Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-14

only seventy studentsremalned. Tn r
seems to have been some attraction
about that particular number. This Is
not true. / have, to-day, gone over the
catalogue, and find that there Were
over seventy In the University alone,
while the preparatory students swelled
the attendance to more than one hun
dred. But IL it had been true, the blame
and responsibility would have been
with those who kindled the assault
upon the school, not with the school it
self. But more as to numbers. One
object of the above changes was to make
the University more acceptable TO the
entire State. After fifteen years exist
ence and the expenditure Of hundreds
of thousands of dollars from
the State treasury, 1T remained
too largely local institution.
In 1882, when its attendance was
largest, its catalogue showed liz names.
Or these 1l9 were from West Virginia,
of which 50 were from the University
couaty, IA from the adjoining county OF
Preston, and Sc from % other counties
in the State. In 1888 the catalogue
shows 159 names. Ofthese l46 are from
West Virginia, of which 81 are from the
University county, from Preston, and
IS from 81 other counties. Again, OF
the III in 1882, there were lO3 in the
preparatory school and "A in the Uni
versity. OF the 159 in 1888, there were
rs exclusively in the University, 45 ex-
clusively in the school, and 80 having
studies in both University and school.
This shows that while there was de-
crease in the aggregate attendance, 1t
was local ard in the school, while in the
University itself there was an increase
in the students and in the counties
represented. 1t has been objected to
the maintenance of q preparatory de-
partment, that it is supported largely
for local benefit. do not agree with
this objection, but there is some force IN
il. Ii is thus seen that under the most
adverse circumstances in its history,
the past session showed progress in wild
ening the patronage of the University.
Now, as to the elective system, OF the
"A students in the University proper in
1882, there were exclusively probes
sional, and 60 collegIaus. OF the latter
30 were "Option alp and 43 in the curri-
culum. OFT 10 there were 80 from
West Virginia, and Is were "condi-
toned" so that OF the lis students en-
rolled, there were only IS in the regu-
lar classes of both the scientific
and classical courses. This would
show that the school itself
was forcing its way toward
an elective system, and that the Fac
ulty were justified in supposing it was
better adapted to the needs of the stu
dents of the State. Had they consulted
their own ease, they might have
avoided all this censure, continued an
easy curriculum, and swelled their
classes, with great applause for building
up the University, when in truth they
would not have been advancing our
real educational interests, or faithfully
discharging the high trust committed
to them. The standard is not yet what
it ought to he. The income of the
Iniversity is sufficient, the State which
supports it and the young men for
whom it is supported, alike desire that
it shall be made as good as it can be
made, both in the breadth and depth
of the education which it dispenses. |
sEall have something more to say in
another paper, which will conclude my
article. WILLIAM l.. WILSON.