Fairmont State University - Mound Yearbook (Fairmont, WV)

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Do ■ - 37V- 75 ' f- HON. MYRON CARLETON LOUGH. 184838

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This vol Ull! •of The .1 ound is dedic ated to the Hon. M VKOX ( ' ARLETOX LOUG ii. of F ainnonf , W ■st A r irginia. friend of W 3St Virgini cl ' S sclii ols . former teac iter and 1 incipal of th. 1 Fairmon t Sta te Norn al, and present S cretari of the State B oard of Reg nts for Norma] S liools.

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Myron Carleton Lough The man to whom we have dedicated the front pages of this volume of The Mound was born on a farm in Barbour county, June 25, 1870. His early years were spent in much the same way as the other boys of his neighborhood spent theirs, dividing the year into four months of school and eight months of work and play. Until his sixteenth year, lie received his educa- tional training in the rural schools, but during this year he attended a summer school. The next year, at seventeen, he began teaching, taking the examination under the older law which required an average of 87% per cent, to obtain a No. 1 grade certificate. At this examination he lacked less than one per cent, to obtain a No. 1, but the next year, at eighteen, he led the teacher ' s county examination with an average of 9714 per cent. In the summer of 1891, before he was 21 years old. he received the nomination for County Superintendent of Public Schools of Barbour county, and was elected. His 21st birthday occurred, however, six days before he- was required to take the oath of office, and so he was permitted to serve. Serving his term as County Superintendent, he entered the Seminary at Buckhannon in 1891, gradu- ating in four years, and also doing some post-graduate work. While at the Seminary he had the honor of par- ticipating in more school engagements than any other student; entertainments, class programs, and three debating contests, taking first place in two of them. Following his graduation at Buckhannon, he spent a year at Dennison University, at Granville, Ohio. His reputation as a public speaker and debater went with him. and in his Freshman year he entered into a con- test against a Senior from another State. The West Virginia boy won. The prize consisted of forty dollars. and was a most welcome visitor to the young student. It very materially aided him in completing his year at Dennison. In 1896, when he purchased a half interest in the Philippi Republican, he made his start in the news paper world, in the fall of the same year, while still managing the paper, he was elected as principal of the Belington public school. From there, in the fall of 1897, he came to the Fairmont State Normal as teacher, remaining at that institution for six years. In his second year at the Normal he was advanced to the posi- tion of assistant principal, and at the death of Prin- cipal M. M. Boss, finished the school year as a most successful principal. During his stay as a teacher in the Fairmont State Normal he was granted a short leave of absence to attend the University at Morgan- town, taking his A. B. and A. M. degrees from that institution. Leaving the Fairmont Normal, he was appointed to the prinripalship of the Normal at West Liberty, but for business reasons could not accept. In 1904, the Daily West Virginian Publishing Company was organized, and Mr. Lough was made city editor, and in 1900 was advanced to the position of editor-in-chief. He was appointed as Regent in 1907 lo succeed .fudge Frank Nesbitt, and at the next meet- ing of the Board was elected Secretary. Through all his term so far served, he has made an active, con- scientious member. Mr. Lough ' s service and aid in helping on the recent favorable legislation with regard to West Virginia ' s schools must not be overlooked. One of the most interested and active workers for this legislation was no other than M. C. Lough. In conclusion, Mr. Lough has made his way along the path of life by his own efforts and abilities. Lie has been watched and patterned after by young men from all over his county and State because of his fidelity to the schools of our State, so we can truth- fully call him the friend of West Virginia ' s schools.