The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-19
Tho Free schools.


The House OF Delegates yesterday, by
vote which really surprises us. In
strucled the Committee on Revision 10
80 alter the chapter on Free Schools AS
TO dispense with the State superinien-
dent and county superintendents. we
were not aware till yesterday that such
a radical change In the system was con-
templated. Il WAS advocated on the
ground that these Offices were useless
and expensive; that there was great
and general dissatisfaction with the
expsnsIvenes4 OF the school system,
and that something must be done to
appease this clamor. AS to the use
Iessness OF these Offices, It seems 10 Us
at least an open question with refer
encs to the State superintendency. In
our present school system the State
superintendent is as necessary to
It's efficiency as The head Is TO
any other bureau. The system Is
constructed throughout with refer
enee TO that general head. We fear
il would be ineopgFuousandv very much
smGsculated irthis bead were taken
away. weare Inclined to think that the
proposed remedy for the Ills comPIsIn-
ed OF whether they be real or Imagi-
mary, would be very much like curing
sick man by cutting oGhis head. The
shlSry OF Safe Superintendent is 81, 500,
certainly not large salary forau edu.
Gated and oRpableman, Irhe is AN earn.
est and JEALOUS one. he can be worth a
great deal more than this to the State.
We believe Incapable and earnest men
who have the success ofthe schools at
heart. were chosen, the county superin-
tendency also would be valuable part
ofthe system; but in too many cases,
will not even make the reports requir-
ell to bs made to the State Superintend-
ent In this condition OF things we are
not prepared TO say that this office
might not be abolished. Yet badly as
the county Observation-Disclosures work we
grav.ly dOub. the proprIety of such a
step. The fault is not in the Office as n
part orthe system, but in the men who
I'LL 1t. Tue. boards OF supervisors reg
ulale the salaries of these officers and
can pay them according 10 their cfIieIen-
cy, even AS low, we believe as $3.50 per
aunum. The local school taxes have
been heavy, 1t Is true. The heaviest
part OF Them have been for building
school houses. This was no fault' of the
system, but consequence OF the I'M
fortunate condition in which the old
Virginia regime left US. Ifever we were
10 have schools at all, we had to build
these houses; they could not be built
without money. aud money could not
bs had without taxation. Yet these
burdens have nearly all been shoulder
ed, We are nearly through with the
pressure OF the local school taxes and
1t will soon bs forgotten. It is hard
~ wise TO get alarmed now that tho
State IL so nearly out OF the woods, and
strike a blow which would greatly un-
settle the school system II it did not
dot irrepNrRblo injury. Indeed SO far
N our Information goes, the supposed
elAmor about school taxes Is greatly
magnified. There Ia no tax which peo.
pie pay with so much Willingness and
they know that now the worst is over.
The efficiency OF our FREQ school sys.
tenn has been seriously impaired by
Legislative tinkerlng every session. The
people hardly learned what the law was
till il was changed. TIE effect was 10
annoy and disgust the county officers
and people. What the law needs more
than anything else, perhaps. is to be lei
alone. Even defective law will work
better II people get used to 1t, than
better one that is undergoing continual
change.
SO far as this proposed change Is
brought forward and advocated as n
stroke OF economy, we cannot forbear,
after what transpIred in the House Of
Delegates yesterday, TO suggest that 1t is
no true economy TO cut of the head OF
the school system 10 save the State
$500 n year, and In the same hour TO
vote to release twenty millions of pro-
perry from the payment of all local
school taxes. The people at least in
the counties through which railroads
run. will be able to appreciate this kind
OF economy.
The members OF Ohio county in the
House of Delegates have been faithful