The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-07-03
The Iruer Issue.


see by your issue Of this morning
that Mr.. McMechen's letter which ap,
peared in the IHteliigeRcer of July LIST is
published in your paper, and trusting to
your love Of fair play | enclose my re-
ply to Mr.. Nc, promising you true
statement of the whole affair in my
next communication, which will keep
till after the leasnre- hunting holidays
Of the 4th are over. coincide with
you that such thing as 4 combination
against Free Schools is imaginary.
Yours, WM. CLOHAN.
Editors hteliigeHcf::
In your paper of July LIST is long
communication from Rev. James II. Nc
Mechen, principal of the Sixth Ward
public school, which think calls for
some notice from me; and trusting to
your usual generosity us publishers, and
your desire that the public should know
both sides on all questions, beg to re
ply to the Rev. gentleman. And first IL
is presumed, 1T least by me, that Mr.. Nc.
has come with all the power of his fer
rule on my poor head, knowing that
my education was neglected i'll my
youth, and as l never studied a line of
Grammar in my life, he would find no
difficulty to swallow me up. Second,
from what have said about my educa-
tion, am the last person to be thought
of as opposing Free Schools. /
declare SolemAly that believe
Al ..lAn1 Of thn Stnta IN
be the corner stone of its future great
ness. Having made this statement,
| don't wish it understood as IA
voring the paying too much for our
"whistle" or permitting interested par
ties, such as the superintendent and com
LiRatiOR of teachers running the machine
as they please, and for their own
benefit. l have no personal i'll will to
the Superintendent, but muck against
the Office, rs helieve it is nearly, if not
unite, $1,000 q year lost, or in other
words, paid to that officer, an expense
of his office which could, without injury
to the schools, be dispensed with; and
will only here remark that if the office
was necessary, the holder of it may eX-
pee to lose my respect for him whenever
he descends to political log rolling to oar
~ any measure through the Board. But,
- said before, the office is unnecessa-
~; his duties appearing to be to collect
from the Principals reports from the
schools of how many children have been
logged during the month, and other
items, which he condehses into one and
hands to the clerk, who reads it to the
Board. The report is then filed, and
Al -. a.,1 sc
either the schools or the public are in
any way benefited By this, but if they
are. the Clerk of the Board could per-
form this part at a small increase of
salary. The next duty of the gentle
man is to sit little while in the office
aud enter in report book just what he
pleases to put into it, and como out of,
the mouths of those who can't or wont
spell the word necessary" in their
childrsn's excuses.
Another important part of the gentle
mans duty last year was the taking up
of good deal of time in the hot days
of 1867 furnishing himself with report
of the salaries of all the Superintendent
of the large cities, for the purpose of in
ducing the Board to increase his own
salary, and as was so unfortunate rs
to vote the lowest figure, suppose Mr..
Nc. reserved the present dish for me.
deny that the Superintendent's visits
to the schools arc of any benefit to the
scholars. reasSert my statement iu
connection with DIR. Baird before the
Board, and | will try to prove it i'll my
next communication.
ain sorry that Mr.. Galloway is not
now present, and it is strange he did
not deny my statement to my face. /
would have produced the proofs in this
communication had time permitted,
and request your readers to suspend
their judgment as TO my veracity for
short time. 10.
My Rev. opponent says two extremes
in politics have joined bands. ! did
not know before that was an eX
tre,aist. thank the gentleman for let
ting me into the secret that being 4
steady opponent of voting against all
who had niger on the brain, that | was
an extremist, have no doubt but my
other extreme brother, the Doctor, will
also DC for denying the assertion of tho
Rev. gentleman. WM. CLoHAN.