The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-09-18
SCHOOL lMELANGE.

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The writer has always thought there
shoald be In every ward school. Us well
as in our high school. room in which
irregular pupils should be taught, to-
gether with those who are behind the
grade or who by absence have missed
lessons that should be made up. Very
often pupils on account OF sickness of
themselves or other members of the
family have fallen behind and In a
very short time would be able to go on
with their class II there was such a
room where they could have time to do
the reciting. IN this room should be q
skillfuI teacher. one well calculated to
see at a glance what the pupil most
needs In the way OF instruction, and
then be able to render Just the help
needed, and no more, Such room
would be great help to our schools,
and II the matter was properly present:
ed to the board Of education, we could
have It. It would keep many boy
and girl In school who drop out just be-
cause they are behind their classmates
from the fact they cannot attend regu-
larry, and the teacher cannot or will
not lend the helping hand to enable
them to regain their lost place In their
class.
In those schools in which this plan Is
In vogue, the results have been all the
most sanguine could wish. Boys are
kept in school who would otherwise be
running the streets. and thus falling to
secure an education at all.
Meetings of the c and D teachers
were held during the week, as follows:
AT Centre school on Monday, and at
Richie school on Wednesday. These
meetings were held by the principals,
as II was impossible for Superintendent
Anderson to be present. Matters OF
general interest to the school grades
represented were discussed at both
meetings. The teachers and principal
Of Richie school discussed the subject
Of better work for the year than was
| ever done before. Is this possible? II
was decided that It not only was pos
sibie, but all pledged themselves to DO
It. Some say this Is imposslble-that
| the good teacher always does her best.
| This may be, and IL doubtless true, but
the best work Of this year ought to be
| better than the best work OF last year.
II not, then the teacher ought to find
some other work to do, for progressive
teachers IRE the ones needed In our
schools and they are the ones we must
have. Experience counts In all other
professions. Why not in the teaching
profession, as well? It should be the
aim OF all teachers to make themselves
so eficient and so proficient that the
patrons Of the schools seeing their
| good work will not do without them.
Richie grammar school Is formed In
to literary society, called The Long
fellow Society. This society is divided
into four classes. The regular Friday
afternoon performance is given by the
different classes alternating. On FRI
day afternoon the first class gave an
excellent programme considering the
short time in which It was prepared.
These performances consist Of essays,
recItations and music, vocal and In
strlimentaI. The pupils take q great
interest in them, and the short tipG
spent thus Is Of great benefit to the
pupils
The writer knows whereof he
speaks. when he says that many boys
and girls are not In school, who would
be there II the compulsory school Law
was enforced in our city. as IL Is In eIH
cry other city and town in, the Stdte.
| Two years ago this matter was referred
to the attorney general nnd'h decided
that It did apply to Wheeling Just the
same as to all other districts of the
state, but It has not been enforced
why is It so? Are the people OF
1 Wheeling opposed TO compulsory
J school law? Its enforcement would un-
doubtedly be Of great advantage to US
| as a city. 1t would save many boys
and EirIs who are now running the
streets with nothing TO do, which Is one
of the iirst steps to ruin.
There Is not city Of its size In the
United States that needs manual train
ing in her schools more than does our
own city, Wheeling, and yet there are
| no steps taken toward Its adoption. we
/ hnye our high school now. but no ply
| sIcat culture OF any sort in connection
with II, A finished education requires
| that the hand be educated as well as
the mind and soul. A perfect man or q
| perfect woman, requires that the hand,
the head and the heaTt All three DC eu-
ucated. Our system Of drawing as
taught in our ward schools, Is step In
the direction OF manual trnlnlng-real-
" belongs TO It. but even this stops
when our pupils enter the high school.
Who win move in this matter, and
have q complete system OF manual
training In connection with our high
school. II would be well to teach less
| of book, and more OF what might be OF
some use in the rnce Of life which all
must run. but In which so many fail to
be winners.
Two weeks of school are now gone
and sim the classes are not supplied
with books. Where the fault lies the
writer does not pretend to say. but 1t is
the old story over again, nearly a
month Of school 10 lost ut the beginning
Of every year, to some Of the classes for
want OF books. The remedy for all this
would come II we had free text books.
Then Il would be obligatory on the