Madison School History

Up until the year 1864, children on the Island did not have a public school of their own. They first attended the Third Ward (Clay) School and later the Second Ward School on 10th Street, which would become Lincoln, the segregated school for Wheeling's black students. The first public school for Island pupils did not open on the Island, but was housed in the upper story of the Market House in the fall of 1864.

In the summer of 1862, a site for the first public school on the Island was purchased for $275.00. Located at the south-east corner of Maryland and North York Streets, the first "red brick" school building was, erected at a cost of $6,483.54, opened January 10, 1866, with 150 pupils in attendance. The student population soon outgrew the building, and in 1873, a section 18' by 62' was added.

When the student population continued to grow, a second brick building was proposed in 1889 and opened in 1890. The two buildings jointly served the growing population along with several annexed outbuildings on the Island.

A third school building, the current Madison School on Zane Street was building was built in 1916. The cornerstone of "modern" Madison School, designed by Wheeling architect Frederick F. Faris, was laid June 25, 1916. The general contractor was J. R. Batts and Sons. The total cost of the project was $90,014. The school opened to students on October 6, 1916.

The old Madison School building was badly damaged in a fire on May 20, 1920. The fire did not damage the new school.

▶ Read a history of Madison School written in 1908
▶ Newspaper article & photo: "Madison Public School Cornerstone is Laid by Pythian Grand Lodge Officers," Wheeling Intelligencer, Monday, June 26th, 1916, pg. 1

Location

▶ 91 Zane St 

Images

Library Resources

▶ Vertical File: Wheeling Schools A-Z, Wheeling Room, non-circulating, ask for access at the reference desk.
▶ Vertical File: Madison School, Wheeling Room, non-circulating, ask for access at the reference desk.
▶ Madison School: "The White Building" its beginnings 1916-1939, D'Amico Stechly, Judith Ann, 2008. 
  Wheeling Room, non-circulating, ask for access at the reference desk.   CALL #: Wheeling 379.75414 St31m
▶ A Collection About Ohio County Schools, Bonar, Levering. Wheeling Room, non-circulating, ask for access at the reference desk. CALL #: Wheeling 379.75414 B64c
▶ The 9th Annual Report of the Public Schools of Wheeling, West Virginia, 1908. Wheeling Room, non-circulating, ask for access at the reference desk. CALL #: Wheeling 379.75145 W57a 1908