Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1847-01-28
FOR THE STANTON SPECTATOR.
THE DISTRICT SCHOOL LAW.
NO. H..

Mr.. EDIT0R,--An abstract of this law has been
presented to the citizens of the County in two pub
locations. 1t is not deemed important, therefore, to
enter at present into any minute details Of its provi
sions general outline will be sufficient for the
purposes contemplated in these short articles.
1t is proposed to divide the County into Il suta-
BILE number Of Districts, in each OF which School
shall be sustained certain portion of each year, say
six, eight, ten months, for giving instruction to
all the free white children over six years of aye
This instruction is to comprehend at least Reading
Writing and Arithmetic to which, if deemed add
visable, may be added English Grammar, Geogra-
ply and History Especially of Virginia and the IT,
States, and the elements of physical science. The
County must also be divided into Precincts, each
Of which shall comprise several Distrcts-thus, if
there should be 40 Districts, there may be 10 Pre-
cincts, allowing a Districts to each Precinct The
people of each of these Precincts elect Com
missioner; and the Commissioners so elected will
thenceforth constitute corporate body, to whom
shall be committed the oversight and control Of the
interests of the Schools in the County. The peo
pie must also elect two Trustees for each District
School, and the Commissioners appointing third
these three Trustees TO constitute the authority
for managing the School of the District.
These Schools are TO be open TO all the children
of proper age FREE of charge. The cost of sus-
tanning them is to be devolved on the County, and
the funds raised by special taxation levied on the
subjects of revenue and County levy. No teachers
can De Ill any CcnOOl VINO may not nave
sustained satisfactory examination by the Board
OF Commissioners, or some competent persons of
eleir appointment. The School houses are to be
erected and provided with suitable accommodations
at the public expense, under the immediate supervi-
sion of the Trustees for EACH
Such is brief outline OF the law, which it is
my purpose TO discuss in my future numbers
will conclude this article with some statistics fur
nished me by the Superintendent of Schools of this
County.
The reports of the Commissioners to him, show
that there are in the County 1864 children between
the ages of and l6 years, OF whom 1850 are in
INDECENT circumstances. For the sake Of round
numbers let us say we have in the County, between
the ages of and 20 years, 5000 children, which
Is very reasonable estimate. Let us then divide
the County into 40 Districts, in each of which
there shall be q School We shall then have an
average Of l25 children to the District. '.This,"
say the enemies of the system, sis too great num-
Der for SCHOOL, Granted, if they are all to 90
to school at once but how stands the case, when
taken in a practical point Of view ? We have in
the ages given variety of age, covering space of
IA years, Wis., from to 20 years. 1t is, therefore,
reasonable to assume that one-fourth of the whole
number of children, either in the County, or any
District, are between the ages of 6 and o. years,
one fourth between the ages of o. and Is years,
one-fourth between the ages of l3 and l6a and the
remaining one-fourth between l6s and $3.50
there four classes of children in each District of
q little over 81 In number, on an average. And
we all know that to acquire good English educa-
ton, three and half four years. attendance at
good School, is, in most cases, amply sufficient.
And from various causes not more than one fourth
of the children in the County 60 to school the
whole year round. Many, too, will be at the AGA
denies and Seminaries, with which we are tolera-
bly, well supplied: so that we have nothing to APP
prehend on the ground Of having our Schools too
large Taking this view Of the subject, cannot
conceive what is TO prevent us from adopting the
free system with advantage. If once adopted and
put fully into operation, will surely be able to
give to every child in the County three or four
years schooling at the very least.
Again, the stability of our population is such,
that the whole number of children in the County
will not, in all probability, vary than one or
two hundred for several years TO come, and there
will many 90 off the list of any year by pass
ing beyond 20 years of age, will be added to it
by those arriving at the age of years or in other
words, every four years oneourth of the whole num-
Der of children, say 1850, will become too old to 90
to school, while about the same number will grow
up to take their places at the Schools Time then,
it is evident, will be necessary to get the system
fully under way. tits new with us, and we can
not expect it to accomplish all its good in one, or
even two years, but must rest content with giving
1t a fair trial before condemning its operation.
LANCASTER.