The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-10
ItltpHOSE NUMBERS:
Editorial Eoon,s...... 1873 Counting Room.... 672
THE INTELLIGENCER.
WHEELING, FEBRUARY 10, 1890.
The Irrcduciblc School Fund.


One Of the most important amend
ments before the legislature in the re-
port of the constitutional commission.
which has already passed the senate,
Is that providing for the distribution of
the irreducible school fund. AS the
amendment now stands ten years will
cover the distribution, this being
compromise proposition. Senator Whit
aker having favored fifteen years and
Senator Smith five. The merits Of this
amendment are very apparent, and are
shown to be so by the experience OF other
states as well as our own. In the gov
ernor's message he shows that the fund
now amounts to S927,9gS, most Of which
has been invested in and 6 per cent.
interest bearing securities, and as the
constitution now stands the principal
of the fund can never be used for any
purpose. At the time the constitution
was made the object was to lay aside
money for the education of the children
Of the future. The population of the
state then was but 100000: now it is a
million. The governor says:
When we compare the advantages In ed
ucaton which VIC enjoyed twenty-five
years ago with those now enjoyed by our
children, we are struck with absolute
engagement over the Roadway we have
made in educational work. We have every
reason 10 believe that the next twenty
Ave years will bring with them still
greater facilities and greater progress
these lines. Each succeeding generation
will. as n matter of course. be better pre-
pared to provide for itself In educational
matters THIN the present and the past
have done. II appears to me that all the
available funds within our reach should
be used in educating our present youth.
Let each succeeding generation provide for
itself.
], therefore, earnestly recommend your
honorable body to submit to the people
an amendment to our constitution. direct
ing the distribution OF this large fund.- in
reasonable annual installments, until tho
same Is consumed. II this be done II will
increase the school period from one to two
months in every school district within the
state, and will necessarily be of great ad-
vantage 20 our children who nrc now
of the proper age 10 attend the public
/ schools
1t will be observed that the money Is
not to be diverted from the use orig
finally intended, but to benefit the pres
ent and rising generation by increasing
the school period and lettering the sys-
TEN.
Concerning the effects Of keeping up
the present law. which will result in the
continued piling up OF an enormous
fund that in the course of another gen.
Grafton or two will amount to several
millions, as the governor well says. to
educate children CT unborn generations
when the state shall have become
greater and Weather. the experience
OF other states may be referred to. Al
most coincidcnt with Gov. Atkinson's
message was one on the same subject
from Governor Sayers. of Texas. 1t APP
pears that Governor Saycrs was elected
on platform declaring that all lcsis-
lative assistance necessary should be
given to bring the free schools OF the
state to the highest efficiency. But be,
as has our governor, finds million dol
lar permanent (irrcducblc) school fund,
not one cent OF the principal Of which
can be applied to the support Of schools
1t Is required to be invested In county
bonds bearing 5 per cent, but no such
bonds are available. In this respect
the law In Texas is somewhat different
from that of West Virginia, but the eff
feet is pretty much the same.
There Is also a growing feeling in
other states that the plan Of an ire
ducible fund for school purposes. while
the law was well intended when the
states We're small in population and
schools were scarce, Is not in keeping
with the progress Of modern education
and general advancement.