY In order to secure money for the High School library an admission fee of ten cents has been charged for years at the annual commencement. This proved inadequate to meet the needs of the school and the wants of the general public, so in February, 1900, Supt. Fleming, with Rev. Frank S. Townsend, ex-Supt. W. M. Straus and Miss Lizzie Hinckley were appointed a committee to select 1200 to 1500 new books to start a High School and Public Library. These were bought and within the year 1000 more. Miss Hilda Fischer had been appointed librarian, but she being un- able to serve sent in her resignation in November 1902, and Miss Hilda Hemmerich was appointed librarian. Mr. Dale D. Johnson was secured to catalogue the books on hand according to the Dewey decimal system. In April, 1903, the library was opened to the public and several hundred books added. At this time the library has become so crowded with the more than 4,000 books that Supt. Fleming has secured, by direction of the Board of Education, the promise of $25,000 from Mr. Andrew Carnegie with which to erect a suitable library building.