The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-06
public Schools In wheeling ana Else.
where. n

We have before us some statistics show
ipr school returns for 1s77-7S from twenty
Two cities in 0hio-.cities ranking from the
size Of Columbus down to Rayenna. They
show that the average expense per capita
Of attendance in these twenty-five cities
for tuition in the common schools is
$l5O2. In Wheeling the per capita Of ex-
pense for the year ending August last was
SlO4S for tuition. Our whole expense,
however, was SIS 81 per capita. Their
whole expense is not given, and it may be
possible that the average quoted covers it
all. The average local tax in these twenty
two cities for the support Of schools is
5.3i mills, while in Wheeling it was %
rents on the Sl00 last year and will be 20
cents this year. ssr-. % -l
In Ohio, as in this State, there isa State
tax Of 10 cents on the 500 for the support
Of schools, and this added TO the local tax
makes an average in the 90 cities OF about
81 cents on the 800, as against 81 cents
herei in Wheeling.
The cost of tuition in Steubenyillc was
slOH per capita Of the attendance,
and there are only two cities that show a
lower per capita, viz: lrohton $50 Az and
Wooster, SlO07. .!'5
The High School statistics are the fei-
,urcs Of the data before lis that are calcu-
lated to attract attention. The cost per
capita Of the High School scholars in stcu-
benyilie was S25 50, and the average in
the % cities was $50 81. That is to say,
.,0SS pupils enrolled in'the High Schools
Of these 90 cities cost the taxpayers an
average Of $40 81 per capita, while 54,6s0
children enrolled in the Common Schools
cost them only an average Of SIS % per
capita.
Stcubcnville 1888 pupils were enrolled
in the High Schools, out OF q total enroll
ment in the city OF 1884, and Of these 80
were boys and 50 girls. ofjthis 1Ss total
there were "a who completed the course
last year, viz: 1lboys and Is girls. "
In these twenty-five cities, there were
SlE4 pupils studying German, 4O,35l
studying music, and 81, ,407 studying draw
Ing. What is meant by studying music
and lrawingis not explained. We mean
as to the character and elaborateness OF
the instruction, such rs a regular course In
music and drawing would imply.
The average cost OF Superintendency in
these cities is sl,7Ol, against sl,1Oo in
Wheeling. The highest salary. $4,000 is
paid in Columbus, and the lowest in
GAINESVILLE, 81 200. In steubenville they
pay $1,000. In Rayenna $500 inhabi-
tants) they pay the same as steubenyille,
classcd as having 1850 people.
The pamphlet before us reflects severely
and Justly on the extortionate price Of
school hooks, a grievance that is common
all over ahc country, and to which We
have called frequent attention. We trust
that the Legislature OF West Virginia viii
,1ke the matter in hand this winter, aud
effect redress so far rs theschools Of this
State are concerned, il possible. The re-
port before us says that the friends Of
school book reform ''assert that the school
system is losing favor with the people
owing to the frequent changes and exor'
bit0nt price OF text books, and that &c
remedy these OWLS and restore the conf
lence Of the people the State must pub
lshits own books and secure their delive'
ryat cost to school patrons.P ~ 4
THERE'S no need for such a radical steE
as this. Let the Legislature say to, The
publishers OF the series Of text books nov
used in our West Virginia schools tia
unless their publications arc reduced to
reasonable price they will be thrown ou
Tour schools, and tHtwork OF Reduction
win soon be accomplished. z