Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-08
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
As to the President of the Board---Lega
Aspect of the Case, &c.
r., "A, E,5itor ar fBs ReOister:

As to the President of the Board---Legai
Aspect of the Case, sc.
To ne Editor OF ne Register:
Seversl days since you published
communication signed Taxpayer" re-
1atipg to the proposed high school.
| That communication provoked lengthy
reply from the President OF the Board
of Education, which, while defending
the course pursued by that body was
largely devoted to an explanation OF mis-
own agency and influence. As this was
a matter of a purely personal nature
involving motives and opinions in when
the public, perhaps, is not as mucn IN
terested as be Is, we did not feel dlspos-
ed TO take any notice Of the communlca-
ton, or we should have done so before
this. We have no issue OF that char
acter with DR.. Jepson. We 90 not
question his entire sincerity and dlsin-
I teresedness Of motive, and are quite
willing 10 concede all that he claims Ior
! the Board touching its average honesty
and its ability, financial as well as In
/ tellectual. We are only gratitied that
An opportunity was afforded him 10
unbosom himself so completely that ne
can "resume a silence from which no
amount of anonymous scribbhng can
draw him."
/ II is of more consequence, however
! for the public TO know what course tae
/ Board has really determined on, whether
10 establish 4 high school or central
grammar school, and this is our apology
for again trespasSing upon the publlc's
attention. If the former, then We have
nothing further to add TO what has been
already urged in opposition to it. II
| the latter THAT is, the central grammar
/ schOOO has been resolved on, as the
/ President OF the Board was at such
! pains to inform US, we desire right mere
] 10 call the attention of the Board and OF
/ the public, 10 the law which must
! govern, and beg to refer them to Sec
J ton Is of the school law for the lnde-
/ pendent school district of Wheeling.
/ This section covers the whole ground,
/ and Is as follows:
els. The Board Of education shall
| divide the district Of Wheeling into
convenient sub-districts, having refer
ence TO the capacity of school houses
| built or TO be built for the accommoda-
/ ton OF pupils; and in each sub-district
/ there shall be established by the Board
/ of Education at least one grammar
school and one graded primary school.
| In the primary school shall be taught
I photography, reading, penmanShip,
arithmetic and geography, to such eX-
| tent as the District Superintendent OF
| Schools, with the approval OF the Board
of Education, may prescribe; IN the
grammar schools, English grammar
and United States History shall
be taught, in addition TO the
branches named for the primary
schools. No pupil shall become a men,
Der OF a grammar school who shall not
have first completed the course pre-
Scribed for a primary school. In the
grammar schools the course shall be
thorough and complete in the branches
named.
The Board shall have power TO es-
tablish one high school for the District,
in which shall be taught such higher
branches of lea ming as the District Su-
perutendent, with the approval OF the
Board Of Education, may designate.
Until said high school shall be estab-
lShed, such higher branches shall be
taught in the grammer schools OF the
District. No person shall become
pupil in said high school who shall not
first give satisfactory proof to the Dis
trict superintendent of due proficiency
in the branches prescribed for gram
mar school"
1t will be seen that there is no grant
of power TO the Board 10 establish
central grammar school. On the con-
trary it is made the especial duty OF the
Board TO establish at least one grammar
school in each sub-dlstrict. This is
mandatOry-the Board shall, etc. There
fore these grammar schools cannot be
taken out of the sub-district school
buildings and consolidated in one CEN
trail school building, however desirable
it may appear TO the Board to do so.
The public is not little interested to
know, then, which horn Of the dilemma
the Board is going to seize upon in
futile effort TO save their pet scheme
from destruction. II the high school,
then they will be confronted by an in
dignant constituency, made so by the
necessary burthen Of taxation that has
been thrust upon them, and If the CEN
traliZed grammar school, by legal i'm
pediment which they cannot lightly
brush from their way.
Would il not be well, we modestly
suggest, for the Board, before proceed
ing further in this matter, to take the
opinion of some competent lawyer,
they already have the opinion of the
doctorS,) even If they have TO go outside
Of their own body to procure it, and
thus gain a more abundant knowledge
of the situation before plunging blindly
into the pit they are unconsciouSly dig
ging for themselves? TAXPAYER.