Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-09
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
SECOND AUDITORS REPORT

The visions meaning, I'LL we wake"
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
~ SECOND AUDITORS KEPoRT "
On the state Of The Literary Fund, for TIC year
10 the General assembly Of Virginia y before
In conformity to law, have the honore Literary
The General Assembly the accounts E last, accom-.
Fund for the year ending Both Septehs of the school
panied with statements Of the opy both September,
commissioners for the year en:
lS40, agreeably to the annexslount 10 Inc sum OF Sl'-
The permanent funds nate, and other stocks pur-
ay7y O67 SO. The bank TO Sl,43,3i3 81, and a ba-
chased Herewith, aniains in the treasury,
lance Of Sl,724 Gfher sum of S22,7o 100 invested lem.
Thsre is alscdie undrawn school quotas, which
,,rarily ou, statement F.. to S37 ,674 10.
amount larger increase than usual OF the permanent
msrued during the year, the particulars OF which
funten in note to statement &. the total nett amount
am all sources being Sl5,50f IS. But this sum was
,educed to Sill ,5s4 So by a further payment of $4,000
10 the visitors of the institution for the deaf and dumb
and the blind, to be applied to the erection OF The ne.
cessary buildings, towards which object SlO,GOO had
been previously paid-a sum of $4,000 still remains to
be paid to complete the appropriation.
The revenue Of the year amounted to SSl,3i3 y,
and. after payment Of the standing appropriations and
charges. lei: 8 surplus of only $50, O40 % las shewn in
g ,tement 81 TO DO applied, with the original a%pproprla-
lion Of Si5, 600, to tbs education OF the poor during the
year 1912.
men,s Of the current fiscal year, anticipates a surplus
Of revenue of S25,9G0, Of which, if the estimate be
realized, So, 600 will be reserved for the education OF
the poor in lS43, and the remainder will De paid To-
wards the annuity OF the institution Tor the deat, dunio,
and blind, Of the same year.
On the LIST January last, school quotas, amounting to
SS6o sc, were forfeited to the permanent funds, as spe-
cited at foot Of statement +, having remained IN the
Treasury three years from the time they were payable.
am decidedly Of opinion, that two years is the utmost
time they should be permitted 10 remain undrawn with
nut forfeiture. A greater degree of vigilance and in
dustry would be exercised, in searching out and send
ing the poor children 10 school, il this Change was made
in the law.
An INSPECTION of the note appended 10 statement Is.
will sbsw a deduction Of 1858 III from the permanent
funds, being the amount Of the legal fees paid the es-
cheator and sheriff on 81 halfacre lots of lands IN Ches'
tprfeld county, eechcated in conformity 10 The provi-
sions Of the existing laws, the proceeds OF which, in
all likelihood, will mol, when sold, pay one third or one
fourth of the charges. These lots, which were former
Iy part ofan old town on the margin OF james river,
the name Of which is only known from the record, and
nr whose improvements scarcely a vesiige IS now disco.
7erable, are represented to have belonged to q differ
ent persons, all Of whom must have died many years
400. The laws on the subject seem to have made II
necessary that distinct proceedings should be had IN
The case of each individual proprietor, which Is oil
course attended with distinct fees. The mere state
ment of this fact is sufficient to shew that our escheai
laws require speedy amendment, in order 10 guard
against a repetition of a like proceeding, IN relation to
number Of other lots of equally small valne, comprc
hended with those above referred to in the plan of the
sumo old town. as we'll as to other escheatablc lands
Il will probably be sufficient 10 lodge a discretionary
power in the executive to allow 4 per diem compensa
ton in such CAGES, equivalent to the service performed
/ make the foregoing representation by request Of lie
President and Directors Of the Literary Fund.
Having procured an official copy of The last United
States census from the department Of state, proceed
I'd in conformity TO law, 10 apportion the appropriation
Tor the education of the poor IN the year lsl2, amongs
the counties and corporate towns represented in The
General Assembly, and caused the superintendent TO b'
published in the Enquirer and Wing of this city, 10
The information ofthe school commissioners OF The state
A copy accompanies this report markedQ.
A comparison of statement. with the correspondent:
document of the preceding year, will shew an increas'
Of $50 in the number OF children sent to school by lh
school commissioners in 1910, which was s1,5@i. I'M
commissioners appear 20 manifest a greater interest II
the performance Of their duties than heretofore, AM
unless their testimony is entirely disregarded, a vas
amount Of good has been effected.
The average actual attendance Of the children q
school, ascertained from the accounts Of The teacher
made ont ander the saa6ttiy of an oath, appears to hav'
been rather more than three scholastic months, at Nv
days to the week. This is unquestcnabiy much les
than is desirable, even as an average, but there 10
great number Of the counties in which it ranges be
tween four and six months, and many OF the school
in which it is as good in relation to thus class, as II Is
any other. The school reports Of New York, and tn
New England States, which | have more PARTICULAR.
examined, do not state the actual daily attendance, bu
il 10 plainly sbewn, that even IN those States, The IRE
gnlarity, in this respect, prevails TO a great extent, al
though u pOpGilGGH, SepSIiuhJ T" SIC a1SSt - o.
many parts so dense, as almost to admit oil Their school
houses being within q stones throw ct the dwelling o
every pupil, whilst, in a large proportion of ours, tho
are probably one, Two, or three miles distant and
data, 10 ascertain the fact, were given in those reports
il not only might, but ] think would be found that III
~garticuiar class 10 which our system is confined, aten
not much, if any better than they do with US.
In regard to the non.sttendance of the poor childre
al any school aud the imperfect qualifications of teach
ers, there also are difficulties which our system has I
encounter, in common with the systems OF other States
and probably in no greater degree. The llfss can on'.
he remedied by patient and persercring efforts. No
can the latter difficulty be in. taatly removed by any in
eenuity whatever. Tim ID required TO produce fro,
amongst our o,ca citizens, a number of competent teach
+rs adequate to the wants of the State, and this can b
done if we take the proper measures. we ought mel
Their TO expect, or desire, to obtain them from othe
States. Let us endeavor, by awaiting ourselves OF on
own resources, 10 preserve and transmit 10 our poster
IS, all that is good and valuable in the habSs, principle
snd institutions which We ourselves ipEeited BESIDE
the policy Of snch a course, Necessity imposes Il npo
W, because the fact cannot be doubted that oil the State
have occasion for a great many more qualified teacher
,aau ihcy contain. Thny cannot Of course spare an.
al tbxt description, Su1&sWes want.De oihers. Resort
therefore. mus, for thesf esut1 at igost be had to on
can literary institutions, 'pubRt and private, as wei
those now in operation as those which may heseaf
,rr he established. The University of Virginia, TIL
colleges, the Military Institute, Tue academies, AM
tie private sen,inaries OF The Jh.shes' ofoef' may
US suey~s;ed ia my report OF last year, be re
sorted TO for the instruction of a considerable nuInbe
Of the mos, promising youths under the charge OF tn
sghoot commissioners. Asitrespectsi those institution
oyer xhich the legislature has control, provision couic
!, il presumed, be made without difficulty, and satis!ac
try arrangements, no doubt, he stected on !aif term