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Marshall Memo: The Strand; City Leaders; and Local School History

Moundsville’s historic Strand Theatre is continuing its ongoing efforts to host enriching programs for people of all ages by announcing the registration for this winter’s children’s acting classes. Classes will be held on Saturdays at the theater. They will commence on Feb. 1 and conclude on March 15. These classes will be divided into three distinct levels, catering to children from kindergarten to high school. Level 1, designed for kindergarteners to third graders, will meet from 9-9:55 a.m. Level 2, suitable for grades 4 to 8, will meet from 10-10:55 a.m. Level 3, for grades 9 ...

Mission Accomplished at Secretary of State’s Office

I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as Secretary of State. I love serving with the office’s professional staff, our hard-working county clerks, and our dedicated legislature. It has been the highlight of my career to serve the wonderful people of West Virginia for the last eight years. Before being elected in 2016, I served five years with the U.S. Department of State in Afghanistan and 23 years in the U.S. Army assigned to military hotspots all over the world. I can assure you, there is no place like home in West Virginia! At West Point and in the Army, I learned the value of ...

It Could Have Made for an Interesting Trivia Question…

There is a popular meme often shared on the internet of two individual Spider-Men pointing at each other. Sometimes the meme includes four Spider-Men or more. Replace the Spider-Men with Gov. Jim Justice, outgoing Senate President Craig Blair, incoming Senate President Randy Smith, and Governor-Elect Patrick Morrisey all pointing at each other. The one thing all four have in common is one is the current governor, one is the incoming governor, and the two senate presidents might have had to briefly act as governor. But that possible Golden Horseshoe question is no longer a ...

Traditional Versus Progressive in Public Schools

American public-school education from the very beginning lived by strict traditional doctrines. I began teaching in 1969. At the time, the educators in positions of power were rethinking how to educate the students in the classroom setting. In the early 1970s, new teaching mandates were being contemplated for the K-12 classroom teachers which included innovations in handling student discipline. I refer to it as the progressive culture in our public schools. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let’s take a trip back in time to explore the attributes of classroom educators of the ...

Marshall Memo: Multiple Activities Usher In 2025; New Year a Time To Reflect

Though the gap between Christmas and New Year’s Day is typically a slow time around Marshall County with most community activities on hold, there are several events occurring before and after the start of the new year. On Jan. 10, Marshall County Schools will begin 2025 Pre-K registration for children who turn 4 years old before July 1. If you wish to enroll your child in Pre-K, call the school in your area on or after Jan. 10 to make an appointment and pick up a registration packet or request an application packet be mailed to you. The application is also available at ...

Holiday Odds and Ends From the State Capitol

One of my favorite movies is “Mr. Holland’s Opus.” It’s the fictional story of a composer who starts work as a high school music teacher in the 1960s to make ends meet. While not his desire for a career, he begins to care for teaching and his students over the decades. The movie ends with Mr. Holland’s forced retirement in the 1990s. He spent his lifetime working in his free time on a musical composition that he thought would never be heard. He wasn’t entirely sure whether he had made an impact as a teacher. But then he is led into an auditorium filled with former ...