Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-06-02

ltal stock SlOO,OOO, III Order 10 auu
paper mill to their plant.
-
Blaine, Mckinley, Quay and Reed.
What glorious hand the Republican
party holds. Four aces.-MOuntdin
Herald. Yes. and about hundred
thousand knaves.
PROF. l.. III. CRAGO
Replies lat Length to the Card by Prof.
Hennig.
| TO the Editor Of tie Register:
| SIR: Mr. Hennig, in his letter published in
the REGISTER of the 18th inst, thinks was
unfair in my reply TO his former article, and
denounces my article as unjust did not
mean to be either unfair or unjust. / diff
fered with him ON three points, and |
quoted his language on these points word
| for word How was 10 know that his
meaning was different from what his Ian
guage naturally conveyed! He says / IAN
not frank in my insinuatons." / made no
insinuations whatever. | only took the
language used and tried to show just what
meaning could be taken from it. He further
says: HE is prone to discuss the words,
not the spirit, of my article, the vehicle and
hicle, was all had on which to base my
conclusions, and / am willing to leave it TO
any one who read the gentleman's article
| in last Sundays REGISTER If my conclu-
sionS were not the natural ones TO be drawn
from the language used.
Mr. Editor, do not wish TO enter into
newspaper controversy. / have no more de-
sire to do that than has Mr.. Hennig, but he
attacked our school system, think unjustly,
unfairly and unnecessarily and although he
somewhat modifies his statements in this
article still he calls it an ubiquitous sys-
| tenn and says: 1.-THE system | attack on
all issues. and the sooner the public buries
il, the better for future generations do
not wish it understood that think that our
public school system needs 10 be champion
ed against such arguments, but | wish TO
call attention TO the fact that our
present public school system i. e.
the public school system of the
United States is the outgrowth
of at least fifty years of the most careful
study and work of some of the greatest
minds our country has ever produced. For
the past quarter Of century, especially,
the matter has been discussed by our best
educators, and everything that they could
suggest has been considered by our law
makers, and now every State in the Union
Ids dubDltu IL oNSlil VI publAN oenOOlo iUi
the education of the masses. Such men as
Horace Mann, Charles Francis Adams and
many others have deemed it an honor to APP
pear as its special champions. Such men
as DR.. Il. f.. White, Col. Francis w.
Parker and hosts of others of the present
day are proud to speak at all times in its
favor, and still we are TO be told by one
who has not as yet lived long enough to
properly investigate the subject that it is a
failure, that it is iniquitous, that is of
the wicked one, &c, &c. Now we do kind
ly advise Mr.. Hennig to well consider his
position. A republic cannot exist with the
masses in ignorance. The masses must be
educated, and the State must see 10 IL that
those who are not able TO educate them
selves must have that education for them,
and we claim that the free public schools OF
America meet the want, and that every boy
and girl in the land may partake of its ben
efits. / will not say they do. Perhaps ii
would be better were they forced TO do so.
for my own part would not object The
trainers of our State Constitution realized
the fact that an ignorant citizen is dan
gerous factor in society, and hence they
made provision that all boys and girls,
high and low, rich and poor,
should have at least fair knowl-
edge of the common branches and
our present school system was made part
of the organic law of the State. We have
this system, the outgrowth of wise legisla-
ton. and it is the duty Of every citizen OF
the State to make our schools better from
year to year Our schools ought to be bet
ter; our teachers ought to be better pre-
pared for their work; but | do insist that
the way 10 gain these ends is not 10 destroy
the system, but il is for every citizen to
lend his earnest support to these schools
n, to nt,r tnanhnrc tlat will
enable them to make all the preparation
necessary for their work The great ma
jority of our Wheeling teachers are doing
all they can to better prepare them
selves. Some even spend their vacations
in study, instead of taking that recreation
necessary for their health. Then again we
assert that during the past ten years
the schools of our city have
increased in efficiency at least
one hundred per cent. They have
been keeping pace with the times If Mr..
Hennig will take the trouble to investigate
the matter, will visit our different schools,
he will not find the teachers engaged in
drumming meaningless rules into the heads
of the pupils, but he will find them follow
ing as far as possible the teachings of t'robel
and Pestalozzi | apprehend that if he has
not been in the habitof visiting our schools
for ten years past, and will visit them to-
day, he will be almost as much surprised
as was lrvings Rip Van Wrinkle on visit
ing his native village after his 20 year
nap on the mountain side. VIII he please
tell us how often he has visited our schools
since he left them as pupil, and remained
long enough to Judge what kind of work
the teachers are doing, or in order
TO know whereof he speaks. If he
he has done so then he has right to speak.
If not, his charges are certainly gratuitous,
TO say the least. If he is Judging of the
schools of to-day by what they were ten,
fifteen and twenty years ago, he ought to
know exactly whereof he speaks before he
makes charges.
would rather child of mine would take
a thorough course in the Wheeling schools,
and get no further education, than to take
the best college course without the training
received in these schools. In saying this
do not speak against colleges-they are
all right, bnt do assert that our boys and
girls under good teachers receive a
training in our public schools that lays the
foundation for an education that can
not be acquired anywhere else. Here
the rich and the poor meet together
ION Il level The poor mans child
finds that he has mind just |
as good and perhaps better than his more
favored playmate, and the rich mans child |
realizes that he Is not better than MS less |
fortunate schoolmate, and thus yearly |
friendships are being formed that are
surely breaking down the barriers between |
these two classes, and thus society is be |
ing made better, and this will even solve |
the veXed labor problem in the very near |
future
But have already written more than / |
intended, but will before closing ask Mr. |
Hennig question or two. If we "buU' |
our present school system what do you pro- |
pose in its stead What better than our
present system can you propose. You will |
admit that the object TO he attained by a |
public system of instruction is all right. |
e., the education of the masses-at least |
YOU will not say to the con- |
trary. Now be honest. Show |
us better way. AS the said, |
great minds have been at work on this line |
for fifty years part in our own country. |
Our present public school system is the re-
suit of their study and their works. Can |
YOU propose something better. 1t is easy |
to find fault We do not claim perfection |
for our school system, but we do claim that |
it has done and is doing great good-that |
it is one of the strongest bulwarks of our |
great country, and five give it up we must |
have something in its stead. Please sug-
gest what this may be.
l., II Cp,cn