The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-09-01
PRINCE EDWARD


NOVEL. CONSTRUCTION on LAW
Prosper DEPOT, August 30, 1882.
To the Editor of the Dispatch
We learn here to-day that Mr.. Thomas
w. Crawlcy has been appointed supcrin-
tendent OF the public free schools ID Prince
Edward. lie succeeds Professor j. NJ.
Morton, who, during his BRIEF admlnistra-
ton, has given satisfaction. Mr.. Crawley
will be acceptable 10 all parties lie l.
gentleman OF high personal character ana
an educated man. lie will not be p0llti-
elan in his office, and Is too broad and Id
eral to be in sympathy with The latter-day
statesmenCl, who regard the ehucatlon OF
the children OF the country as insignificant
compared with the success OF party or the
occupation OF Office.
A novel question has arisen IN Prince
Edward. which has been much discussed
both in this and other counties also. we
hear. As il il one OF practical interest TO
the taxpayers and parents OF children Ill
the public schools, the readers OF the DtS-
match NAV feel some interest in the facts.
BY the Constitution OF Virginia (Article
| VIII. section O. the State Board OF Educa-
ton Governor, State superintendent, ana
| Attorney GeneraD must "prOyide for uni
|
! schools. In execution OF this provision
! this board every four years sends down 4
! circular 10 the several counties giving a
| list Of books in various branches OF school
| instruction, from which county trustees
! have authority to select the textbooks to
be used in the next four years.
/ BY way Of illustration, in the lists OF
| 1878 and OF 1882 were included what
are known rs the McGutley's" and the
"IIolmeS's" series OF books. BY "regua-
tions" OF the state Board (Which "regua-
lions" have the force OF law county super
| intendents are required TO appoint COM
mittec OF experts from among their teach
ers, who examine and report by way OF
suggestion to the County Board composed
OF all the trustees OF the several districts
what books they recommend for adoption.
The county trustees are charged with the
duty Of selecting and prescribing the text
books. BY very wise regulation" SUI
pcrintendcnts, teachers, trustees, and every
school oGiccriS prohibited from having any
pecmiary interest, directly or indirectly,
in the sale OF any book; and a party ylolat-
ing this excellent law is liable to 4 fine OF
$500. Some worthy gentlemen will do well
to "rcad, ponder, and inwardly digest "
this law.
superintendent Morton appointed 4 good
committee, who were "hOncst, faithful,
and capable II WAS stated that majority
OF the committee suggested certain changes
in existing authorized books, and that they
proposed to substitute the McGutley's .
for the " Holiness series, these last having
been in use in schools, by law, since 1873.
A majority, il not every trustee in Prince
Edward, took this position: While both
series are excellent and trustees felt no zeal
for either, vet while parents, and especially
cOlored parents, had bought the H0me-
books, il was not cXpedient to subject them
TO the expense Of buying new books
while, no doubt. some changes were more
needed. and Difference was due to the Opin-
ion OF the committee trustees proposed to
amend the report by retaining the Holmes
books, now in Use. The trustees then and
still believe that it was clearly their duty
! to pass on tnis matter, ana mad the clear
and full authority to make the amendment
to the report. They were gravely Informed
that they were mistaken; that they must
adopt or reject, A. whole. the report OF
the committec-in a word, they were mere
fgure-hcads. As the state Board [C0dc,
chapter 6S] will he called on to decide
"the appeal from the superintendent" no
opinion is here expressed rs TO the correct
ness OF this novel construction Of law.
The alteration OF the Bill Of Rights on an
amendment Of the Federal or state Consti-
tuition are insignificant questions especial
IL II publishers and their canyasscr,) COM
pared with selling a spellng-book.
For the mere holding OF the opinion, in
dicated aS to the rights and duties OF the
county trustees, they are threatened first
with removal from Office. Indeed, some
men Of great power and representative
men OF the virtue and intelligence OF
Prince Edward o. have announced that
the trustees "muSt co. Well, il is a
"greyOus fault" to do your own think
ING. But, except for the honor Of being
one OF "the noble arnn OF martyrs" il is
difficult to conceive that removal from the
Office OF Il school trustee is an affective
event. They are the only officers in Viz
ginia, we believe, who are not paid dime
for public service. 1t is Il wise law. When
the telescope was placed on the Observa-
tory at Cincinnati. PrcntiS, Of Louisville.
said that the Ohio city had seen nine
pence on one side OF the moon, and that
everybody had gone crazy i'm dcVi,ing WAYS
OF obtaining the coin. Ii school trustees
were salaried officers, then we would I'M
derstand that removals were in order.
Again, it is stated that the trustees are
influenced by fancied political considera-
tons in opposing the changes proposed
and mentioned above. The charge is not
only absurd, but is just impossible to be
tr1te.
Whence the zeal for making the change
in books, taxing parents while bcno1itng
publishers, is an unsolyed conundrum in
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