The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-02
The New school Law for the city Dis.
trIct Now Before the LeEisIature-

AhcNe ScnOOA Law IOE the CITY DIS
trIet Now Before the LegisIature-
Editors InteEtigeneer: .Isss lQs-s .
In your issue of this morning, you
publish five objections, that are said to
be urged against the school law for the
District of Wheeling, now pending be-
fore the Legislature. ~
This bill simply Incorporates the pro-
visions of the school law of the State
in so far as they are applicable to the
District of Wheeling, making only such
changes as are imperatively demanded.
This is done to obviate all difficulties
that have arisen, or may arise, as to
what sections of the State law apply tC
the District of Wheeling, and what dc
not. -
Permit us now to notice the objec-
tions published in detail:
]. The increase of the tax for build
ing purposes from to so cents on the
500. Does any man in the possession
of.his senses suppose that 5 cents on the
500 of taxable property in.the District,
is enough to provide sufficient school
houses? In the State law as passed
Feb. %, 1866, section II, the counties are
authorized to levy tax of 20 cents on
the 500 for building purposes alone,
and yet 1t Is objected that the District oi
Wheeling proposes to levy a tax of SO
cents. We ask for less than the
amended law entities us to, and for no
more than is absolutely necessary to
the success of our schools. Besides
this, we ask for this as an outside limit,
and after some two or three years we
may not need more than two mills on
the dollar for building purposes. In
order to provide accommodation for
hundreds of children for whom there
was no room, the Board of Education
was compelled to borrow thousands of
dollars, because they did not feel at
liberty to levy more than five cents on
the one hundred dollars for building
purposes; and unless such relief as is
proposed in this bill is provided, we
will very much prefer that the whole
law of the District be repealed, and
that the several townships embraced in
it shall be permitted to operate their
schools under the State law.
2. "An increase in taxes from forty
to fifty cents on the one hundred dol
lars for school purposes" BY refer
ence to the school law for the State,
passed February 26, 1866, Section. I3, il
will be seen that every township is au-
thorized to levy fifty cents on the one
hundred dollars for this purpose, and
we are only asking for what has been
granted to others. From statistics in
our possession we are prepared to show
that the schools of the District of
Wheeling are conducted at less cost
per pupil, than in any other city in the
United States.
3. "That it admits of an additional
tax in the Townships" This is not cor
rect. This privilege already exists by
acts of 1853, page lO2, sec. 10.
4. "That it increased the number of
Grammar Schools" &c. Since the or
ganization of the schools under the
law of 1866, there have been six gram
mar schools; and inasmuch as no new
buildings are necessary for this pur-
pose, and as it is deemed much the bet
ter plan, and the number is not in
creased, the objection falls to the
ground. 1t would surely be very un-
wise to limit the number of schools of
any grade in the district, because with
the growth of the city the number of
schools of all grades must be increased.
5. "That it gives the Board of Edu-
cation unlimited power to borrow
money" &c. This is utterly incorrect
The latter part of section IL, directly
forbids the board to borrow any money
except to pay such debts as exist at the
1st of July 1867, and in two years from
that date even that power ceases. We
would have no objection to amend this
section by giving the Board power to
borrow only to meet such liabilities as
exist on the 1St of January, 1867. This
would obviate even the shadow of an
objection. 1t is evident, permit us to
say, in conclusion, that these objections
have been stated without first giving
the bill careful examination. Let the
tax-paying public examine it carefully,
and if any plan can be suggested by
which we can conduct our schools, and
provide necessary buildings better and
more cheaply than is now done, let it
be made known. 1-i a1 A, B. @.
Wheeling, FEB. l. sH