The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-10-31
THE HIGH SCHOOL QUESTION IN
vi ,tbf PITTSBURGH.
How a Prominent Citizen OF 'na'
-ua.r..t City Hooks az L..

Chamber OF Commerce at the city OF
Pittsburgh, on Monday last, Mr.. JOHN
F. BRAVO, one OF the members, referred
. "a the discussion tina. had occurred at 3
preceding meeting on the "High Schooi
Question" in which some OF the Drec-
tors of the Chamber were severely criti.
cised. In regard to the matter, he de-
sired to present the following points;
FSrst-High schools were not contem-
pftted by the policyor law creating oui
Seeond-hfgh schools are the outgroWth
tthe unfortunate tendencies OF these late
wears 10 run 10 wild extremes.
- TJ.frd-When all the children nave oeen
h,rn, shed with a thorough knowledge Of
the common branches OF an English ecu
cation, the duty Of society has Deeh luILy
discharged in that direction.
F0urth-Duty does not deipah ~ t nnid 'p he
furnished, at the public expense, Win
professional education. -,
FTr6-We protest against the abuse oil
the public scnool system ana me misaP'
ptoprfatlon OF the school fund.-
In he erection of costly Schooi houses
2 In the frequent and needless change
oftext books in the interest OF some favor
tie ring" ,,s
or cole. es in favor Of the few at the exc
pense Of the many, an imposition on the
taxpayers tending to break down, IN pup
lie esteem, the system OF pubic sen os'
EyTRAvAGANCE OF HIGH SCHOOLS.
We are clearly OF the opinion that the
bigh salaries and costly management OF
these High Schools tends TO rob the Com
mon Schools OF due attention and ETH
Gent service, or IN other WORDS the mgn
is run at the expense and to the dlsad-
vantage OF the lower. Ii drawing 10 a
limited extent can be introduced into our
common schools without the neglect OF
the vital branches of q Commor school ed
ucatiOn, and without increasing the cost,
we would not object. The idea OF our
public school system is, give the boy or
pupil helping start. Mechanical gen
ius will take care Of the rest. VIII the
friends of our High schools, who are fur-
nishiny statistics OF the occupations
of the parents of the pupils, please in
form US how many OF the graduates OF
these schools here are to-day learning
trades in our city, and the character OF
these trades. True, the commercial de-
partment Is turning out quite number
OF graduates but then there is ten clerks
in the city to-day to one that can hnd
employment, or that are needed. Any
thing but work, manual work, trade
work-thIs is the misfortune OF society
to-day, Our young men are not learn
ing trades. Will our High Schools
will advanced education at the public ex-
pense correct this fatal omission2
A good common school education, and
if their is genius in him, mechanical,
poetical, scientific, etc, IL will devise
means for the accomplishment OF its high
born purpose and the very striDgency of
the circumstances ty which genius is sur
rolnded-the devisement OF the ways
and means for the accomplishment OF Its
decentralization for future success. The
SUCCESSFUL MEX OF TODAY
in every and al departments OF life are
not those who were born with
SILVER spoons in their mouths"
We have referred TO the fatal ten
denotes to run 20 extremes, ard
especially is this so in hand
ling of public fUnds-iD discussing other
peoples monies. 1t is quite luxury to
have music when the people pay the
fiddler Paved streets are good things
in their proper place, but putting down
wooden psvements through blackberry
patches is very costly amusement.
Water works are necessity, but block
aiding our streets for miles with huge
pipes, coniscatirg private properly,
tanning the city's credit by insane ex'
travsgance is too much of a good thing.
So in the mad revelry of wild
waste and thoughtless extremes OF
these progressive times, our great
system Of common schools is in danger
o. overthrow. 1t is time to cry hal and
col slider whittier are we tending. l tel
you the people will not stand this whole
sale contscatIon of homes and land by
the tax gstherer, rendered necessary by
the visionary schemes of visionary men.
Nor AN acne in these views; iorc!ble
writer says: "Our public schools accom-
pllsh little because they attempt too
much, and because what they do attempt
is not what good common sense would
suggest"
the perils that are upon US demand
that we be more slew and consider well
future movements, that all be not lost by
extreme measures.
Other members discussed the merits of
the High School system, pro and con,
but their remarks were desutorY and
general and therefore had little of interest
in them.