The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-13
The Public Schools.


yored us with his annual report for the
schooly ending August 81, 1871. The
statistical tables and reports Of county SD.
perintendents which are 10 accompany
this report are not yet printed. The re-
port is lengthy, and the subjects discussed
are treated with marked ability and with
an earnestness in behalf Of popular educa-
ton that shows that Mr.. LEWIS is warm.
~ enlisted in his work.
Some Of the general facts shown may
be Of interest. From reports, which be.
Ing incomplete only approximate the ex-
act facts, We learn that the whole mum.
Der ofschool houses in the State at the
end Of the year was 1850, Of which !, 197
arc frame, $50 log, % brick and 10 stone;
school houses built during the year, 15l;
commenced but not completed, 112; total
value otschool property in the State est.
mated at 81 26O711 os. The whole mum.
Der Of teachers employed was 2,4Gs, Of
whom but 5l3 were females; average
salary Of male teachers, $34 95; Of female
teachers, $50 Is; average number Of
months taught, 1884; whole number Of
schools, 1898; whole number Of children
between six and twenty.one years Of age,
1O6,749; average attendance, 81 $3.50. The
total school expenditures for the year, for
all purposes, were $577,71s 70; same for
preceding year, $470,1O9 80.
The Superintendent reports hat SO far
as settlements have been made with de-
llnquent township school officers, the sum
shown to be due from them Is $6s,915 20,
but he says that "the several committees,
in their reports to this Department, relieve
many Of the officers found in arrears from
the imputation Of intentional misapplica-
tion or fraud in the management of the
school funds oil their respective counties
These delinquencies are attributed chiefly
but not altogether, TO the careless, irregu.
lar and confused manner in which the
parties in default have heretofore kept
their book Of accounts and their school
records"
We find in this report IN explanation
Of one of the discrepancies pointed out as
existing in the Auditors report touching
the school iund-$lG,3OO more investment
during the year appearing in the table Of
the invested fund than appeared in the
transactions oTthe Board with the treasu-
ry. This, it appears, was stock in the
First National Bank of Wellsburg, ex-
changed for 5,2Os by order OF the Board,
without appearing in the accounts OF the
Auditor. ~
A general view Of the schools Is furnish.
ed in this extract:
But notwithstanding the many defects
and deficiencies In the several reports
from which this summary is made, the re-
suits exhibited give just cause Of hope
and no cause Of encouragement for the
future educational interests Of West Wiz.
ginia The number Of teachers and schol.
ars, schools and school houses and the
number of months taught during the
school year are regularly increasing. The
debts oil the townships contracted Tor the
purchase Of land and building school
houses thereon, are being discharged. The
permanent school fund is annually aug.
menting and the amount received from
township levies Increasing from year 10
year. Public sentiment is becoming
awakened, interested and enlightened on
the subject Of Free School Education; OPP.
position is Withdrawing, and by Its practi.
cal results oursystemis daily recommend.
ing itself TO theiulgments and affections
Of the people. The several county super
intendents bear unmistakable testimony
on this subject. 4a5
We confess some surprise-and agreea.
bic surprise-to find Col. LEwIsso warm,
so able and so well informed an advocate
OF free popular education asethis Report
shows Inn lobe. we can find room for
but lew and briet extracts. From some
general remarks we take the following: !.
The CHIEF difficulty attending the estab,
lishment and maintenance Of State Free
School system Of Education, in our State,
is thought to DO found in the unequal diff.
fusion Of its population and wealth. Mr.
Jefferson, Mr.. Madison and other distin.
guished statesmen Of Virginia, in an early
period of her history, while urging the
adoption of school system, providing a
complete education at the public expense,
fully recognized the difficulties and incon-
veniences incident to the practical work
ing Of such asystem in sparsely populated
counties, but considered them difficulties
and Inconvenience only, and not as in
surmountable barriers OF success. They
fully recognized the fact that the
perpetuity Of the political institutions,
State and national, founded by them and
their noble compeers, depended to o great
extent upon the moral training and intel.
lectual development Of the youth OF the
country. The Virginia University found.
ed chiefly under the auspices Of Mr., JET.
ferson, and recognition of which, alone,
alta late period Of his life, he desired TO
have inscribed upon his tombstone, was
fostered and patronized at the head Of q
general system Of schools, that was TO OK.
tend Throughout all sections Of the, State,
and reach all classes ofsociety. This lib.
orally endowed institution, together with
academies, to be located in different sec.
tons Of the State, and maintained by
State aid, were TO supply the Common
Schools with well trained and competent
teachers. True, notthis, but another and
quite different system Of education was
adopted by Virginia at that time. II,
however, In that early day, when the
white population Of the entire State Of
Virginia was not equal TO the present
population Of our own State, sparsencss
Of the population Of some counties and
theunequal distribution Of taxable wealth,