The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-11-11

highest commentator from committee
of gentlemen appointed to examine the
condition of the institution.
The number of pupils in attendance
last session WAS y, of whom % were
deaf mutes and - blind. A. the pres
ent session 50 are now in attendance, %
deaf mutes and II blind, but number
have been admitted who are not vet
present; this will swell the number TO 100,
The increasing number of pupils rem
dered i! necessary to provide additional
accommodations, and consequently a
large addition to the building has recent
IL been mado, and there is now ample
room for 100 pupils. But the present
work shops are inadequate and the Board
desires an appropriation for erection OF
them.
The expenditure, OF thi, Institution
for the last year were rs follows:
For Current Expenses !.
For SinIo "
For IuSurance............... .'' 90? ".
For Furniture............. I'tO- "
,S9S IS
The Board asks FOR the following APP
preparations for the pr sent year;
For Current o.
For Purchasing Additional Land ..... Uul
For Finishing new building and
erection OF new workshop............... ll'HI
THE UNIVERSITY.
have little information to cOmmunl'
I, thn / NJ
in the absense OF report. l do not
know what appropriations are desired or
needed for the present year Some
changes we're made in the Faculty dur.
INC the summer which for n time seemed
TO create some feeling. But | am IN
formed that there Is about the usual
number OF students in attendance, and
that 1t. affairs are moving along quietly
and tremendously. commend It 10
your fostering care.
FREE SCHOOLS.
As the State Superintendent Of Free
Schools is not required to make an an
nual report, an not in possession OF any
facts important to communicate to You.
And MS YOU have discussed and partly
matured bill making amendments 80
the school law, do not deem it necrssa-
~ to make any recommendations in re-
lation thereto.
NORMAL SCHOOLS.
The appropriation act OF your a't seS-
sion prohibited the Regents of the Nor
mai Schools from making contracts to
bind the State beyond the amount appro.
priated' At the close Of the last session,
therefore, they made no contracts with
teacher, for the ensuing year they place
ed the custody of the Normal School
buildings belonging to The state in the
hands OF the respective Executive Com
nittees, and authorized them 10 employ
teachers. subject TO the approval OF the
Board, to be paid by tuition fees. Under
this arrangement all uftEeSe schOO.S with
the exception Of the one at Concord, IN
Mercer county, are in operation and gen
orally. have good attendance Of stuiaAts.
The Concord school was not organized
until last spring; mas had but one term
and has drawn only portion OF IT, APP
propriation; at the cIo;e o! it, next term
the appropriation will be nearly exhaust
ed.
As suggested in my last message be-
lieve some positive action should be TAX
IN on this subject, either the property
belonging t. the State should be sold, and
alI act, creating the normal schools be
repealed. or, on the other hand, suitable
provision should be- made for continuing
them in operation. | have learned from
tho newspaper that II normal department
j. about to be established at the Univer-
sity. doubt whether such "A department
could supply the place of the normal
schools. \ large proportion of the stu.
dents At tue normal schoO.s are persons
of small means many acquire tn, money
to enable them 20 attend school by teach
ing u COrtion of the year. II there Is Il
good school convenient, where the cost OF
living Is cheap, many such persons vii.
attend. This Is shown by the fact that
the students of the normal schools come
largely from their immediate vicinity If
the schools were remote from them they
could never enjoy these advantages. |
DO not think, therefore that q norma,
department nj the University can supply
the place OF all the normal schools;
at best, 1t would merely be an
additional one. There Is another con-
sideration which is entitled TO some
weight in this connection. The Unlyer
sity IS n school OF letters OF arts and
sciences, with very different aims from a
normal school; the one educates young
men for the learned professions, and for
scientific pursuits, the other assumes the
humber tasks OF instructIRg thoroughly,
Young men and women in the branches
taught in the common schools one be-
gins where the other leaves off. With
no original bias in favor of these schools,
after visiting them, as it was my duty "a
a member OF the Board of Regents, |
could not resist tn" impression that they
were doing much COED they are giving
instruction 10 poor students, who could
not, or would not, 90 to other schools,
and who carry back TO their homes and
neigh borhoods new ideas, and An ambl.
ton aroused for further Improvement
They thus become the germs of improve
ment wherever they 90. With these
views | cannot recommend the abolition
OF the Normal schools.
VACANCIES N OFFICE.
The death of Hon. James Paul, one
of the Judges Of the Supreme Court OF
Appeals, in May last, created vacancy
in that Court which it is important
should be filled at any early day. The