The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-01-13
PUBLIC FREE SCHOOLS
IN THE STATE OF VIRGINIA. =
An INTERESTING RESUME OE THE
RESULTS OF THE EXPERIMENT. !,
FACTS FROM TIE REPORT OF THE
SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC !.
INSTRUCTION. =,

The elaborate and exhaustive first annual
report of Rev. W. 81. Ruffner, D. d., Super
intendent of Public Instruction Of the State
Of Virginia, is now before the General As
scrnbly. The second instalmcnt comes in the
form of handsomely printed volume of over
two hundred pages, and it embraces great
variety. of interesting statistical information,
a history of free schools in this country and
thoughtful discussion Of the
public school system, suggestions and predio-
tons as to the future of the system in Vlr-
ginia, and much other readable matter too
volulninous to be condensed into column of
q newspaper.
History OF the Present Public School
System.
The General Assembly which met on the
10th day of February, 1870, scruDulously
obeyed the new Constitution in regard to
education. It appointed Superintendent OF
Public Instruction on the I'd day of March,
eight days within the time required. That
officer qualified March 9TH, and reported his
plan of instruction to the General Assembly
March 2Sth, five days before the expiration of
the extremely brief period Of thirty days al
lowed by the Constitution for preparing it. A
bill was then prepared by the State Superin-
tendent, with the assistance Of ProfessorJ. y.
Minor, and was reported without alteration by
the joint committee to the Legislature. 1t was
afterwards, however, improved in several
points; and on the 9Th of June it was passed
by the Senate, and on the 9th Of the same
month by the House of Delegates.
The first work to be done under the school
law was the appointment by the Board Of
Education Of county superintendent and dis
trict school trustees-about / 400 in number.
As may readily lie imagined, this was work
Of no inconsidcrable magnitude, demanding
the utmost caution and involving immense
correspondence. The first meeting Of the
Board of Education was held OIL the 29th of
July, at which time twelve county superin-
tendents were appointed. Before the 18th
of November more than thousand officers
had been commissioned, and by the Cd day of
january the whole work was done !; and now,
after q years trial with these officers, VIC may
say that the work was well done.
The first schools were opened about the
middle of November. When the appliances
required to he furnished for the schools were
not provided by private means district votes
were taken on the question Of laying taX
for the purpose, and the result was almost al.
wavs favorable. Before the end of the
scholastic year the number Of schools had in
creased to more than 2,9C0, with about
10000 pupils and more than 5000 teachers
public schools In Norfolk and Peters.
burg.
The establishment of public free school:
in Norfolk and Petersburg in advance Of the
State system is noticed with favor by the Su
perintendcnt.
In Norfolk public schools were establish
ed in 1850 by ordinance OF the City Council
During the past year there were sixteen teach
crs and sG5 pupils, white and coiored; an(
the sum Of ell,412.1G was expended on thu
schools by The city, and 81 600 was paid b!
DR.. Sears. The school-houscs are in excel
lent condition, and the instruction given il
the schools is very thorough. The sunelin
tendcnt was lately sent by the School BoarC
to visit the schools Of other cities and States
The report of the second year shows al
enrolment of 2,GG1 pupils. In addition tc
the money furnished by Dr.. Sears, 81 200 wa:
contributed through the Rev. r. NJ. Manly
OF Richmond, at that time the worthy super
intendent of education Of the Freedmen:
Bureau. An excellent new school building
was erected, and dedicated with formal cere
monies November 9Th, 1869. The last an
nual report of the Petersburg school wa:
made to this Office, and shows an enrollmen
of ,7CO pupils. From the first, the public
schools of Petersburg showed the effect o.
being under the management OF an lntel!l
gent and active School Board, and they have
constantly progressed in excellence
In Petersburg also there was a free schoo
system before the war, but its present .enera
system was established in 1SCS.
-o Public Schools In Richmond.
In the city of Richmond the present plar
Of public education was inaugurated in Apri
1863 by the petition Of Erge number o.
citizens, without distinction Of party, to thu
City Council to establish system Of public
schools. The petition was referred to com
nittee Of the Council, on whose recommend
alton a school ordinance was adopted and
board Of education, consisting OF tive mem
hers, was appointed. An appropriation O
s15, 600 was also made ; but as this amount wa:
entirely inadequate for the purpose, addition
al aid was furnished By northern educationa
societies, the Freedmen's Bureau, and Dr
Scars, the agent of the Peabody func, TO al
amount equal to the appropriation OF tht
Council. With the money thus furnished
fiftr-two schools, with an enrolment OF ,4Ol
scholars, were opened and continued during
the session of 1SG9-'7o, under the superin
tendence Of A. Washburn, Esq. At the
close of the session of 1S63-'70 the city tool
entire control of the schools for both white
and coored children. j. 81. Binford, Esq.
was elected superintendent of schools, {
new Board, consisting Of ten members
was appointed, and the Council appro
-
of the next scholastic year. In addi
tion to the amount necessary for current
expenses, an appropriation of 100000 in s
per cent. educational bonds was made for the
erection Of suitable school buildings. The
growth and prosperity of the schools for the
year 1S70-'71 were very marked. They nd
vanced rapidly in the confidence and esteem
of the people, and were regarded as worthy
of the fostering care and protection of oul
best citizens. The number Of schools was
seventy-three, with an average enrolment o
$500. The cost of tuition per scholar was
S13.5S. The percentage Of attendance was
never below sc per cent, and sometimes
reached 81 per cent.
Fin April the schools Of the city were made
o part of tire State system. The Schoo
Board was re0rganized. and now consists Of
nine members. The Mayor Of tho city Is, Ga
o5icio, president Of the board.
The Davis Mansion has been purchased b5
the School Board and fitted mp with the most
approved school furniture and apparatus
Three new buildings are in process of ereo
ton, and will be ready for use i'll short
time. The Board has wisely adopted the
plan of grouping the schools in buildings ac
commo dating six hundred pupils, as expert.
ence has demonstrated that schools wher
grouped can be better classified and graded
Each group of schools has male principa
with. as many female teachers as may bt