The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-20

D ers who feel an interest in this sll-im
portant subject. 1t appears from this
0 report that the sum of $523, ,057.07 was
3 expended in the State for all free school
purposes during the year; that 1884,.
504.60 Of this was of the State fund, and
was distributed to the counties to aid
in supporting the schools; while the
residue was raised by local taxation,
and portion of it was appropriated to
keeping up the schools, and the other
and larger portion was appropriated to
the building of school houses. There
were 1863 schools taught within the
year, and 1910 teachers engaged. 1t
may be seen also that more than 1900
school houses have been erected since
the school system went into operation
in 1864, which are valued at S633, ,Sl7 .92
and that the value of the land on which
they are located, and the other school
property, such as furniture, apparatus,
books, &C., swells this amount to S737, :
343.25. Thus showing that near three
fourths of million of dollars worth of
school property has been acquired since
the orga niZation of the State.
These are only some few of the en-
couraging matters found in the report.
/ commend the able and interesting doc
ument, with its recommendations, to
your careful and favorable considera-
tion. 1t manifests the great labor, in
terest and ability which its author
brings to the performance of the duties
of his important office, while the facts
and figures it contains are most eucour-
aging to the friends of the system as
indisputable evidence that it is fast
overcoming opposition and must soon
be the pride OF the State, contributing
in great degree to the intelligence, en-
terprise, prosperity and happiness OF
the masses of the people.
have just received the report of the
Regents of the State Normal School, at
too late a moment, however, to read,
and consider its contents. 1t will be
laid before you.
Before passing from the subject of
schools it may be proper that l should
bring to your notice the fact of the pas
sage by Congress at its present session
of an act directing the Secretary of War
to make sale of the lands, tenements
and water privileges of the United
States at Harpers Ferry, in Jefferson
county, and providing that, after reim-
bursting the United States the principal
of the original purchase money and for
the erection of buildings thereon, the
residue of the proceeds of the sale shall |
be delivered "to such agent as the Leg
islature of West Virginia shall appoint
to receive the same," "tO be set apart,
held, invested, used and applied as
part of the school fund of the State,
under and by virtue, and in manner and
form as provided in section first of the
tenth article of the Constitution of
West Virginia, and for no other pur-
pose" Inasmuch, however, as the sale
is to be made on a credit of one and two
years, it is for yOu to determine whether
provision shall be made at your present
session for the appointment of the con-
templated agent, and for the invest
ment of any fund that may be realized
from this source.
UNIVERSITY.
The Annual Report of the Board of
Visitors of the Agricultural College,
now West Virginia University" by re-
ceHt act of the Legislature,-ma in
June last, reviews the short history of
that Institution, and contains much
that is of interest to those who wish the
prosperity of the State, and especially
to such as take pride in the progress
that is being made in supplying our
people with additional facilities for OBJ
tanning instruction in the higher as
we'll as the lower branches of education.
The Board asks that the State may
take the small amount of Virginia
bonds held by the College and give an :
equivalent therefor; and that the an |
nual appropriation, which seems to have {
been contemplated by the action of the j
last Legislature, may not be omitted at /
the present session. | take pleasure in a
the report, with the appli- a
cations it contains, to your most favor I
able consideration. I
REPORT OF ADJCTANT GENERAL. !
The report of the Adjutant General, .
who is also Cr-OGCiO Quartermaster Gen :
2ral, shows the labOrs performed by him .
in the discharge of the varied duties de- :
volving on him during the year. 1t ;;
may be seen that he has prosecuted i,
nearly to its completion Soldiers :
Record" which, when finished, will ex- .
libit a full military history of every
officer and private soldier who served :
in West Virginia regiments for any part
Of the time during the war for the sup =,
preston of the late rebellion. This will :
be a work of great interest to the sol =.
iiers, their relatives and friends, in time
10 come. Here we will have an endur-
ng record, to which they may refer for :
any information that may be interest
ng or useful in after years in regard to
their service in the loyal army. He has ;
also furnished much evidence and other ;
assistance to large number of our
soldiers to enable them to obtain
and bounties. He has
continued the distribution of the med ;
ais provided by the State for the sol !
liers, still leaving, however, more than .
eight thousand uncalled for, the resi-
ience of the soldiers entitled thereto
being unknown. He has, also, at the
request of the Departments at Washing
ton. supplied them with much informa- .
ton in regard to matters which trans
pired during the progress of the late a.,
war; and by my direction, he has paid ,
out large amount Of money to the :
militia of the State for services hereto :
fore rendered, and which was appropri- ;
ated for the purpose by acts of the
g
The Adiutant General again calls !
attention to the disorganized condition s
of the militia of the State. The acts OF !
Congress require an annual report to {
be made to the President of the United :
States of the militia, arms, accoutre- :
ments, &c, of the several States on the I
first Monday in January Of every year. :
This report cannot be made for our s
State from the fuct that there is no en- :,
rollment of the militia, nor any law au-
thorizing it, 1t seems to me that such I
an enrolment should be provided for, ,
not oply to enable the Adjutant Cen !
eral to perform duty develyed on him ,
by the laws of the United States, but
as supplying statistics aud information
that NAV be useful and interesting TO
officers and citizens within and with !
out the State.
ISISIGRATION. ,