Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-06-09
FAVOR THE PLAN.
Island People Generally Want an
Investigation of the Difficulty Elk
listing at Their School.--Act OF
S.hool Commissioners Not COnsld-
cred Final Comments by Friend
of Prof. Stevenson.


of Prof. Stevenson.
The announcement, which was pub
Iished in Yesterdays Register, that a
mass meeting would be held to con-
slider the difficulty existing in the ISL
and school, was received with a great
deal of satisfaction by the people OF the
Garden Spot. Rarely has an event oc-
Cured in local educational circles that
has aroused so much concern as the
attempt of the Madison school COM
missioners to remove Principal Stew
enson. The idea to hold public meet
ing for the purpose of appointing a
committee to confer with the school
commissioners expresses the desire Of
the majority of the Island people who
wish to learn the true cause of the dis
turbance in the Island school, and
whether Prof. Stevenson is in any way
responsible. The general feeling is in
opposition to accepting the action OF
the commissioners as final, for Prof
Stevenson has legions of friends, not
only among the present, but the past
school generations, who speak warm
ly, not only of his character, but his
ability as teacher and principal.
An observer of the situation stated
yesterday that the specific charges
brought against him would be utterly
disproven by even the briefest investi-
CATION. The splendid progress and
growth of the Island school during the
years that Prof. Stevenson has been
principal speaks eloquently of his
methods of management and his ability
as an educator. The statement has
been made that the graduating classes
of Madison school never carried off
any of the honors. This is not the case
as will be shown by fair comparison.
While it may be true that they do not
get many honors, yet the average
standing of the classes has not been
excelled by any of the other schools in
the city. Instead of securing honors
for one or two pupils, the results
sought to be attained have been in
bringing the classes entire to a credita-
BILE standard. In addition to this the
Island school has always secured its
share of the honors. II captured the
first honors last year and missed get
ting the second honors also by only a
fraction. The excellent work done by
the scholars of the Island school was
we'll shown in the contest at the State
Fair last year, when several of the pu-
pills got some of the first prizes.
The entertainment given by the
scholars of the various departments at
the Opera House last year was also a
fine example of the splendid discipline
to which over 700 pupils are daily sub
jected. The Island school has also led
for many years all the other schools in
the grade of attendance. The Island
school has never lost the lead in the
percentage Of attendance, and has had
also one of the lowest percentages in
hardness. This is one of the results
most anxiously sought after by pre-
ceptors. and is alone an evidence of
theschool discipline and methods and of
the earnest interest manifested by
the pupils in acquiring an ed
ucation. The rate of department of the
Island school has always been among
the best and model for many other
schools. Prof. Stevenson can not be
held responsible for the contention in
the school, for the discordance will con-
tinue to exist, as shown by past eXper-
fence, until the real cause is removed.
A friend of Prof. Stevenson stated yes
terday that the action Of the commits
soners in attempting to remove Prof
Stevenson is in violation of promises
made last fall by one of the commits
sioners when he was a candidate for re-
election, to numerous parties that ne
did not intend and would not make
any effort to have Mr. Stevenson re-
moved. Mr.. Stevenson has given as
surance that he would be glad if the
commissioners would appoint COM
mittee to investigate the trouble in the
Island school.