Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-03
THE HIGH SCHOOL.

" paard tsssDonds to "rax Payer"
To tie EdNor Of the Register;
DEAR SIR:-Anoymous writers are
not deserving of attention, out lor ons
fact that some readers may be oecelVeu
INV their statements, To prevent TINS
resnIt allow brief reply TO '"IaT ray
%. " whose strange familiarity with tne
nnhlic schools perhaps accounts LOT INC
Isck Of a responsible signature TO MS
communication.
/ He saws: Snow is the proper mo-
ment for the people TO make themselves
heard" The High School project na'
been under discussion since teorual!;
The people have not been ignorans. VI
this fact, for the Board OF EduestIon
ATS with open doors, and its proceedlnss
are published. 1t seems TO the "r' w
that the proper time to move WIN
nrospect of influencing the Board was
a. some time before final action was
taken. Yet, eight months passed WIN
ont the Board hearing one woro OF OPP
nosition TO the High School, except
rom two or three of its own members;
The writer has not yet heard one Woru
of opposition, but he has heard quite
number Of people commend the boaru
. .,Taxpayer" SAYS: Nobody has
asked them 1.-THE Board to make any
radical changes in our school system
Io1 The Board has not voted 10 make
apy radical change. (b) NOBODY ever
asks the Board TO depart from It's usuaI
conrse. or to continue therein. The
Board happens TO be oouy
of considerable intelligence, OF not
q little financial ability, ana
OF at least the average honesty; aud IL
Is presumed to keep itself informed on
matters coming before it for action
Hence II does not needlessly tax the
DeoDle. for If it did so, its own members
would themselves feel the burden. II
the Board never acted until the people
asked il 10 act, the schools would soon,
like the clock in the old song, stop,
never to go again"
2. Taxpayer" says: 1.-The cost OF
suitable grounds and buildings VIII
reach SIS, 900 to 500, O00." This Wild
statement is based upon the presump'
tion that an elegant new ediice Will be
erected sufficiently large to accommo-
date High School, Public Library and
Board of Education, project which the
Board has not for moment considered,
and TO which the writer is vigorously
opposed. We believe that high
school can be organized and conducted
for a number of years in very comfort
able quarters which will cost less than
$4,000.
4. Taxpayer" asks: "Who will be
benefited by ito" Exactly those who
are benefited by our seven Grammar
schools, which now require twenty
three teachers, with total salary OF
ST., 100.
5. IT" again asks: docs it not
seem strange that any one Ii. e. the
board) should seek TO increase our edu-
cational facilities far beyond the reach
or requirements Of majority OF
the peOple?" The board has not
sought or decided TO add. TO
our present course of study single
new or higher book. 1t has simply re-
solved TO teach the pupils of the upper
grades in one building instead OF seven,
with five or six teachers instead OF
twenty-three, and at an annual cost OF
about 5000 instead Of $1,000. Lack
Of space fOrbids details, but we do not
claim that all the difference will be
saved
g. ST. says: "Let the people de-
mand to be heard at special election"
BY all means il the matter be deemed
Of sufficient Importance, and the Board
will bow in humble submission TO the
will Of the people thus expressed, al
though not granting that decisions thus
reached are always wise. (For example,
the stone bridge case.)
2. The writer is quoted rs calling our
system OF education "abominable."
He confeSSes to the use of the word,
but it was applied only to the system Of
teaching a few pupils in seven buildings
with twenty-three teachers, when the
same pupils could be so much better
taught in one building at One-third the
cost and by one-fourth the teachers who
would soon become trained In special
work.
$ The school which the Board has
resolved to establish is in reality CEN
trail Grammar school, but our school
aw requires it to be called High
School.
9. Taxpayers" effort to construe
the writer's criticism OF q system
IF instruction into a reflection
upon the Instructors, will fall
lat because absurd. and the effort is an
insult TO the intelligence Of the teach
erS, to influence whom it was written.
The writer desires TO say that his
vote was cast after years of reflection,
and the Boards recent action seems TO
him to be wise. He is not now and
never was in favor Of giving very high
education ia the public schools, and has
voted to remove from our school course
botany, astronomy, geology and other
high studies formerly taught in our
schools. he does not believe that our
Board will ever propose the establish
nent OF any such foolish enterprises as
are found in many large cities
under the name of High School, in