Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-11-27
FREE SCHOOLS IN WEST v1Ra1E11.

:
FREE SCHOOLS IN WEST VIRGINIA.
1t may not be generally known to the peo-
pie of this county. which is claimed as a part
of The rich heritage Of the Wheeling usurp-.
ers, that system of Free Schools has been
devised by the Legislature OF the bastard
State. Such is the fact, however, and as.
though no benefit is derived, the tax payer
has to ''toe the mark, for the support of this
system, Jefferson county pays school tax
of nearly nine thousand dollars. OF this
amount we are warranted in stating that
Gharlestown Township pays at least One.5ffth,
or $500, and yet within the limits of the
township there has never been free school
put in operation under the West Virginia
system aud this fleeing of the taxpayer is
Kept up without either rich or poor deriving
my benefit.
It is natural thnt inquiry Should DO made
into tic matter, that the blame may fall upon
those who are responsiblc-or ought TO be
responsible so shameful neglect Of Off
cIal trust Where money is paid for u speci-
fed object, the contributor has a right to-
know why, and how, and by whom it is mis-
applied.
In the frstplace then, there has been THEW
ing in Wheeling, by which tho county last
year was robbed of nearly sic thousand doh-
lars of its school fund. The whole amount
collected from our pecple-about $1,000
was paid into the general school fund at the
State capital, and when the apportionment
was made, We had returned to US t.centy-threc
hundred dollars, whilst the remainder was
expended to pay Yankee School Marn,s,"
for spanking the a. b. c's into he unruly brats
of the coon hunters and oil>borers beyond the
Alleghanies. This is one of the blessed priv
ileges of belonging to West Virginia, and for
which Gov. Boreman, by official proclamation,
in true puritanical style, calls upon us to re-
turn thanks on the 29th of this month
This stolen fund, if we had it, would furnish
an abundant supply of turkey and pumpkins
pie for thanksgiving day, aid then, in the
language Of Mr.. Wendell Phillips, we should
be moulded in the likeness of New England"
But nearer home, there is somebody at
fault, and our object in writing this article is
to let the people know who have been false
to their trusts. Under the law, each Gown
ship has n school board, which is composed of
three commissioners and the township clerk
1t is the duty of this board to appoint some
competent person to take census of all chill
dren-white, black and tan .coIored-between
the ages of six and twenty one, within the
limits Of the township. Aud this census is
to be returned to the county superintendent
of public schools, within prescribed time,
by whom it is sent to the State superinten-
dent; and the apportonment of funds for
each county is based upon tho number OF
children returned. Now, it so happens. that
in Charlestown Township there has never been
a census taken, the township board failing to
discharge its duties in the appointment of a
ceusus-taker, thereby depriving the township
of its moiety of the fund returned from
Wheeling.
The question then comes home who con-
stitute the board of education in Charlestown
Township? The answer is, Sam'l Ridcnour
VIM. Simpson and Saml e. Lindsey, COM
missioncrs, and Ed. Williams, the township
clerk. These are the gentlemen who are re.
sponsible for our being out when the good
things are dispensed, and they were all elect-
ed last spring when radicalism 'sruled the
roast" Williams, we believe, undertook the
job of taking the census, and went around
the town, taking such as resided within our
corporate limits, but the delicate state of. his
health, or his pressing official duties as chief
scribe of chief justice Myers, prevented him
from going outinto the "hig-ways and hedges"
to obtain the number of those who are thirst
ing for the knowledge of Puritan history and
New England literature, and consequently the
work was never DONE
From what we can ascertain, we believe
the county superintendent, Mr.. Barry, has
trled'to do his duty, but he has been uuaided
and unsustained in his efforts. He has; we
understand, reported the derelict board of
education to the board of supervisors of the
county: and it is probable their places will be
vacated until the appointment of more appre-
ciative public servants.
SPECIAL TERM