Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-10-10
FOR the 1nteligencer.
The sehool Com nal oners' Memorial

The sshool ON mai oners' Memorial
A memorial from the Board of School
Commissioners of the city of Wheeling,
was presented to the Legislature on Thurs
day, asking that body so to modify the
school law of the city, MS to form of the
existing six school districts, but three dis
tricts. 1t is proposed to effect this change,
by uniting the first, second and sixth dis
tricts, embracing the first, second and sew
enth wards OF, the city, into one district,
also the third and fourth Districts, EN-;
blacing the third and fourth wards of the
city. q" 90
The ostensi0le, aud perhaps the only de-
sign on the part of the Commissioners in
asking this change it seems is for the pur-
pose Of equa izing the population of the
school districts of the city, and thereby
relieving the district or districts whose
population has not been sufficient to ena.
bic them to draw from the general school
fund enough money to operate their schools
without embarrassment.
Admitting that the change proposed
would in measure remedy the evil named,
the question then turns upon the practica-
bility and expedience of the change in
other respects.
The second ward school district, if the
writer is correctly informed, is the district
which is labOring under most embarrass.
ment from the cause ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
sixth or Island district preferring, by unan-
imous expression of its population, to re-
main separate and independent district.
The consolidation proposed will make it
necessary for the first aud second ward dis
tricts to dispose of their present school
property, to purchase new aud moro CEN
trail site, and to erect a new school house
adapted to the necessities OF, the districts
combined. No one will pretend that the
school property in the two districts named,
could be sold at this time for sum which
would be to any great extent available in
the purchase of a new site and the erection
Of two school houses, since it is proposed
as sdlUo to the Island people, to permit a
school house to be erected on that side Of
the river. 1t will not be, claimed that Is
suitable central location eau be bought
adapted to the wants of the first and sec.
ond districts, for less than Eve thousand
dollars. And ut the present cost OF build
ing materials and labor, school house
suited to the wants of the two wards,
would cost not less that ten thousand dol
lars when properly furnished. Admitting
that site and building adapted to the
present exigencies of the Island would cost
no more than three Thousand dollars, then G
arises an immediate necessity for the hand
some sum of eighteen Thousand dOllnrs, to
effect the change proposed in these three
districts aJaas @ s1st e.-s .a-
Again, the Plan proposes to unite the
third and fourth districts, taking from the
third ward its present school house and
converting itinto a. high school building
for the use,Ofs the entire city, and render
ing it necessary to dispose of the third
| IN G
school building in q more central position
for the convenience of the two districts
united. Here again arises necessity for
u sum of money which would swell the
above named eighteen thousand dollars to
at least thirty Eve thousand dollars. And
this must be raised by direct tax upon the
people of the city, who are already over
burdened with national; state, county and
city taxes.
Let us inquire whether the object in
tendedlto be accomplished by the cousoli.
dation proposed may not be effected with
out subiectiug the city to so ouerous a
tax. Suppose the second district be di-
Evtded and merged in the first aud third
districts, letting Madison or Bridge street
be the dividing line between the two, the
Island being united to the first district, or
suffered to remain as it is, distinct dis
trict according TO the wishes of it's people,
| would'DOt the evil be remedied, the popu.
lation of the several districts Femaining be
| equali2el as nearly as practicable or de-
sirable, without the necessity of SO heavy
q tax upon the city as the plan proposed
| by theu Commissioners would sneeessitate.
The third district school building is
sufficiently commodions to accommodate
allithe pupils that would attend from that
part of the second ward, which the above
/ named plan proposes to attach to the third
| district, in addition to the number of pu-
pills now attending the school. There
would, therefore, be created a necessity for
not more than one new school house; and
it is. claimed that this anecessity already
exists, since the present school building of
the first ward is somewhat dilRptdated. W.
\ .ltthereifisJ hneceseily, q matter which
/ admits of doubt. fora central high school.
\ why not erect upon the ground already
owned by the School Commissioners. and
bought torsthis specific purpose, a building
adapted for this nse2a Or utherwisellet
our Intelligent Legislators take some action
whereby what is known as the Liusley
school property, may be converted to this
use, since mo- one questions that Noah
Llnstey designed this school to 81 be estab-.
lished for eIpuhlic good! ri asW asa {
Ills not pretended that theaction of onf
worthy School Com missioners,in this mat
ter, was Intended aslaiblOWa at thu vitality
Of ourspnbltc school nsystem; but it does
appear that to,yattempta TO carry our the
plan contemplated by them might seri-
oasIy cripple atbe schoolsRin their opera--
ton. snrs ossga3bnao set 1es Ill sac
lt might be judicions on the part of our
legislators before deciding to make sucha.
eaange, TO submit thelquestiOn Io.ihe vot-
iers of the city. 4scr Tlsis +! =