New-York daily tribune., 1857-10-21

TIE Educational Convention Of Virginia recently
beld at Richmond confirms some curious disclosures
For msby years past number Of the most en-
lebteped citizens of that State, with whom the
Governor expresses very VAIN sympathy have
struggled ard lsbOred with the greatest assduty to
establish genera system of public education; but
ss yet their success would seem to have been very
limited. The pecuniary means hitherto provided
for this purpose are, first literary fund, Of which
the capital is at present some 5 700 900, producing
an annual income Of about Sl3O 900; second, q
capitation tax specially levied for the purposes OF
education, the amount of which has been recently
doubled, and which now amounts to about ; 12O, 900
year; third county assessments, made the condi.
tion of share Of the State education money,
producing some Sc, 600; and fourth, certain mis-
cellaneous resources amounting to some S2O,
Here is total amount of some $3.50, 900 annually
provided for the purposes Of education by the State
of Virginia-an amount not much greater than the
sum annually levied upon this city for the support Of
the country schools of New York, in addition to an
amount reary four times large levied for the sup
port Of our own city schools.
But even of this small amount, only part has
been actuslly employed fer the purpose, intended.
During the five years past there has remained in
the State Treasury, and has been employed for
cuI rent State Disbursements, average balance Of
about $3.50, ,000 while the similar balances accumu.
latir the hands Of the County superintende ats
have exceeded $50, 600. The amounts actually
disbursed for the purposes of education have been
about 100000 annually for common schools,
SIG 500 annually to the University and Militlry
Institute, 800 600 investment for the increase Of
the Literary Fund, sod some SI4. 900 expenses,
making in the whole 1920. 900.
1t thus appears that Of the Dggardly sum appro-
prated by law to the purposes Of educasion third
part has been annually appropriated BY the State
treasury to eet the interest the State deb. snd for
other current State expenses, while of the amount
actually paid into the hands Of the County Superin-
tendents they have, beside a commission allowed
them Of five per cent, kept qraiter part o. the
whole as balance on hand, which according to
Gov. Wise, they are in the habit of lending out on
interest for the accommodation Of their fliends,
and their own profit Upon this subec. toe Gov
error thus expresses hmself.
81 d. not pretend to ssy that all of the supernten'
dents use the school quotas which placed 10 their
hancs But do ssy that all of them may use them and
il is we'll known that many OF them OF the highest
bOnor and respectability-men whom do not mean 81
all to impugL-do use these public funds for their
private uses and the custom has grown so common
erd inveterete that is not thought wrong or illegal
for them TO apply these funds to their private in
ste ad of letting them lie idle in their hsuds At the
end Of year they have about of the funds
q bslance on hand, and yet they draw, in advance,
full quotas for the year. Thus is apparent that they
have the use of third of the education fund addi
ton to their 3 per cent of compensation Notes in
bank paid with these quotas. Orders for example,
often sent TO Richmond TO draw the county quotas,
and accompany ing these are orders to pay out OF the
amounts various private bills and debts in this very
city, where your Legislators cit. This is common, and
rot considered wrong Illegal The superintendents
are solvent and responsible mep and generally account
when called on; but these balances, without charge,
may for years in their hands, aud this of
public funds for private is surely direct tsmpta
on not to apply the States bounty to the hangrJ and
destitute youths who are craving mental food
Nor has the capital of the Literary Fund been
any better looked after. The law provides that all
unexp pended balances Of the annual school money
shall be invested for the benefit of that fund Not
only has this been neglected, but the Governor COM
plains that Onefth part of the invested capital of
the fund has been lost or given away; Sl53, 200
=
given away by the release of loant made to the
University, to the Richmond Medical College, aud
TO Emory and Henry College. The money distri.
buted to the counties and raised in them is not ap
propriated to maintain system Of public schools.
1t would be wholly insufficient for that. 1t s en-
poyed to pay the tuition in private schools of such
children as report themselves INDECENT. The ac-
count which Governor Wiie gives Of the operation
tf this system, is as follows:
"By tie report of 1855, only HI counties and two
fowls accounted for, Leaving about 40 counties
and towns unaccounted for and pretending afford
norsel of mental food for ii COS poor children Ant
il was but mOre for the average attendance of each
poor child at scboo reported at not quite So day
u the YEAR aud the cost for that fraction of time was
81 81 for EACH or at the rate of nearly SIS 80 each pc
anpum The proportion Of INDECENT children is stltsd
ss nearly one In sx when know is not more than
OF in ten And the truth s that the paupsr childen
do pot psrake of the bounty in any considerable pro-
norton AT all The poor little girls wihou, dy flap
boupets and the little shoeess boys do not 20 10 school,
cause the shame Of poverty keeps them away from
that charity which points its finger at their iDdgence
The fact that the larger portion OF the parents whose
children take the bounty, ale those who able to
pay for tuition. The poor are drven away from the
fund and it is used mere auxiliary for those who
have eroush of their own 10 educate their child!en
ard the appcstion OF the funa 10 lee present mode
their efforts to establish and keep up efficient schools
The petex then that this bread needed to feed the
poor but the AIT of misapPl,ng the funds for edu'
cation The poor are not fed at al by IT, AID those for
whom II il applied do not obtain much more than half
tie amount which the State provides
1t will be seen from the above statement that the
cot of the miserable sort of education afforded in
tfe Virginia schools is nearly twice as great for the
same space Of tine |. the average cost in the
schocls Of this city.
So small, in fact, appear to be the benefits derived