Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-14

unjust and works great injury to the
counties.
l agree with the Superintendent of
Schools that the Legislature should
make an increased appropriation for
the county institutes. | am informed
by the Superintendent that the amount
which has been given by the Peabody
Fund cannot be relied upon, and | earn
estly hope that the Legislature will
accede to his request and that an ap-
preparation will be made for the con-
tinuation OF the institute work.
COMPULSORY EDUCATION.
BY an investigation of the able report
of the superintendent of free schools, TO
whom am indebted for much informa-
ton about the school system, it will be
seen that large majority of the school
men in the State are in favor OF COM
pulsory educational system.
This view of the subject is not alone
confined TO our State. but the most adj
vanced States in the Union have adopt
ed a system of compulsory education.
Among them are Massachusetts. Con-
necticut. Pennsylvania, Ohio, and a
large number of leading States in the
Union. | am impressed with the idea
that the free school system OF West
Virginia, upon which so much thought
has been expended, and which 1t has
required such vast sums OF money TO
complete, a system upon which pop
ulation Of less than a million is eX-
pending every year the sum OF upwards
of two millions of dollars. should be
rendered as effective as possible. TO
do otherwise than make the system
efficient is to throw away and reckless
ly waste the peoples money. Taxa
ton under our theory is for the benefit
of all the people. 1t is not for few.
In this period Of our State when we
burden ourselves with the expenditure
of these millions, taken from the peck
cts of the people by taxation, the citi-
zenship of this State demands that
every one as much as possible shall be
benefited thereby. In this formative
period of the State, we feel the burden
of taxation to a greater extent than our
children after us will be impressed by
it, Therefore, it is the duty OF those
who nav the taxes. Of those who under
90 this burden, and Of the Legislature
which imposes upon us this taxation,
that the people for whose benefit 1t is,
should receive the whole benefit there
Of | will not pretend TO argue TINS
question. It has been discussed so
often that it would be out OF place to
take your time in this communication
to YOUR Honorable Body Let us, how
ever. gather from the school report the
exact status of affairs in this State SO
far as the schools are concerned.
We expended last year on education
the great sum of $2,366,9S7.22. How
Is the school population affected by this
expenditure? The State has a school
population Of 296517; of that number
only 215.665 were enrolled. Thus you
will see that there were more than SO,-
600 children not enrolled in the schools
of the State-a number three times
larger than the standing army OF the
United States. This statement is fur
Their emphasized by the fact that OF the
215 900 children enrolled. there was an
average daily attendance OF only AL
600. thus showing that there was
daiIy average absence Of more than a.
coo children. a vast army Of ignorance
when there should be no ignorance, and
when the school rooms are open that
all may appreciate the wealth or our
splendid citizenship.
Let us pursue the figures Of the able
For convenience
use round numbers. OF the 296,OOO OF
school age in the State, 219,OOO are be-
tween the ages Of six and sixteen years,
and II 0O0 are between the ages of SIX
teen and twenty-one. OF those between
six and sixteen years, $4,000 are en-
rolled in the schools, and $4,000 are not
Therefore, of the children
between six and sixteen years, 80 per
cent. are enrolled and 10 per cent. are
not enrolled. OF the the whole num-
Der between sixteen and twenty-one
there are 10000 enrolled and 41,OOO not
enrolled: or 80 per cent enrolled ana
Ct per cent. not enrolled. Therefore,
these figures are sufficient arguments
TO show that the money OF the state Is
not being wisely expended when there
is an army Of so, 600 children who are
not in the schools of the State. earn
estIy suggest that the law be amended
in consonance with enlightened public
oninion and compel these children I'M
der the law to become such citizens as
this expenditure of money contemplates
thev should be. ] believe that the pas
sage of this law will have its effect in
doing away with the daily absenteeism
and will compel a regular attendance
unon the schools and will be one or the
wise measures for the prevention OF
crime and tn enlightenment of our peo-
PIE. -
SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS.
had hoped that the last session
would have witnessed the end OF the
vexed textbook question, and that the
legislature should not for five years, at
least. be annoyed with this most trou-
hlesome subject. But such is not the
case and it is before us in a very COM
plicated condition.
At the last Legislature, Chapter 81,
Acts 1895. an act was passed prov. ing
for q series of textbooks 10 be I3eu
In the nublic schools of the State, pro-
yidipg for contracting of the same es-
tablishing a school book board and de-
fning the powers and duties Of the de-
nositories for the sale of school books,
for a penalty for any VIOLA
tion of this act. and repeating all for
mer laws inconsistent with the same.
The enactment provided that in the
nnbIic schools of the State there should
be used a number of books for the price
therein set forth and no other. The
law further provided that the text
hooks selected under this act should
he sold by said publishers TO the boards
of education, depositaries, etc, within
the State at prices not exceeding the