The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-28
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF WHEEL
ING FRUa ls49 UNTIL IS1S.

the people by the State governments
under which they live. 1t has become
a SCIENCE, having hundreds OF professors,
and It's range and details are being
constantly developed and perfected.
Although it is SO excellent and comPre'
hensiye in its workings at the present
day, it has risen from very small be-
ginnings. 1t by no means sprang into
fully developed beng like Minerva
from the forehead Of Jove, but
was enlarged step by step by ITS
public spirited originstors, to whom
is due more honor than to any other class
of philanthropists of the nineteenth CEN
tury. Wheeling was the first city, IN
what Is now West Virginia, to adopt the
free school system, and We defy any city
TO show a better record than can be pro-
duced by the Nail City. -,
The first public schools were erected
in this place in 1919, i'll the Third and
Fifth wards. There is dispute as to
which car claim priority OF foundation,
but the honor seems to belong 10 the
latter. What was once the Fifth ward
school house is still in existence and Is
used for the same'purpose, 1t being IN the
rear of the new building. This is said to
be the oldest public school house in the
Southern States. The authority for
building and opening these schools was
the Local Option Law" OF lS46, which
lef, the matter to the popular vote OF the
various counties. Ohio county was the
only one to vote in favor OF the measure.
There were five wards IN the city then,
and IN snort time school houses were
MI. IN in all OF them. The first princi-
pals were: Rev. ID. Wallace, First ward;
Rev. Il. A. Arthur, Second ward; A. y.
Hale. Third ward; Mr.. Mckelly, Fourth
ward, and j. Ii. McMechen, Fifth ward.
The school districts were bounded by
the limits of the several wards and we're
governed by one trustee and three com.
missioners who had exclusive control
over their own ward, which was entirely
distinct in its management and in regard
TO its funds from the others.
The conflict OF authority between the
various officials rendered IT necessary TO
have some Capitalization OF power and
in 1866 the Board OF Education came
into existence It's members were Morgan
Nelson, Michael Sweeney, Thomas
Johnson, Alexander MADDEN and Henry
Eccles, the first named gentleman beng
President.
Yesterday afternoon we visited tho
Third ward school in company with Prof.
John &. Hervev, our Superintendent oil
Schools, who Is the right man in the
right plsee-a genial AKA well Informed
gentleman.
On entering the building from the
front entrance we found ourselves IN
broad, spacious hall, in which the assis-
tant teacher of room No. was hearing
class OF wee boys and girls read from
the "hrst reader This was done be-
cause the room TO which the class
belonged, contains hundred scholars,
and is too crowded. Besides this, IN or
der TO get through with the daily Iou-
tine, two classes have to be heard at
once. There are Jour rooms which are
known as department d." where the
pupils education is commenced, on TINS
floor, and they arc taught to read, and to
spell the various words which are found
in their lessons, to give the elementary
sounds Of the language, to learn num-
bers and tell the number OF the page That
their lesson is on, and to understand the
Roman numerals. Drawing on the
slate and blackboard, vocal music and
gymnsstic exercises are also taught.
There are four sections III this depart
ment, and the pupil is advanced from one
to the other Us soon as he has sufficiently
mastered his studies. One thing was es-
pecislly noticeable among the little folks
in this department. Their reading,
both by class ana singly, is excellent.
The in Elections of the voice are well CIV
en- and each reads clearly and without
the sing.song tone which Is usually
characteristic of their reading. The teach
ers are thoroughly efficient, understand
their business and are liked by the
children. Some OF the best features OF the
Kindergarten system are used IN teach
Ing the alphabet. thus taking away the
dry, uninteresting features OF the first les
sens. Passing up the fine, wide stairway
we mount to the second Story, in which
are Departments Q and B. Alter re-
naming q year in the lower department
the scholar is transferred 10 this floor, il
sufficiently qualified. The years growth
and intellectual development OF the
children is quite perceptlble in these
upper rooms. In ~" reading in the
second reader, spelling, punctuation, ad-
dItion, subtraction, multiplication, dlVl-
sion and geography are taught. At the
request of Prot. Hervey mite Of fellow
went up to the blackboard and analizad
long and difficult example in multiple
cation. The little man was some
what embarrassed by the presence
of strangers, but he kept up his
courage, and went through the figuring
without mistake OF any Importance.
After going through the two rooms OF
department &C" and having heard the
scholars siag simple air IN their sweet,
fresh young voices IN admirable time
and melody, We pass to department "B,
and fird the scholars engaged IN reading.
AS well drawn map OF Missouri APP
pesred on one of the blackbosrds, the
boy who had drawn it, WAS called up and
put through severe course OF question
ing by the Superintendent. Tie boy
was bright one, and did not lose his
temper or his grip on geographical
knowledge, and came forth unscaLhed.
We predict great future for that boy.
He will be second Stanley. What he
don't know about geography is not worth
knowing. In this department are taught
reading, spelling, penmanship, written
ard mental arithmetic and geography.
Ascending 10 the third floor We resch
the Grammar school and department
"a" In the latter, tho higher
branches Of reading, spelling, definition,
punctuation, accent and penmsnshlp,
are taught as we'll rs mental and written
arithmetic, geography and writing OF es-
says. Ii the grammar school sre seven
ty-three pupils. Several scholars were de-
scrlbing the measurement OF circles and
angles when We entered and their explain
s,lons were strikinyly clear Snd showed