Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-04-20
rhe Richmond Free schools.

1t is with the greatest satisfaction that we
receive from Richmond the first regular
Annual Report OF the Public Schools Of
that city. From time to time we have
called the attention of readers to the great
importance of the movements in that city
for general education. At the first, those
movements were almost of necessity con-
Quoted wholly ut the expense of Northern
philanthropy. The people of Richmond
did not yet know how great blessing
they were TO find in a system of universal
education. The Freedmen's Commission,
the American Missionary Society, and the
Soldiers Memorial Society, took up this
work and carried 1t on on scale sufficient
ly large to command attention. The inn
portance of such effort springs from the
fact that Richmond was the capital of the
Confederaey, and still is the centre of the
public opinion of the South. A system
fairly inaugurated there is a system studied
and eventually copied not only through
the towns of Virginia, but through the
towns of other States. The managers of
the societies we have named have steadily
held in view this central position of Rich
mond and the contributors to their funds
have enabled them to maintain an admira-
BILE system of schools for both races
which, though supported thus by private
bounty, have been open without charge to
ali applicants. The Bureau has rendered
The same assistance TO these schools as to
other free schools at the South.
The result of this steady policy, entered
upon the moment General Grant entered
Richmond, appears in the report to which
we have referred, by Mr.. Andrew WASH
burn, formerly of this State, now acting as
complete system of schools-paid for in a
large measure by the city-is now in opera
ton and 1t seems evident that the free
school system is adopted as part of the
new life of Richmond. There are two
thousand seven hundred and fifty pupils
now in attendance in these schools, and
over five hundred applicants for admission
have been reluctantly rejected through
lack of the necessary accommodations.
The schools are not mixed-colored stu
dents and white being taught separately.
Thirty-one teachers are employed in the
colored schools and twenty-five in the
white, making fifty-three in all. The
teachers are women, some being from the
Northern States while Others are from the
Southern, the two normal schools which
are at the head of the system-one for
white and one for colored pupils--having
rendered essential service in supplying
them. These schools have been sustained
in part by the Peabody fund.
The total expense of these schools thus
far has been about fifteen thousand dollars,
of which one-third has been paid by vari-
eminent. Two thousand dollars is pledged
from the Peabody fund.- but has not yet
been received. The expense of conducting
the schools to June 30th, the end of the
present school year, is estimated at eight
thousand dollars, and as only five thousand
dollars of the original appropriation of fif-
teen thousand remains, a further appropri-
alton of three thousand dollars is desired.
At an expense of eighteen thousand dol
lars, therefore, nearly three thousand chill
dren will receive the benefit of these sch coils
at a cost of six dollars for each pupil. The
general government has furnished build
ings for six of the schools, and has proyid-
ed two-thirds of all the school furniture,
besides paying the larger part of the rental.
1t is asserted that the government will con-
tinue its pecuniary assistance during the
coming year, and that il will probably give
to the city, for the use of the schools all the
real estate in the city now in its possession,
before the close of the present year.
These schools are open to all children re-
gardless of station or condition in life, those
only being excluded who are known to be
vicious or insubordinate. In closing his
report, Mr.. Washburn offers the following
suggestions in regard to the management
of the schools hereafter:
lst. That instruction in German be in
troduced into the schools.
I'd. That there Is pressing necessity for
tiiS VI III uiRu ScnOOl
and a classical school also, where pupils
can be properly fitted for college.
Sd. That immediate attention should be
given to the subject of school buildings.
Mr.. Washburn does not advocate paying
for these by direct and immediate taxation
but favors the issuing of school bonds,
| which may be allowed to mature as seems
! most desirable.
4th. That there is necessity of immediate
| provision for the wants of tie five hundred
children, who, through insufficient accom-
modations, cannot obtain admission to the
| schools.
5th. That night schools should be estab-
lished for the benefit of those who canno,
attend during the day.
The charge of maintaining for five years
the system Of schools which has thus grown
into city establishment has been borne
mostly by citizens of New England, who
have chosen to show in this way what the
war was for, and what sort of institutions
were to come out of 1t. They have a RICH,
to congratulate themselves on the fore
thought and perseverance which are now
crowned with results so admirable.
The readers of the Cincinnati Enquire
| haxya haafa Iad xxyftl a,