The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-12-13
THE NIGHT SCHOOLS.
Superintendt williams Report
10 the Board OF Education.
WHEELING, W. Va,
December. IL. 1873.

WHEELING, w. va,
December, II. 1873.
To the Board of Education
The evening schools in the Sixth and
Eighth wards opened on Monday, the
1st inst, with an attendance in the for.
mer OF II, and in the latter OF 26 pupils
Up to the present time the numbers
have increased to more than 100 in the
9Th, and over 100 in the 9Th ward. The
school in the lst ward opened on the
evening of Tuesday. the 9th, with an
attendance of &c. Up to last evening
the enrolment was over 80, and m ore
than 100 tickets OF admission had been
iesued. The school OF Clay and Union,
in the 18th ward building, opened on
Monday evening of this week, with an
enrolment OF 116. Up to last evening
the number had increased to IT'S. In
the colored evening school, which
opened on Monday of this week, "a
have already been enrolled. and l ascer-
tain that about 40 tickets of admission
have been Issued, showing that the
number in attendance will be largely
increased. Thus it will be seen that
the names of more than 500 have all
ready been enrolled in the schools, and
many, who have obtained tickets, have
not yet entered.
Very few over 81 years of age, proba-
bly, less than twenty, have as yet been
admitted 10 the schools for whites and
l have found few-less than half a
dozen--uuder II years Of age. The
average age OF those 10 attendance will
probably vary but little from l6 years:
The number OF girls in attendance is
as follows: LIST ward, 2; 18th ward, SO f.;
9th ward, 0; Sth ward, "a; colored, IL,
making total OF 70.
1t is fact well understood by teach
ers, that the presence OF girls in such
schools, exerts most salutary infu~
ence in the matter Of discipline. And
it is well that the law under which
these schools are established, knows no
distinction in the matter OF SEE Girls
cannot be excluded on account Of being
girls.
Asyet, however, no very serious cases
CT discipline have occurred in any Of
the evening schools, My attention
while visiting the schools, has been
called to few cases of improper or re-
fractory conduct on the part of some Of
the younger boys. These have been
made to understand that il they persist
in course Of disobedience to the
school regulations, or to the orders Of
the teachers, they will be summary
expelled. A large majority, however,
OF those who attend these night schools,
60 for the purpose OF learning, and not
with any intention OF giving trouble or
creating disturbance.
So little was the faith on the part OF
some OF those having the appointing
power that these schools would prove
success in the matter OF numbers at,
tending. that it was deemed prudent to
appoint but one teacher for the 1st, and
one for the 9th wards. 1t quickly be.
came apparent that mistake had been
made, and now we find in each school
the maximum number Of teachers al
lowed by rule OF the board. The num-
Der of pupils in attendance has thus far
exceeded the expectations OF those who
were most sanguine that the night
school project would be success. And
it is now i'm peratiye that the number OF
teachers be at once increased in all Of
the schools. In most OF them the
number should be doubled. In the 4th
ward, at least three teachers should be
added to the present number. With
the present number of pupils it will be
impossible for the teachers already ap-
pointed, to do justice in the matter OF in-
struction.
The material OF which the evening
schools are composed is essentially diff.
erent from that OF which the day schools
are made up. In the day schools the
pupils can be systematically graded and
classified. Not So however, with those
in the evening schools. While there
will be some who can with advantage
be organized into classes. there will be
many who must be taught one By one !;
and by this mode ofinstruction teach
er can reach comparatively few in the
course OF an evening. Hence more
teachers, according to the number Of
pupils, should be employed, than for
the day schools. In the day schools
the average is about forty pupils to
teacher, in the higher grades thirty to
thirty.five. In the evening schools
there should be a teacher for an aver
age enrolment OF thirty pupils. In
this l express not only my own opin-
ion, based upon experience and obser-
walton, but the concurrent opinion OF
the principals having in charge the
evening schools. l would hence advise
that the local commissioners with whom
the appointing power rests, be authoriz-
ed to appoint additional teachers for
the evening schools, to such extent that
there may be one for every thirty pu-
pills enrolled.
1t would have been a matter Of much
convenience TO teachers, and have been
a means of avoiding much trouble and
confusion, could the ages, occupations
during the dav, and the residences Of
the pupils have been designated on
their tickets OF admission. l have pro-
vided Registers fer the use OF the
teachers, in certain columns Of which
will be entered the particulars above
named.
Respectfully Submitted.
F.S. WILLIAMa,