The City of Wheeling Directory of 1859-1860 gives an account of a school house built in 1849 at the corner of Sixth (Jacob) and Clay (18th) Streets: Size 70 feet by 36 feet. The cost of the building was $5,000. The Commissioner was E. C. Jeffers. The Trustees were I. Z. Blanchard, D. Bell and O. J. Crawford.

In 1859 the Principal was John W. Boyd and the teachers were: Ellie Poole, Mary McCoy, Alberta L McIlheny, Lattrecia McGar, and Anna Charnock. The terms began September 1, January 1, and April 1. The end of the school year was the first Friday in July. Number of pupils registered were 225 boys, 202 girls or a total of 427 for the school year of 1859-1860. 

A second building was erected in 1871 which burned in 1908. School was held in the post until the third was completed in 1909. The last was a two-story, sixteen room, brick structure with a foundation of huge sandstones. It was well constructed and the reported cost was $65,000. In 1943 when a modest building program was in progress, the Clay School at 15th and Wood was completed and Fourth Ward elementary and junior high students went there.