The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-10-18

BILE Public Burden.
Chicago Times
In St. Louis recently an election was
held Of more than local interest and Sig
nifcance. The result was not decisive but
It was indicative OF o coming reform not
only in st. Louis but in all the large cities
OF the country. ST. Louis has IN expen-
siye and extravagant system Of education
miscalled the common-school system. Its
cost is .grievous burden upon the over
taxed property OF the municipality; we
say oyertaxed,no because we have at hand
the figures showing specifically the bur-
dens Imposed In the city named, but be-
| cause II Is notorious that there Is hardly q
large city in the United States that is not
now struggling under o ruinous debt con-
tracted for the most part during the kiting
times OF initiation, and with nothing TO
show for it. st. Louis is not an exception.
, We have not heard that there was any
wish there to destroy the means OF popu-
lar education, but there was an earnestly
expressed demand that Its expensiveness
should not continue. Methods OF retrench-
ment were obvious. Piled upon the COM
mon-school system like q Mansard roof
and other ornainentation upon o building
Of simple and solid structure were high
schools and normal schools, and the sim
ple studies OF reading, writing, and arith-
metic, which are, substantially, all that
the common schools should attempt to con-
duct. were smothered by IN extensive cur
riculum, including all the ologies under
tbe am and a number OF languages, living
and dead.
As the teaching Of German was the most
expensive OF the many unnecessary and
costly additions to the school system as
abused in st. Louis, it presented the most
vulnerable point OF attack. The question
of its continuance had been raised by the
board, which, prior to the late election,
stood seventeen for and eleven against.
The terms OF a fraction OF the boards
membership expiring, 1t was determined
10 raise the question at the polls, and can
didates were named for and against the
teaching Of German. Every effort was
made By the controlling majority OF the
hoard: by SO much OF the German popu-
iation as were moved by national prejudi.
ces; by book publishers, n Dy teachers
OF German and their friends to secure the
return OF the candidates favorable TO the
retention OF the study. The result was
that in the wards voting for members Of
the board an anti.G German majority OF Si3
was returned, and that the opposition IN
the board to the teaching OF German was
increased by one, while the friends oil TINS
senseless extravaganza were decreased by
one, This is an entering wedge only. put,
as the first onslaught upon an established
abuse. it was a decided victory. The ques-
t;on will be renewed with an added inter
est at the next election; and as the men
who have to pay the bills continue to be
heard against extravaganza, not only Will
German pass from the curriculum OF the
schools, but the whole system will be shorn
Of the many expensive. conditions piled
npon It by interested persons, chief OF
whom have been teachers and book pub
The attempted reform made at the polls
ia NOT the only effort OF the st. Louis lax
navers 10 save their property from contisr
cation. The question whether the law
contemplates and will permit any such sys-
tenn Of public eduaation as has grown up
in the city has been presented to the
courts. and il the law OF Missouri Is like
that Of illinois, which designs to provide
for nothing more than acommon-scnoo!
education, the judgement must DO against
the system as it now exists.
Substantially alike In forms OF govern
ment, and suffering greatly from munlci-
pal recklessness OF expenditure and conse-
nuent tax exactions, the cities OF America,
closely united by railroad and telegraph,
will be apt to qaickly profit by acommend-
able example OF retrenchment. mus he
influence Of the excellent movement tor
retormin public education made IN ST
Iouis will 6e widespread. tits opportune.
Though the value OF property. has shrunk,
the demands OF the tax-iend are IS vora-
cious as though no reaction from the pr,
css and practices OF ten years ago had set
in, and because the idea OF popular educa-
t;on had a strong hold upon popular imag-
;nation. the officials charged with Its con-
duct have felt uncommon freedom in their
eIaetions. The primal idea Of common
schools Is almost lost In no called improve
ments. Text book after text book has Q
added 10 the curriculum. Extensive school
buildings have been erected. fancy urn,
ishings have been the rule. a vast amy
of publishers. contractors, ana
turers has fed upon . system when IL mas
controlled, and tho taxpayer. who has had
mighty little dancing for his money, has
been forced to pay the piper.
II plundering, in the name OF PUBIC
education, isn't stopped, and a speedy re-
tnrn made to honest and simple practices,
The whole system OF common schools IS
in danger. II Il too costly to endure. The
nnhlic can'tpay for II.