Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-05-02
THE HIGH SCHOOL.
To the Editor of the Register.

Sir-Please allow me space in your val
liable Sunday edition TO say few words
with regard to the present High School
proposition.
I will endeavor TO demonstrate three
things. viz: that it is untimely. unbusi-
ness-like and unfair.
First. 1t is untimely for the reason that
the Board OF Education is at present in no
condition to undertake the project without
increasing the levy for the Building Fund,
a least ten per cent, for this season.
The Board has on hand at present about
$1,000. intended for the erection Of the Clay
District annex building. which building.
when completed. will cost at least $4,000,
leaving the Board still in debt TO the extent
of about s.. 600 on the cost Of said building.
which will take more than one-half of next
years levy for the Building Fund al the
present rate of taxation, so it becomes evil
dent that the Board cannot at this time
enter into the High School project without
increasing the levy. at least TO the amount
above said. and that at a time when collec-
tons are as hard as they are at the present
time This would seem unreasonable, not
are being daily impaired
Furthermore. there will in the next two
years be at least one more new district
building needed in the place of the pres
ent grammar building in Richie district.
which is now the Oldest school building in
the city. and which at the present time
has TWO rooms in the basement. filed with
little children whose health and eye-sight
is being daily impaired.
Second Ii is urbusiness-like for the rea-
son that Notwithstanding the fact that the
Board has no money on hand commensur-
ate with this project. yet the High SchOo,
majority of the Board propose to pay $40
Geo for a site. 5000 cash and the remainder
in three years with interest NJ the rate Of
six per cent. per annum. In the first place
the site now under consideration is not
worth the amount which the Board pro-
pose to pay for II. There Is not in this
city to-day an individual. or set of indi-
viduals who would pay more than $1,000
for the proposed site Next. these people
propose to spend from eight 10 ten thous-
and dollars on an old dwelling house IN
order 70 transform II into q High School
building How will it be possible for these
people TO introduce a system Of ventilation
into an old building. suitable for school
purposes? The result will he the impair
ing of the health of several hundred boys
ard girls. and then. after the expenditure
of all this money and energy on an old
building. the said building will only az
swer the purpose of eight or ten years.
when the whole structure will have TO he
pulled down and a beginning made anew.
Third. 1t Is unfair for the reason that the
public is not taken into the confidence Of
this High School majority and permitted
TO know anything about the proposed
plans involved I'm the consummation Of
this project. When the old project was
resurrected this time. il was said. 10 the
shame of our community that our school
system was sadly deficient. tina; our city
was twenty-five years behind the times
for the reason that we did not have .
High School and that If We ever expected
10 be recognized as alive. energetic and
intelligent people. we mus; have High
School and thus raise our standard Of edu-
cation. Since the High School majority
of the Board have had an opportunity 10
feel the public pulse on this question they
N
that it Is not the intention of introducing
new studies or raising the standard Of
education. but rather TO economic by CEN
Trailing the grammar department of our
several district schools into one centrally
located High School. thereby saving the
salaries Of seventeen Division \ teachers
and six assistant grammar teachers. This
evident face about of position ccmQe.s one.
like the German. 10 ask. list dies allies
oder kommt noch etwas mach There ap-
pears 10 he considerable matter kept under
the surface until the High School shall be
an assured fact. when this matter Will
gradually be brought TO the surface. Be
sides the number Of teachers that will he
dispensed wiki and whose salaries are to
he applied 70 the future use of the High
School. there has been some quiet talk
about reducing the salaries of the princi-
nails of the several district schools. rang
ing from two 10 four hundred dollars per
year or. possibly dismissing them altogeth-
or. presumably for the purpose Of econ
omizrE.
In conclusion. II II IS only intended 70
centralize the grammar department. and
the proposed High School is uot 10 be- a
High School. is not 10 give our children
a more advanced education than is at
present given them I'm our district schools.
simply from desire 70 economics. IL
would appear hard economy that would
compel several hundred boys and gins
20 walk on an average of TWO miles A
per day. TO be taken away from under tha
observation of parents fer whole day