The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-24
TUESDAY, NOV. ~, 1874.
The Public Schools.

kn0 q pilnclpaI o. one OF OUI puONC
schools seems about 10 loee iS individual.
Ity in q general agitation, the retult Of
which In our Estimation cannot bat be
detrimental 70 the interests Of those for
whom the benefits Of the public schools
were specially intended. We say special.
ly intended, because We presume II will
not be denied that although the public
schools are open 70 all, the rich and tie
poor alike, their Establishment WAS pvi.
marty Tor the special benefit oil ihat class
Of people who were and are unable 10 sc.
cure for their children the benefits Of edu.
cation In any other way, and anything
which plrslyzeI their usefulness or d.
verts them from the legitimate purpose Of
inpGrting 70 the children oil the masses 81
education practical in character and thor.
ough within iu limitsp commits Sn ipius-
lce II not q crime against society.
The State Of West Virginia, young as
she is, has made liberal provision for the
education OF her children. Regardless Of
expense, school houses have sprung up
ell over the State, and that, too, in the face
oil strong opposition from those who hate
free schools as Satan hates holy water.
The State has done her duty, and in the
provision Of the Necessary Iunds there Is
reason 20 believe that the will always
plrsue a liberal policy. Upon those who
mspsge the schools and upon the people
themselves row depends the iulfllment Of
the sphere Of use'ulnes, intended ind
folly provided !o!
In the early yeas Of our free school
lie the State presented 8 wide field for
the operations Of prolific authors WHO in
rapid succession went over the State,
Aladdin like, exchanging new education.
81 lamps for old ones, differing however
from the celebrated Arabial in the man.
ner o! exchange, in always requiring the
p1ynen! Of a considerable difference.
otu:h Oh e1ten. did this state OF things
prevail that i! assumed the proportions Of
an onerous tax and threatened the exclu.
sion Of the children o! the poor from the
schools from sheer inability TO purchase
the required books. Ii is needless fgr Us
to erunerste many other well known
CASES which have in one way and auo,h.
er initiated sgainst the full success Of
the school system. Some Of them were
the unavoidable incidents Of the ueIress
9! The system in COR State. Others arose
from the scarcity Of experienced teachers
aud the conlequen; Influx 0! fedgeliugs
from optside seats Of learning, who
ia their crudencsa imagined that the
scaoJl eystcn was inAug1rs;ed Tor
Iaei: benefit, instead OF ior the benefit o!
the children who attend the achools.
Proper legislation and experience have 60
tempered these evils that ls.terly our
school system has come 10 be appreciated
:. the pearl oil great price, and palsied be
the hsnd that shall be laid upon it for
a1ght bu: its perpetustion and improve
menI
Ia cur city Of Wheeling, above all
o;her places in the State, have been
built the most expensive aud elab.
ora!e temples Of education. They are
provided with the bcs! and most expert.
euced teachers, and the systen 0! instruc.
ton is puahed 70 the iurthes! verge Of sll
that can be properly embraced in com.
mon school course. Il is a matter upon
which there Is room for discussion, ss 10
whether we have not rather exceeded the
proper limit and extended the sphere OF
our common schools upward and out.
ward, il not beyond the deaign Of the sys.
ten a. least TO the detriment Of that
lhoToughness which should be distinc.
tive feature Of all elementary education.
In the estimation Of not few people Of
our good city our common schools are
overloaded. The State does not design
ia the common school system 10 furnish
the liberal education Of the high ccade-
mics aud colleges, neither does it'propose
70 supplsnt schools Of the fine arts. 1t
proposes only the thorough grounding Of
is youth in those branches which are
practical and form the very corner stone
Of sll true education. For the extended
course Of our common schools, and thelarge
number in attendance, with the compare.
lively email number OF teachers, a well
devised system in the management Of the
schools becomes an absolute necessity, il
the proficiency Of the schools Is 10 be
commensurate with the reasonable ex-
pectstiOns OF those who have 60
amply provided for our educational
system. Laws for the regulation Of
school attendance are eminently proper
and in the modern system Of class teach
ing are indispensable 10 the progress Of
the individual scholar as well as the class.
Those States longest in the enjoyment Of
the common school system, and in which
1t has attained its highest standard Of
usefulness, have recognized absenteeism
as exceedingly deleterious in its effect
upon the individual scholar and equally
SO upon the general progress OF the
schools. If allowed to prevail 10 any
great extent, 1t breaks up the general or.
ganization OF q school, and becomes
source Of actual encouragement to teach.
ers, thereby entirely Destroying their ef-
Gciency.
The proper management Of schools
may not inHptly be compared to our
great railroad system: II q train be de-
lsyed for q short time the lost moments
may be made up by slight increase Of
speed. 30. II now and then scholar
miss lesson or two, he may, by little
application, come up with his lass. II,
however, one train ia delayed ire.
quently and for hours, Others must wait,
and snnn The nfflniann,, Of TIM ,uhnln mn.