The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-02-28
THE FREE SCHOOLS
Wheeling City and Ohio County
Report OF Prof. F. 8. Williams, su-
perintendent of Wheeling city
Schools.

| schools.
From the Report of the General Superin-
tendent OF Public Schools
Little more than twenty-three years
have elapsed since the first establish
ment of public schools in the city OF
Wheeling. Nearly twenty years prior
to the organization of West Virginia as
State of the Union, and while the
territory embraced in her limits yet
constituted a part Of the "Old Do
minion," certain citizens Of Wheeling,
prominent among whom were Morgan
Nelson, James E. Wharton and Thomas
Johnston, Esqrs. the first named be
ing now deceased, and Messrs. Wharton
and job nston at this time non.resdents
Of the cty,-resolved upon movement
in favor of a system OF public schools
in the city of Wheeling and Ohio county.
A petition addressed 10 the Legislature
Of Virginia, asking for special enact
ment in favor thereof, was extensively
circulated and numerously signed; and
Mr.. Wharton was sent to Richmond
with instruction to labor with members
OF the Legislature TO secure the passage
of the act, which had already been
framed by Mr.. Nelson.
1t is due to say that the movement
met with very determined opposition
on the part of certain prominent citizens
OF that day, who deemed the measure
an uncaled for innovation upon time
honored usage. But, fortunately, the sub
iect did not enter extensively into the
arena OF party politics, both friends and
opponents of the measure being found
in both Of the then existing prominent
politcal parties. And, thanks to
Providence, the earnest efforts OF those
in favor OF general diffusion OF know
LEDGE were crowned with success even
be, ond their most hopeful expectations
The Wheeling aud Ohio county school
bill passed with but immaterial modl-
| ficalion.
Under the act a joint county and city
Board OF Education was organized, and
as IA pidly as circumstances would justify
school houses were built and schC OILS
opened ,
ltwas, however, very soon ascertalned
that regulations applicable to country
district schools could not be made t.
apply successfully to city graded
schools and furthermore, that there
were certain conflicting interests reIat.
ing 10 the school finances, which could
not be reconciled or satisfactorily
adjusted. Consequently a succeeding
Legislature was requested to constitute
the city of Wheeling an independent
school district. The prayer was granted,
ard since February %, 1919, the date
OF the pass &c OF the act, or rather from
the 9th day Of March, 1919, the time
of the organ cation OF the first city Board
OF Education, Wheeling has carried on
her schools independent of the schools
of the county or OF the State.
The first public school in the city OF
Wheeling was opened in the Third ward
on the % day OF October, 1913, under
the priucipalship Of Mr.. A. } Halle,
and very soon thereafter schools we've
organized in the remaining tour wards,
with Me-srs. Wallace, Arthur, Nickel
lev and McMechen as Principals. The
writer succeeded Mr. Halle as Principal
of the Third ward school, in April,
1850. The first Wheeling Board OF
Education, or Board of School Commits
sioners as it was then styled, consisted
of Messrs Thomas johnston OF the
First ward, William S. Wickham of the
Srcord ward, Morgan Nelson o! the
Third ward, Richard w. Harding OF
the Fourth ward and Henry Ecnols OF
the Fifth watd.
The public school houses fir-t built
in Wheeling-but one Of which, that
OF the Second ward, remains IN lis
pristine loveliness-were regarded a.
models OF architectural beauty and
convenience; and they were pointed t.
with pride and satisfaction, particularly
bv these who had been mainly instru-
mental in securing to Wheeling the
prospective advantages Of a system OF
general education. There were five of
these primitive structures. one in each
ward in the city, and all built on the
same general plan. each having two
main school rooms, one tor boys aud
the other for girls-it being at that
time deemed wise to ass ign the sexes to
separate apartments.
With population Of about ten
thousand, the aggregate attendance
in the schools did not greatly II at
all, exceed one thousand, or one
hundred for every thousand Inhabitants,
for a uumber of years.
The increase in the population OF the
city, has at no time been remarkably
rapid. At the time Of the admission OF
West Virginia as State Of the Union,
and about fifteen years subsequent to
the introduction OF the public schools,
the city proper contained not exceeding
fifteen thousand inhabitants; and at
that time the enrolment in the schools
was only about fifteen hundred. From
the beginning, however, the accommo.
dations, except in the Second and Third
wards, had proved inadequate for the
number Of pupils in attendance, and
additions were, from time to time, made
to several OF the school buildings,
although the actual number of schools
and school houses continued the same
until the organization Of the schools
under the existing plan, 10 1865. 1t
should here be mentioned that in 1852
the front part of the original Third
ward school house, in consequence OF
having been built on an insecure founda.
.;Aa S.nra rau and tho hnillinr hn 4