Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 15.djvu/668

 WEST VIRGINIA

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WEST VIRGINIA

in this year the clay products araoiinted in vaUie to $3,261,756.

Manufactures. — There are a number of manufac- turing industries within the state, most of which are located along the Ohio River. In 1907 there were 2150 manufacturing estabhshments, with a combined capital of $41,175,913, turning out a product valued at $94,584,091, and employing 45,871 persons whose annual wages were $24,268,502. The leading in- dustries in this year were iron and steel, thirteen plants, product valued at $20,095,000; lumber and planing mills, product valued at $10,359,615; coke, product valued at .$5,074,403; glass, $6,322,223; leather and harness, $6,623,567; machinery and cast- ings, $6,521,374; brewing and distilling, $2,650,895; flour and feed, $2,664,012; pottery, $1,826,745; wood pulp and paper, $1,735,967; brick and tile, $1,064,710.

Education. General. — Although the state is of comparatively recent development, an efficient free school system has been estabhshed of which a state superintendent has general supervision, and a county superintendent and board of three commissioners for each school district have local jurisdiction. In 1908 there were 351,966 children of .school age; of these 336,279 were white and 15,657 were coloured. Separate schools are provided for white and coloured persons. There were 7021 public schools with 8282 teachers, with property of an estimated valuation of $7,705,768, while S3,9/'9,125 was expended in main- tenance. Other state institutions are: six normal schools, two preparatory branches of the State uni- versity, two coloured institutes, a school for the deaf and blind, the State Reform School, the Industrial School for Girls, the Weston Ho.spital for the Insane, and the West Virginia University. This university, situated at Morgantown, originated by virtue of the National Land Act of Congress of 2 July, 1862, the subsequent action of the Legislature in accepting its provision, and from the foundations of an educational institution which had already been laid at Morgan- town for half a century. Its sources of revenue are: first, an annual productive endowment of $115,7.50; second, the Morrill fund, which amounts to $25,000 a year; third, the Hatch fund, amounting to $15,000 annually; fourth, the biennial appropriations of the Legislature; and, fifth, fees and tuitions paid only by students of other states.

Catholic. — The Sisters of the Visitation have acad- emies for young ladies at Mount de Chantal, near Wheeling, and at Parkersburg. The Sisters of St. Joseph have academies for young ladies at Clarks- burg and Wheeling; the Xaverian Brothers conduct a high school for boys at \\'heeling. St. Edward's Pre- paratory School for Young Men, at Huntington, was openeii in September, 1909. There are 14 parochial schools with 1975 pupils, and in all 3300 young per- sons are imder Catholic care.

The oldest Catholic charitable institution in the state is the Wheeling Hospital, incor])orated in 1850, and in charge of the Si.sters of St. Joseph, who have been labouring in the diocese since its foundation. The same order coniluct hospitals at Parkersburg and Clarksburg, also St. Vincent's Home for Girls, and St. John's Home for Boys at Elm Grove, a suburb of Wheeling. A manual training school for boys at Elm Grove is conducted by the Xaverian Brothers, a home for wayward and homeless girls, at Edging- ton Lane, Wheeling, is in charge of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.

Laws Affectino Religion. — The Constitution provides that there shall be no special laws concerning property held for religious or cliaritahle i)urpi>s('s. No church or religious denominalion can be incor- porated. A religious congregation <'an legally acquire and hold a limited quantity of real property by deed of conveyance for three purposes only: first, for a place of worship; second, for a place of burial; third,

for a place of residence for a minister. The title to such i)ro|)erty is vested in trustees, named in the deed of conveyances or appointed b>' the projier court, which trustees hold the property for the use and bene- fit of the congregation. No devise or bequest by will of either personal or real property to any church, or trustees thereof, or to any congregation is valid. Any persons desiring to make a bequest or devise for the benefit of any church may make such bequest or devi.se in favour of some individual, absolutely and without any limitation or qualifications, tnisting to the loyalty of such person for the faithful application of the property to the real purposes for which the be- quest or devise is desired to be made. But any devise or bequest if questioned in legal proceedings, and the real facts shown, would doubtless be held to be void. A gift of personal property to the trustees or other proper authorities of any church for the benefit thereof with delivery of possession by the donor, of course, is valid. On some of the questions relating to chari- table trusts the decisions of the courts are not free from confusion. Property used for educational, Ut- erary, scientific, religious, or charitable purposes ia exempt from taxation.

No appropriation of school funds to support any sectarian or denominational school is allowed. A clergyman is incompetent to testify concerning any confession made to him in the course of discipline en- joined by the Church to which he belongs. Min- isters of the Gospel regularly in charge of a congrega- tion are exempt from military duty, labour on public roads, and jury service. No religious or political test or oath can be required as a prerequisite or qualifica- tion to vote, serve as a juror, sue, plead, appeal, or pur- sue any profession or emploj-ment. No person can be compelled to attend or support any particular re- ligious worship; the Legislature may not prescribe any religious test whatsoever, or confer any peculiar priv- ileges or advantages on any sect or denomination; it may not pass any law or le\'y any tax for the erection or repair of any house for public worship, or for the support of any Church or ministn-; but everj' person is free to select his religious instructor and provide for his support. Marriage between whites and negroes is prohibited. Di^'orces which are innculo matri- monii or a jnensd ct loro can only be granted by the courts, on statutorj- grounds which are very similar to those of most of the Eastern states. In the court all testimony is required to be given under oath. Search warrants cannot be issued without affidavits. Profanity and drunkenness arejjrohibitcd by law, and a penalty is imposed for its violation. While the ob- servance of Sunday is not directly enjoined, labouring at any trade or calling or the employing of minor apprentices or servants in labour on Sunday, except in household or other work of necessity or charity, are forbidden. Also hunting and fishing on Sunday are forbidden by law. A penalty is imposed for the dis- turbance of religious worship.

History. — The territory now embraced in West \'\t- ginia was an unexjilored wilderness when it first be- came known to white men. That it was first inhabited not many generations before the cimiing of the white explorer is eviilcnccd by many relics found, such as pieces of flint, rude stone implements, human bones, large mounds, and other unmistakable witnesses to that fact. Different Indian tribes at various times had their homes within the present limits of the state: the Oclawares in the Monongahela \'allcy; the Mo- hicans in the Kanawha Valley; the Conoys in llic Xew River Valley, and theShawiiees on the south branch of the Potomac. The first permanent settlement in the state Wivs made at New Mecklenburg in 1727; this is now Shephcrdstnwn.theoldest to\\7i in W(>st Virginia. In 1681 Cluirlis 1 1 granted to a company of gentlemen atract (if land wlncli coinpriscd as a part wliat is now called the "Ea,slcni Pan Handle" of the state.