The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-02-23

TENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SupEprNrrN-
DENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION OF VIRGINIA
for the year 1879-'SO Richmond: R. +.
Walker, superintendent of Public Printing.
1880
This Report like all the papers proceeding
from DIR. Ruffner, is both able and instructive.
1t opens with the remark, that THE year which
closed July 31st, was our best year in ali re-
spects" The school attendance was larger by
lo,ooo than In any preceding year. Over 200
new school houses were built, and larger
amount of State school money than ever turned
over. In 1875 the sum of $4Ss ,49444 was re-
ceived fsom State taxation las contradistin-
guished from county taxation) and this exceeded
all previous years, and all subsequent years
until 1880. In 1S79-'s0 the amount turned
over to the Superintendent of Public Instruc
ton by the Auditor was $637. 12o.17. The cost
OF the system for current expenses was $685.
328.25. The number of schools has increased
from 3,o47 in 1871 to 1854 in 1880. The num-
Der of pupils enrolled in the public schools in
lS79-'s0 was 220,736 as against ls4 1856 in
1875. The average attendance for 1S79I'sO was
1913, 404.
In the public and private schools of Virginia
there are reported 247,672 pupils enrolled
There were 35,5Oopupils in the private schools of
the State in 1860; in private and public schools
for the same year, 81 024.
AS between the races, we have reported sos
white schools, and ,256 colored schools. There
were l52, SO white pupils enrolled, and 6S, 800
colored pupils.
These figures will afford to the student of
social questions much food for reflection.
The Superintendent closes his Report bv
sounding an alarm with regard to the future of
the school system. He expresses the fear that
the schools are to be brought into politics, and
that politicians will seek to employ the tremen-
dous machinery of the system as an agency in
party contests. This language, he says is
aimed at no particular party or persons. He
proceeds to show the disastrous effects which
will follow if these attempts on the part of am
bilious party leaders shall be successful. He
closes as follows:
And what would be the termination of this
nefarious business The people will, of cou- Sc
find out that they have been terribly imposed
upon-their school system perverted. their chill
dren not educated in any decent sense, and their
school money employed simply for the support
of an army of party place holders The reaction
is tremendous, and like reactions generally, will
go LOO lar MOI content with clearing out the
authors of the mischief, and rectifying public
sentiment the representatives of the people will
probably so change the form of the school sys-
tenn as to prevent possible repetition of this
bad state OF affairs. And in so doing will no
doubt greatly weaken its efficiency. In word
they will hamstring the school system to prevent
1T from ever again being ridden as a political
hack
Now, before the evil day has actually come
may i not appeal to leaders of all parties, and
to all the citizens of Virginia to save the school
work from party invasion. Let the idea be
sharply apprehended and universally proclaimed
that those who help to preserve the purity of
the school system are its best friends, and those
who would bring party politics into the school
system are its worst enemies
God save the Commonwealth !"