Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-05
t'or N. EnquF'
III scuco,. COMMISSIONERS.

Several al lie school commissioners I" liIi>"
having made various inquire. o lhr c"nn'' SUI
p.,in,entent O, schools, touching their dpdr>, ne
sucposes thai his answers may be mo- accelaH-
hly convpye, through newspaper. Ahu - the
donbts which produced those inquir''s exist also.
nrobablv in Tie minds Of o.her commissioners,
hn;h in ihal and Other counties, MS lnode Of reply
i Inns rendered vet more eliasi'e. Some 81 me
iutn-,u, !, here offered j. e.'iivsd tom me "a
Anaior himself, The genoa Superintendent u
The Literary Fund: some 6 II lioin TIE vs. con
corning primary schools
The money receiveGrom III. Literary FUND
IS ia he divided among The clsficis III pr"a'fli"h
! 10 the number Of INDECENT chi zen w 'd'h.
, INDECENT children are alllna>e "h,', u "ho>e
narents. are unable 10 pay III Their education.
They need not he dowrilsh' pa"Pei>. NV u
The ,nahildy kiss, NJ matter ny wha' hiiscot-
| -. ~ n,,.n,. The child i entitled 10 The be-
e'n n ,,,s-, mas several chill ren heiween
nen' !, = .fs OF age, and is able 10 send some
ana al II 10 school, but moi all those whom lie
todtnnol send may be entered by the commissioners.
g. Where The money allotted TO a commits
sioner is insufficient 10 school all the INDECENT
children in his district he should select those who
are most likely to use The boon diligently and
well. In general, Older children will use il be.ler
han Younger ones; and have, besides, less time
before them 10 enjoy il. Among those equally
apt to attend regularly and learn we'll the poorest
should I've preferred.
A. The commissioner, and not the parent is 10
choose The teacher Tor such children as he enters
And il is the commissioners sacred duty 10 pay
the public money 10 no Unqualified eacher-es-
pccally to none who is sipaied, or otherwise
profigate. The commissioners were selected be-
cause they were deemed judges OF the qualifca-
lions OF teachers.
sioners 10 report 10 their county superintendent;
the names Of parents, The number, nanfs, ages
and 1rcs Of ALL The children in their districts, be-
tween The ages OF 5 and l6-designaline those
who are INDECENT, or in The words of the law,
chose who are entitled 10 instruction under his
act" And The names oil Inc parents also. Many
OF The commissioners have failed in this. Indeed,
Ten Of The tweniy-tour in Louisa have not report.
ed al all.
6. The number of children in this county ZEN
titled 10 instruction under the act" is So great,
that if all received portion, there would be lule
more than one dollar for each. The fourteen re-
ports already handed in give an aggregate oil 46I.
The whole number Of INDECENT children will lie
more than 700. The county quota Of money for
the year is 57l dollars; and have heard [bul not
automatically that 1870 dollars Of styeaf's quota
remain unexpended. If all this come 10 US
which is doubllul-our sum total will be 76l.
So you see The necessity OF choosing we'll among
both the scholars and the teachers offered 10 Your
choice.
:. A commissioner may send children 10
school oul of his district or out OF his county, if
there be no suitable one within it, But he will
find il polite, and necessary, 10 consult! their con-
venience as far as consistent with his d'.'y.
In every district there are some halt dozen
knowing persons (ma!e and female who can
save The commissioner the trouble OF visit To
each house, hy telling him all line particulars he
needs learn. But il is highly important 10 he
success oi The system, tina, the commissioners
should visit all The famiies-converse with the
old and The yonng-slrive 10 neres. them in the
sys,em-get acquainted with the chidren-ieel,
and show an interest in their improvement
urge them to regular attendance and TO s'udious
habils-so often 10 The schools, and observe the
teachers m-hods-judge The books used-and in
few cases, furnish suitable ones 10 children ex-
tremely poor, out oil The fund.
There is no calculating how much good may
be done by ibe judicious kindness Of commits
sioner upgrudging Of his time and labor in snch
WAYS as these. And he will be surprised, a the
wear. end, 10 find how lille j, has interiered
with his own solid interests. -.
LOUISA, Jan. IA, 1s4I.
IT.. N,,aror,s EIao of The 18Th Ian had re-