The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-12
TOPICS OFTHE SCHOOLS.

| T0PlCS UFllfE SChUULS.
1 The schools opened on Tuesday, Sep
/ TENDER 4, with full attendance. The
boys and girls all seem glad to be back
1 again. after their two months OF rorap
4 and play. Better work should be done
4 from the fact that they are a year older
than when last years work began and
hence more capable Of doing work.
1 They also realize more fully why they
go to school and thus are better able to
study since they see In some degree at
least the use Of study. One OF the most
important duties OF the teacher Is to
lead the boys and girls into the habit
Of thinking for themselves. When this
Is accomplished their education Is an
accomplished fact, for they VIII not rest
until they acquire at least enough
knowledge to prepare them for their
life work. The parent and the teacher
are the factors that are to work out the
child's salvation. and 1t Will be well for
them 10 work together to this end.
During these political times. It is dif-
ficult to manage the average boy. His
mind is SO full OF party patriotism that
he boils over. He is generally covered
all over with badges. and he thinks
that the salvetion OF the country de-
panGs on his hurrahlng for his fayorite
candidate. Now. what is to be done
wtth him? Simply Just let him effer-
\ vesce. 1t will do him good, and do no
harm to anyone. The wise teacher can
/ give much good Instruction Just now
that cannot be SO well impaired at amy
i.otter time. Especially can this be done
/ In civil government. AS our President
| is TO be elected the manner Of his cleo
lion can be SO fixed on the mind Of the
pupils that It will never be forgotten.
| These special opportunities must not be
neglected by the teacher. Remember,
we are trying to train our boys and
girls for good citizenship. Do not al
low such opportunities to pass unim-.
proved.
Prof. J. B. Mcclure, principal OF the
public schools OF Dingess. Mingo coun-
ty. was visitor at .Ritchie school on
Thursday OF last week, spending al
most the entire day at the two build
ings. Mr.. Mcclure is teacher OF more
than ordinary. ability and is a very
successful institute instructor. Under
| hts management the school OF Dlngess
is taking front rank among the pro-
gressive schools in the southern portion
OF our great commonwealth.
Rev. F. W. L. Peschau, Of Miamis-
burg. Ohio. was visitor at the Eighth
ward school on Friday OF last week and
as he always does. he gave pleasant
talks 10 the pupils Of quite number OF
the rooms. His talk In the grammar
room was full Of good things. we'll said,
and the boys and girls gave him quite
an ovation at its close. DR.. Peschsu
visits the school once every year and
some years ottener. His visits are al
ways enjoyed by both teachers and pu-
pills. Come again. Doctor. the latch
string is always out. Such talks as he
gave on Friday, cannot fail to be an In
spiration to the pupils for better work.
If more such men would visit the
schools and speak words of encourage
ment to teachers and pupils, 1t would
be well. Such treats do all concerned
great good E
Quite a number Of parents are send
ing their children to private schools
before they nave passed through even
| our ward schools. |. e.. before they are
prepared to enter the public high
school This is surely mIstoke.
While We have jus: as good private
schools as are to be found anywhere, It
is surely n mistaken idea to take pu-
pills from the fifth or sixth grades aid
send them TO these schools. In CONVEX
sation with the principal OF one OF these
schools, the writer was made to under
stand that he would much rather have
boys that, had entered the high school
and had speat several years there
Parents would do well to consider this
matter. ~
For good reasons, doubtless, the
Wheeling public schools, with the ex-
ception Of Richie schol, have no eI-
hib.ts at the state fair this year The
display from Richie school with one
exception. is taken from the daily work
Of the school and shows just what the
pupils are doing in drawing language
work Kindergarten work, etc. 1t may
| be some little trouble to the teacher to
prepare this work for n display at the
fair. but the teachers seem willing to
dc 1t and the writer Is sure that the
pupils knowing that some OF their
work will be an exhibition is an insp!-
ration to do better work than they 9TH
erwise would have been done. So the
trouble will not be in vain.
AT the meeting OF the principals on
Thursday afternoon of last week, sew
cral topics Of interest to the schools
were discussed, one of the most i'm
rortant being that OF pupils failing to
be promoted at the end Of the year.
The principals were urged TO keep par
cnts posted all along during the year
as to the danger of this happening. The
attention Of parents is called to tho fact
tina; every Two months n report OF he
:tnndins of the pupil Is sent home for
the parent to sign and return. II the
Parents will carefully examine this re-
port they can see just how TIE pupil
stands. II may seem strange. bu. It Ia