The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-13

OF instruction and dlsc1pllne. The wisdom
of this action has been shown by the more
thorough organization Of the schools and
their increased efficiency. To insure uni
formity Of instruction, and to afford the
teachers an opportunity Of conferTing with
each other on the best methods Of Inn
parting instruction and governing schools, the
superintendent holds weekly teachers meet
ings. During the past year several distin-
g1lished superintendent of northern cities
attended these meetings, and Impaired much
valuable information. These gentlemen ex-
pressed their qualification at the Life, earnest
ness, and activity exhibited by both teachers
and scholars. Oral instruction is very gene
raj, and the effort is to abandon the memo.
rizing Of words as found in the textbooks,
and cause the children to study subjects.
The school authorities think that the best
way to accomplish this is by competent
oral instruction. Vocal gymnastics and Calls
themes are used both as healthy exercise
and as q means of rendering school attractive.
On every Saturday the teachers receive in
str1lction in calisthenics from a lady who has
been regularly trained in that department.
Every effort is made by all connected with
these schools to make them the pride and
glory Of the city and State and if they con-
tinue to progress in the future as they have
done in the past, the time is not far distant
when the public schools of Richmond will
be unsurpassed anywhere.
Statistics OF School Attendance.
The reports sent to the superintendent
through the regular channels give for the
year 1S70-'T1 the following figures:
Total number pupils enrolled in public schools
In % counties lincuding ctiesl........ 12s3s0
tc+ +ftynof fnl MN, Nflnrf fnr rpa
norted. $3.50
Total enrolled In public lso,.s9
'ns'i ties' iasSe =. 2e1os
Estimated NUN Der In counties not reported l,25o
Total number pupils attending schools Of all
grades. l5i,sil
When the census Of school population was
taken in 1870 by our district officers an at
tempt was made to collect the statistics Of the
private schools at the same time; but the re-
turns made were imperfect, and from l3
counties and cities no report was received.
In private schools for 1870 ......... a, ,44a
Estimated number for ten counties and tie
tGreo principal cities. 6,3al
IOLCl. oV, ,io
There were public schools that year in the
three principal cities, and hence the actual
number attending school in the whole State
was probably greater than that stated in the
estimate.
Per Cent. OF Attendance.
Below will be found a statement Of the per
cent. of school attendance at the different
dates and according to the different exhibits
given above. 1t may he assumed that in the
years 1850 and 1860 the school attendance
was entirely from the white population. In
1870, from 5000 to 1000 of those attending
school were from the colored population, and
| in 1S70-'71 there were $4,000 colored pupils
in the schools.
| Total number attending schools, public and
private, in lSTl.. .l57sI
Per cent OF attendance on the population... 1906
According to reports Of the school officers, the
| Per cent Of attendance on the whole popua-
Per- oH cent Of attendance on White population. IL
According to the United States census report,
| the number of pupils In colleges, public
schools, academies, and other schools, In 1870,
Per cent. Of attendance on white population. s2
Per cent. Of attendance on whole population. IS
The number attending schools III ls1o reported
| WlIites;... s;......................" 6a,I9
| CClOTcd... ...-.................... ll,oT
Total. w 7O,s7
Per cont. of white attendance. s.3
| Fer cent or cO!OrcQ 2l
Per cent Of white and colored.. 81
| The number Of pupils In colleges, schools, and
s cGGTpl caE S ItanSaHce In e,Sg on White nopuaton
Per cent. Of attendance on Whole population. SIS
| Number attending schools as reported by fami-
Per- es cent IN OF Of Attendance on white population IL
| Per cent. Of attendance on whole population. S.a
| Number iii colleges. schools, and academies, IN
Per rrIs Cent. Of attendance on White population s.
| Per cent. Of attendance on whole population. 4.t
| Number attending school rs returned by fanii-
Per- Cent of attendance on white population III
| Per cent. Of attendance OH whole population. Ga
! Illitcracy.
| Number Of whites over twenty-one who can
not write. III 1910 e7,a'
not write III zo759
Total ............................ ?75,s.
| Per cont of illitcracy the population. a.
| Estimated number whites over twenty who
cannot read aud write in $780,. ............. 4s,3l
| Estimated number colored over twenty who
cauIiot read aud write, in 1892. 2oS,0
Total. ...:::..................2 25s,sl
Number whites over twenty who caunot read
E,imated aha MeG nnmber IN coiored over twenty who
| cannot read and write. 10000
Total. ......................... 25l,7C
| Fer cent OF whole population who cannot read
| and write. Iz'u
1t will be observed that for twenty year
previous to the war there was some gainin;
on the iliteracy in the State, but the decad
from 1860 to 1870 shows fearful reverse il
our educational movement. The havoc mad
among the schools by the war can never b
fully ascertained, nor can its evil effects b
meas sured. The census of 1880 will discoye
far more of the evil than has yet appeared il
statistical form, because it was only greatl
diminished number Of the generation whicl
was growing up between the years 1860 an
1870 that received any education whatever
If five years after the war there were onl
1892 white children and II ,04S colored chi
dren attending school, how extremely smal
must have been the number about the middl
| of the decade :!