The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1873-03-20
EEFGRr OF FN2 SUPERINTENDENT oF
pJBIE, SE.sNnKS


Suc', is the Initial seatenee OF NJ Ruff
ners report fer 1872. Il is suggestive Of
much good No one but "a enthusiast in The
cause: would write s.ch sentence, ard an
enthusiast could not write it without 4 cheer
ing prospect for the future This means
much foF the success Of the free schools sys-
tenn audthe cause Of general education in
Virginia; and the success Of free school aud
the universal disf en.ination Of education as
sure beyond possibility Of failure, the
future prosperity Of the State.
leok into the statistical portion of s,r
Raifdcr RS report shows the foan hilton fer his
hopes Of the future. We must bear in mind
that our free school system Is yet in its III
fancy. The State Institution which bears
that name is barely past its second year Mr.
Kuftnef's report is FOR the second year Of lis
existence. We propose 10 emil some Of the
more pertinent facts Of tbs report and place
them at the-lisposal- Of orr readers
The number Of pupils atteul dug public
schools last year was 166,377. This is an
increase Of 81, 2s9 over the number attendio"
the year before. The average daily attend
auce last year was 95 ,4S9, an increase over
the year before Of 10 7G6. This Increase il,
attendance shows the gain the system has
made upon the public favor, very nearly q
per cent 10 each case. To put the same facts
IN little d:iferen slispe -f9r every four chit
dren who Stfen'fca School The first year the
system Was in operation Eve attended the sec
ond year. Tbs means that the sc!,oois we c
generally acceptable to the people aud thai,
II they were soolthe people appreciated them
With another year Of efficient asdmiuistra-
ton We laay look Tor 4. larger Increase thar
this; Tor the work Of bringing the children
OF the State iato schools is only fairly begun
Iac.uding all the schools Of the State, pub
lie, private, colleges, uniyersi.ies and all, out
Ct every FIVE children ia the State only two
wesosenrolied on the school lists. aud the 9th
or three went without any instruction at MI.
This means that less than half the growing
population Of the State-iess than half OF
those who are TO WELL her dcsthies In the
near future of the next gcneration-were re
eeiving education ia the schools last year =
This is startling fact for community where.
the people rule. and ore which may well
make every lover Of his State ask, Nv hat can
do?'' Tho answer is clear and plain: ID
your duty in creating healthy public senti
menE which shall make every father and
mother il tho lant: doubly anxious to securr
kho best possible education for their sons aud
daughters. . 80
That tire esta blishment of the free school
system has had a very good effect is shown by
the statistics. Ii the yea. 1870, before sh'
system was undertaken, out. of all the chill
slren in tha State. the census shows that on|,
70 ST. were attending school. In 1871 tn.
first year OF the system, l57 ,naG ATTENDED
school-nore than .wice the number Of tn.
year before. Ia 1872, the second year Of til.
ays.sm, 1856 a74 children attended school
If education is Il good thiug-and we do no
suppose there are very many in this coEntr.'
in this year Of grace 1873, who will deny t,
pr0position--the above figures conclusive
prove the adj Vantage Of the establishment @
free school system. There is DO other ga
by wliich universal education can be had.
Many of the other statistics given by Sr
perinten; Ruffner are cqaaily inter es,ing
The Der Of free schools in operation La.
year was 8 e95 For these schools Their
were 8, 1853 teachers, with an average s4lar
OF SO 81 per month. There are 81 Super
inteudenfs who have Travelled on school bus.
ness an average OF SIS miles each, aud tbs
have been employed 1873 days zach TIN
expen-es oil these Superintendent avera4
s92 81 each; and when VIC consider that t'es
expenses are paid out ,f their own prisa'
pocket on a salary of slightly more than $500
it shows commeudabe z :al and disintcrested
aess. There are 504 school. houses owocn
by districts, This is an increase of over 4oi'
in one year. aud an increase Of over Sl75
600 in value.
Perhaps he most pertinent facts concert
ing the State school system which Superip-
sendeut Iufner lays before the people il his.'
report are those coseerning us cost. siii'
total cost for current expenses during til
year 1872 was ssl6 8l203 This is a pret'
big sum and does nos, OF course. include III,
cos: Of school property acquired during III.
year. This is an excess of the real expense
Of the year, because portions Of this money
ware used to pay expenses Incurred during
the previous years. The reader must however
remember that this vas all that was paid
to educate all the children ii attendance en-
public schools. Tie arerege cost otiuif'en
per month IN fhe. pulHc schoois last gear sgts
on,y seveaty ceats This is a rciisari ALE OK.
s,bit whtn i is eoasd9rcd that = re iors to-
tbs second year the system was in operation
After. it has beeu longer in operation, and is
better Understood by. officers aud people,
teachers and pupils, better schools will cost
less Perfection in system SO complicated