The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-06-21
Ghegnteltigetrar:
The High school Project.

A correspondent this morning pays his
respects 10 the project for public high
school in this city. Some Of his sugges-
tions. we think, merit consideration at
the hands OF our citizens, and especially
by those who are clothed with authority
in the matter. We are not sure but
the project Is rather an ambitious one for
Wheeling at present, 1t cannot fail to be
pretty expensive, and it is not expcdient
TO add anything to the very heavy school
taxation this city is now carrying, with
out he clearCst necessity or obvious adj
yantages The best friends of the public
schools Of this city have had some fears
that tho very heavy school taxation to
which the city has been subjected
for several years past, might do
the schools themselves m injury by
driving our people to demand some
relief through the interposition OF the
legislature in n modification of the system.
There Is q limit in that direction which it
is not prudent to exceed. We have been
taxed excessively the past two or three
years to build what many think needless
ly expensive school buildings; and are not
yet done paying for the splendid structure
in the 4th Ward. Would 1t not be well
to let our citizens have Il little breathing
spell before bringing forward projects for
fresh expenditures in that directlonY
1t is easy to plan new outlays of money,
but not so pleasant to furnish the money
ITSELF
II remains to be shown, wO think, that
there is any imperative necessity for such
Il school. The public schools here rs
now organized are "high" enough to ai.
ford n good practical education, such Ms
nne.tenths OF Wheeling youths need.
The justice Of laying n general tax to ere
ate school for the education Of n few in
the highest branches of scholarship Is
questioned by some, and Is fairly n matter
Of controversy. The cases are very rare,
we suppose, where scholars who have
exhausted the capabilities Of the Ward
schools and want to 20 higher arc not
able to pay the moderate charges required
ut private academies; and II would only
he in such cases that M actual need eX'
lists for public high school,
There can be no objection to u high
school, or n half dozen, IL created by prl.
vatc means. Indeed m academy md II
hrstClass college for young men arc need
I'd here. The need, however, is not 80
imperative as to Justify creating them at
the public expense. The education Of
young ladies is well provided for by the
excellent Female College Of Prof Nor.
ton; and the Catholic institution, 81. Vim.
cents College, affords the highest cduca'
iiOnal advantages for young gentle.
men. The latter. however, rs we I'M
derstanl though open to all de.
nominations, receives nearly all If
not all It's patronage from the Catholic de.
nomination and is practically n Catholic
college. There is therefore an opening
here for Protestant or undcnominAtional
college for young men, and we see no
reason to doubt that II one were organ.
lied and properly conducted 1t would re.
ceivc an excellent support But this Is
an opportunity for private enterprise
We do not sec that this want should
he supplied out Of the public funds, and
possibly to the detriment Of the public
school system of the city ms now or.
ganized.