The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-04-15
For the DispstciI. -.
The Mode OF Appointing seheeo'

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tFor the Dispatcf' -,.
The Mode Of Appeiattng ; ci,oe' ~
/ ssses. - s:8 ;,
M. Editor.-There Is nothing more ae'
s,ral,te for our school system than open a. Is
,cmss :0,,. especially when 1t Is conaactea ~
the fhoughtfnI and gentlemanly style wnlcn
cho racferizes the articles Of your correspond,
enI ?. IF there is anything wrong, hy an
means let II. be righted., The education Oh
ythe children! of the people Is too vast an in
terest. money and liberty are TOO pIeclous,
for errors and abuses to be tolerated one uay
longer than is necessary to reform thehi' Do'
first let the facts be ascertalnea' .o,
Concerning the mode of appointing scno :.,,
trustees. I expressed my dissatisfaction VIII aa
the nresent law with some degree OF iuiih ess
an n.oes IS and 10 of my last report lol
1874 Theoretically they ought to be cnoss u
nv the people; practically, THIS csin n.;.v NJ
done safely in Stale where a ma)olI.' 40 y.
the voters are wholly illiterate. Ihe law n us
volved the duty of appointing these oleG II
tor,,s;da NJ the cities) upon the BOARD Oh Eu'
t,,nat;on Rut il was soon found lmpfaclcc " ;.
hto eor tho BOARD to look up three men .oi
t u.o w. IN Zach of the four hunareu suu
sn. Id school districts ofthe State, (espec'a.
~ 70 ,hs Office is rarely sought ana Tue oniy
,y 30 otI3cers whose help could be comhiahu-
, NS T., The work was the county superineenu.
e. Gu nf schools. This officer, by order Oh Iiie
pnard of Education, was instructed ny cn-
o,,Iar to confer with leading citizens Oh every
townsbip az to suitable men for noiu'as rn1
of,;ce Of school trustee, and to forward h9ini
notions to the State Board; ana IL LUG i.n.'
sho,,ld he endorsed in writing by weii-knon u
citizens. so much the better. Line noml-
,ot;ons were in most cases maze Wisely,
and during the first year OF the s!s ,enl
the lists were usually accompanied Ny
the endorsement OF ieadlng citiLens
IN the various localities. These NOM,
nations we're simply confirmed and recorGeu
nv the Board of Education. NO trustee mas
ever been appointed on the nomination OF
anv member Of the Board, ana 40 not
think that any member OF the Board ever
concerned himself us to who should be noml'
mated by the local officers except myself;
and will tell you just how far have ever
zone in the matter. In the original appoint
ments do not remember ever to have made
a suggestion to local officer as to whom be
should nominate for a trustee except once,
and in that Instance ii ,ons not done. In fact,
met with such u rebuff that do not think
] ever tried it again.
When vacancies began to occur In school
boards noticed the nominations more care
fully, particularly in counties where knew
there had been difficulties between the
county superintendent and bis trustees. II
in those cases l observed disposition to
drop the former incumbents, would in
uuire into the reasons, and would sometimes
write to other citizens Of the county on
the subject. This proceeding generally
brought illwill upon me, especially from
those who had desired or been in
vited to take the place of those whom it
was proposed to drop. But there has very
seldom been any questioning Of the isis sent
in, and my instructions from the 5oard OF
Education were simply to enter the nomina-
lions on the trustee book, and seud the com.
Missions to the Governor for his signature,
unless l should know Of something which
called for inquiry-and so it has been done
from the first until now.
But very important regulation in respect
to the appointment of trustees was made Sc
veral months ago by the Coard, and duly
published in the Elucaii0nGi .Joufnd! and
embodied in my annual report-a regulation
which is constantly enforced without excep-
ton. 1t is in these words:
"Ordered, That on and after January l.,
1874, the Board will receive no nominations
for school trustees, unless tie same be signed
By the county judge or'attorney for tie Com
monweaIlh, or both, in addition to The siSna-
ture of the county superintendent
This regulation has created what Is by
many called 1.-The Nominating Board"
which is composed of an officer appointed
by the Board of Education, one appointed
by the Legislature, and one elected by the
people. This local board or committee really
has charge Of the whole matter of appoint
ing and removing school trustees. Practi-
cally the appointments are now mere mat
ter of clerical work so far as this office is
concerned
The Board of Education knows OF no bet
ter way of Carrying ont the law tllln iais,
but will be glad to receive Suggestions rs 20
how it may be done oo:ter. Your CORE
spondent z. evidently lid not know OF this
regulation, which is not surprising uute.s lie
is a school officer.
If should be the pleasure of the General
Assembly to relieve the Board Of Education
of all responsibility in regard to these ap-
pointments l at least will be much gratihed.
Tomorrow, with your leave, l will say
something about the appointment and pay
Of county superintendent. But / Shall be
satisfied with this days work if your readers
will only see and remember that so far as the
great work of appointing school trustees is
concerned there il, at least in practice, no
alarming concentration of power in the
hands of any man or any board and that
what power there is can be taken away ut
any moment by the Legislature.
w. Ii. RUFFSER,
Superintendent Public instruction.