The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-15
Public Schools Of Virginia.
ENCoURAGEotENTs AND DISCOURAGE
MENTs-wEAT CLASSES ARE INSTRUCT
ED-CHARACTER OF THE TEACHERS AND
THEIR PAY-THE sCHooLTAx-sKETCH
oETWo CoLogED NORMAL SCHOOLS, ETC.

THEIR PAY-THE SCHOOLTAX-SKETCHES
oETWo CoLogED NORMAL SCHOOLS, ETC.
| In the abstract Of the annual report Of the
| State Superintendent Of Public instruction
published on Saturday we found 1t impos-
| sible to mention many points Of interest
noticed in thereport. In connection with their
statistical reports, county superintendent
| were requested to make written statements
| in response to twenty-one questions, in or
der to give the Board good idea of the diff
| ticultics and encouragenlents In the work,
and tue state Of public sentiment.
Difficulties and DiscouraseIncnts.
| The difficulties met with were fewer and
! less formidable than were expected, and
were generally the same which everywhere
interrupt the progress of popular education,
| with some which are connected with our
peculiar situation. The following list en-
braces all that were named in the various re-
ports:
1. Prejudice against the public school sys-
tenn. J..
2. Poverty or feeling Of poverty among the
people.
8. Aversion to the education Of the negro
at public expense.
4. Want of suitable school-houses and ap-
pliances.
5. Difficulty of procuring suitable men for
| trustees.
6. Impossibility Of satisfying the demands
Of all the neighborhoods which were clamor-
ing.
| 7. Some extra burdens pressing on particu-
lar localities. :
s. Difficulties about teachers; none profess
sionally trained; q full supply of good ones
not attainable, especially for colored schools.
9. No money to begin with. and financial
anroyances all through.
10. State debt.
IA. General want of information as to the
details Of the school system.
ALI Classes under Instruction.
In forty-one counties the public schools
wcrs attended by all classes alike, high and
low, rich and poor. In the other eight coun-
ties many of those who were able to give
their children private schooling did so. In
only five counties is it stated that the negroes
exhibit little OF no interest in the education
Of their children. In very many cases they
manifest as much concern as the whites.
The County SchOol-Tax
was carried in scventy-threc counties at the
May elections, and lost in twenty-five. In
Warwick county no county election was
held. The counties in which the tax was
defeated are Allegheny, Amherst, Appomat-
tox, Bath, Brunswick, Caroline, Carroll,
Charlotte, Craig Giles, Halifax, Henry,
Highland, King George, King William, Lee,
Lunenburg, Matthews, Nansemond, New
Kent, Northumberland, Russell, Scott, Wash
ington, and Wise.
Some of the causes that contributed to the
defeat of the tax in different parts Of the
State are that in some counties there had
just been heavy voluntary taxation for public
buildings or railroads in addition to the ordi-
nary, State, county, and township leyies, and
the people, though largely in favor OF pubic
schools, and willing to aid in supporting ana
improving them, were not willing and felt
unable at that time to vote for an Gddltionl
tax. In many cases the taxes OF two years
were being collected In one. Sometimes the
school officers asked tor greater approprEt-
ton than was actually necessary for their
nl,rposes. Tie people were often mislcd by
| false statements, made by interested parties
for private ends, concerning the uses to which
the funds were TO be appropriated, and with
many there was very decided aversion to
an increase Of taxation for any purpose.
In two or three counties efforts were made
bv individuals to stop the collection Of local
taxes on the ground Of informaty, but with
out much success.
schoOi-FIouscs Burned.
Two scloo!-houiscs were burnt mysterious
w. but the officers could not certainly say
that they were burnt maliciously.
Character OF the Teachers.
| The moral character of the teachers, with
few exceptions, has been the highest; their
qualifications have seldom been what was
T. fho n
TO nav. even after the public money had been
increased by voluntary subscriptions on the
part of the patrons Of the schools, were gen.
crally entirely. insufficient to secure the scr
vices Of the best teachers that were to be
found in the counties.
Comparisons.
Tifty-four superintendent have given the
result of their observations during the past
wear rs to the comparative efficiency OF male
and female teachers. Nine prefer male teach
crs, fourteen prefer female teachers, eleven
have no preference, and the remaining twenty
consider men better for principals of graded
schools and for ungraded schools in Which
many wcli-erown boys are assembled, and
prefer women for assistants in graded schools
and for schools Of small children.
With the exception ofnot more thana dozen
schools in the whole State, the public schools
have been considered by tie people in all cases
as good rs tie private schools that were II
operation in the same neighborhoods before
the public system was introduced, and in 0
majority of the counties they have been re-
garded as better. In not few instances
they are far better.
Pay Of tho Teachers.
The following shows the views Of the coun
. ty superfftendents MS to what should be the
pay Of teachers per month in order to secure
, the best:
Accomac, $50; Allegheny and Craig, $50
F Amherst, soto $50; Bath and Highland, $50
Bedford, $50; Bland, $40 to $50; Dotetourt
$40 /; Campbell, $40 to $50; Lynchburg, 500
Carroll, $50 to s35; Charles City and New
Kent, $50; Charlotte, $50 to $40; Dinwiddie
$50 Fauquier, $50; GQochland, $50 to $40:
Grecnsvillc and Sussex, SO to $40; Halifax
$50 to $50; Henrico $50 to $40; Henry, $50
Isle of Wight, $40; King and Queen and Mid
dlesex, $50 to $50; King William, so; Lou.
isa, $50; Mecklenburg, $50; Nansemond, s3C
to $40; Norfolk county, $40 to s15; North
am mpton, $40; Nottoway, $50; Orange, S35 to
$40; Pittsylvania, $50; Prince Edward, SiC
to $50; Princess Anne, $40; Roanoke, so0
Rockbridge, $50 to $50; Smyth. Sl0 to so
southampton, S35 to $50; Spotsylvan!a, Slo
Tazewell, $50 to $40; Wythe, $40 to SO.
), Educational Meetings.
Many educational meetings were held IL
different counties, and addresses made by
county superintendents and others. kev. b
NJ. Smith, Rev. ". W. Walker, and some
other superintendent, were particularly
active in this line Of duty. ;,
Teachers institutes were held IN Bland.
T Cumberland, Augusta, Alexandria, Fluvanna