The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-06-25
The Romn4y Institution nnd the Recent
Report OF Its Board of Regents.

institution during each Of the years 1861,
1878, lS7S.O2' The Board in their report
to the Governor dated June 10, 1879, re.
ply as follows;
"During tho session OF 1867 there were
81 pupils actually present; and during the
session Of 1878, % pupils, during the
session Of 1889, just closed, there were
81 pupils actually present"
The same numbers are given In reply TO
our second question: "What was the
highest number present ut any one time
in each Of those years?'
DO the Board OF Regents mean to say
that on each and every day from the be.
ginning to the close Of the session Of '7G.7
there were eighty.fivc pupils at the institu.
ton, and that during the session of IT'S
there were ninty.ive present on each and
every day; and that during the session Of
1870 tlere were eighty.hve pupils present
on each and every day from the first to
the last; that they NIL came OH the first
day and all remained till the last day; that
there was neither accession nor diminu.
ton OF the numbers during the whole
forty weeks OF the session? This would be
possible, but it would be SO extraordinary
an occurrence that We must beg leave to
doubt the accuracy Of the statement until
we are assured by the gentlemen Of the
Board that they understood the questions
and understood also the scope of their
answers to them.
These questions were suggested to us
by reading the report OF the American
Asylum ut Hartford, Conn, which, by the
way, is clear, candid and fair account Of
the condition and operations Of that insti.
tuition. In that document the Principal
reports: lst, "the whOlc number present
during the year. which we understand
to mean all who were ut any time and
for any length Of time at the institu-
ton during the year; ID, "the highcst
number" THAT is, the largest number)
present at any one time; and, ID, "the
Grsruyr number" that is, the average
number who were present during the
iGhOle OF the session. As this last item OF
information was absolutely necessary in
order to form correct estimate OF the
cost per pupil, we proposed questions
Nos. |, 9 and 3, which the Board have
failed entirely to answer, or have answered
incorrectly.
We know that there were not So pupils
present the first week or the first month
Of the session 1883. We know that at
the October meeting Of the Board, seven
weeks after the session commenced, there
were only 70 or II pupils present. How
long afterwards there were only this num-
Der present, or some other smaller number
than the whole number reported for the
year, we have unfortunately no means OF
knowing. But is 1t not matter for sur
prise that the Board Of Regents came away
from their recent session at Romney still
permitting business to be done in this
shilly.shally and unsatisfactory way? So
far US they IRE concerned, we may have to
wait u long time for the information fur
niShed by the Hartford report.
10 the third question-"What was the
average number present in each OF these
years (lS7G.7 1878 and lS7S.0)"-the
Board reports the following answer: mo
register was kept Of the daily attendance,
&C., but us the pupils return within few
weeks after the opening Of the institution,
and remain the whole term, the average
attendance will be very little below the
highest number actually present"
Let us see. In the absence OF books
and records, which should be but are not
kept, and owing to the evasion and i'm.
perfect answers OF unwilling witnesses, we
are forced to proceed on imperfect infor-
nation. 1t is fact, we believe, that the
board of Regents will not deny that at
their meeting on the 18th Of last October
there were 20 pupils present at the insti-
tuition. This was nearly seven weeks ai-
ter the term commenced. Let us suppose
lin the absence Of information from those
who ought TO possess and impart it) that
40 Of the pupils were present for 80 weeks,
TINT is 30 pupils for 10 weeks; that 80 more
pupils were present for 80 weeks, that is
"24 for 10 weeks, and 10 more were present
for % weeks, that is % for forty weeks
We find that the average attendance for
the 10 weeks in 1867, when the largest
number in attendance was IS, amounted
10 7S pupils. Taking the figures OF the
Board as 10 the expenditures, which we
claim atenot correct, the cost per pupil for
that year was $500 80.
1.-THE average attendance was in the same
proportion TO the whole number in lS77..S
land there is no reason it should not be)
the average for that year was 81 pupils,
and the cost per pupil was S3O5 70.
The Board reports All average attend.
ance Of 81 pupils for the years 1861 at
cost per pupil of s977 OF, or a total cost
Of $23,54S 80. Actual expenditures for
all purposes 50, 400 O3!, leaving IN OK
penditure for permanent improvements OF
S5,S5l 03. Now lot us see what the prin.
cipal's report says.
Under tho head Of "Itcmized Account OF
current expenses for the fiscal year end
ing September 30, 1877" we find:
Groceries and provisions sos SSIf
Salaries and wages l3,Sl5 10