Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-10-20
AMONG The SCHOOLS.
The Question Of Text Books at Actual
Cost.
1t Would Be a Great Benefit to
Pupils and Parents-The Benefits
ofFriday Literary Work. repar-
ing for Examinations.

Although all our schools lost nearly
month before commencing work, the
pupils seem determined to make up
the loss by hart study Especially is this
the case with the Seniors and Juniors
who will be required TO stand Just the
same examination and at Just the same
time as If school had commenced on
the first Of September. AS the compe-
titiOn for hOnOrs is taken away, so.ne
fear that the percentages will not be so
high as that of former classes. We
think this will not be so. but if ii is it
will be made up in a broader scholar
ship than can be acquired in studying
for percentages merely, with no view
to the development of the child ply
sically, mentally and morally. Our
schools are intended to teach our boys
and girls how to study-how to inves-
tgate for themselves rather than to
attempt 10 make finished scholars of
them, and if the teachers succeed in
doing this and along with ii teach our
boys and girls to become perfect ladies
and gentlemen, on entering upon their
life work, the greatest aim of public
school education will nave been accom-
plished
The Board of Education at its meet
ing on Thursday night las, took an ad-
vanced step, when a committee was ap-
pointed TO consider the matter of free
text books Many of our larger cities
and some Of our States even have
moved in this matter, and in every
instance where tried it has proved a
great success. Money is saved by it,
for the books would be purchased by
the Board and furnished at cost. But
this is not the greatest good. Il would
cause a great many boys and girls in
our city to attend school who cannot
go on account of not having books-the
parents either not being able TO buy
them, or refusing to buy them when
they are able True We have a way to
provide books for those who are not
able to buy them, l. e., are too poor to
buy them; but many will not avail
themselves of this provision from the
fact they think that their children are
looked down on by those of their more
fortunate neighbOrs. Free text books
will place all on an equality as far as
the purchase of books are concerned,
and many boys would go through our
schools and finish the course. who are
now running the streets, fit subjects to
grow up TO become supporters of our
saloons instead of being useful citi-
zens as they should. II is a wonder
this subject has not been acted on long
ago but it is never too late to do good,
and il is to be hoped that our Board
of Education will act wisely in the
matter and that soon we will have free
text books.
The new music readers are being dis
tributed among the pupils of the differ
ent schools. and the old ones are being
taken up-the new ones being eX-
changed for the old. This suits the
boys and girls. for they all prefer new
books to old ones.
The new system of music is consider
ed far superior TO that whose place it
takes-so say those who ought to know.
On Friday afternoons nearly all the
time is devoted to literary work. Every
Grammar school in the city is formed
into a literary society, and the mem
bers of the same have charge of the
performance. under the supervision of
the teachers and principal. In this
way the pupils are taught parliament
ary law. and they also get drill so ne
cessary to appear in public without en-
barrassment. The hour or more spent
in this way every week is Of more prac-
tical benefit than the same time spent
at any other exercise, and as the years
go by the pupils will realize that this is
true.
The Juniors of the Longfellow Liter
airy Society, Richie school gave a
performance, yesterday afternoon, and
it was up to the average weekly per-
Torrance given by this society. The
Longfellow society is divided into four
classes. each one giving a performance
once in four weeks. This takes but lit
tie time from regular studies, and the
pupils have plenty of time to prepare
and the result is a good performance
nearly every time.