The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-09-14
THE PUBLIo SCHOOLS.
opening of the Pail Term-Inersased Al
tendance over last Year.


. Last Monday the school bell tolled the
knellof the summer vacation Of the school
children. The echo Of the deep tongued
bells no doubt smote unpleasantly upon
the ear Of the average school boy and girl.
For two long months they enjoyed the
freedom that summer brings, and the &C.
casion and season invites. The restraint
Of the past ten months was relaxed. The
terrors OF the classroom were forgotten
in the simple pleasures Of vacation time,
and all was rosy and bright. But last
Monday they hunted up their books, the
forgotten arithmetic, the much abused
algebra, and the well thumbed reader and
spelling book, and trudged unwillingly to
school,. We all know how unpleasant it
was TO leave outdoor sports aud joys for
the strict discipline and proper conduct
Of the school room. 1t Is q sad experience
with some, for frequently they rebel and
do what We often did-"play hockey"
The teachers, too, experience some re-
greet In coming back 70 the trials and ia
tigues that the public know nothing OF.
The summer vacation to them has been
the experience Of the dream Of months,
and they resume their duties with some
thing OF regret but determination to
make the year Just commenced brighter
and more successful than the last. Their
lot Is hard. The discouragements and him
derances that arise in the path OF the
teacher are, as the common phrase goes,
"too numerous to mention" Nothwith-
standing the difficulties in their way they
are the most patient, careful and forbear-
ing class that We know Of. They are en-
titled to far more sympathy and encour-
agement than ever Is expressed. We say
this much for them, unsolicited and un-
known to. them.
The first week Of the school year is
always attended with unsatisfactory re-
suits. The young Tom Sawyer has just
left OF his miniature piratical excursion
and like tricks, and the memory OF his
summers joys prevents him from studi.
Gus application TO his books; and Becky
the heroine OF Mark Twain's inimitable
story, has likewise her summer triumphs
to distract her attention from her books.
Owing to these features 1t is impossible fol
the average pupil to get down TO hard and
earnest work before the memory Of vaca'
ton Joys are dispelled by the rising ambi'
ton 10 excelin the years work. Thinking
that perhaps an article on the opening Of
the schools and the comparison oil atten
dance with that OF last year would be Of
interest to the general public, reporter
OF the ISTELLiGEScER visited the severa
schools yesterday, aud obtained the inior
nation which IL given below. In some O
the schools we obtained the attendance o.
males and females, but other returns being
incomplete in this respect We only givt
the totals.
In the First ward Prof. Mccain report
a total attendance OF $40. The attendant,
last year for the opening month was 400
which shows an increase Of fourteen. The
colored school, Prof. Gaskins, has tota
attendance Of SS, which is an increase o
one over the same time last year. Misl
Sallie ]. Meholin, p,incipal'o oil tue Second
and Third ward schools, reports total at
tendance OF $40. The attendance for the
same month last year was 502, which
shows au increase OF seventy.iour for thi:
year. The Fourth ward, Mr.. W. FL. An
derson, principal, reports total attend
ance for last week Of 557. Last year the
number OF pupils registered amounted Il
449, which scores an increase ever 1870 o
one hundred and eight. The Filth ward
Prof. H. @. Sheppard, principal, reports
an attendance OF 1903. The attendance las
Iyear was 372, which shows an increase o
iwenty.six. Prof. Gibson, principal, o
the Sixth ward, reports the attendance a
his school for last week at SIC. The tota
enrolment for the same time last year wa
532, showing decrease OF eleven. Thu
Eighth ward, OF which Prof. j, O. Gwynn
is principal, shows a total attendance Q
704. Last year they reported an enroll
ment OF 500, which shows an increase o
five this year.
Owing to a misunderstanding we
failed to get the attendance Of the Seventh
ward, Prof. Stevenson, principal. The at
tendance at this school last year was SOL
and we are assured that the total enroll
ment this year will exceed that number
The school Is reported to be in pros
porous condition.
| We give below the following
SUMMARY: