Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-02-26
UOCgNGHAMS LATE Superintendent OF
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

10 lut CALM, COOl, hCiiDCidlC dhN
earnest friend Of the public free
school system in Virginia, no
more seneless and damaging move
could have been made against that
system than the removal Of Mr. A..
p. FunkhOuser, the highly accom-
plished, efficient and energetic Su-
perintendent of Public Schools for
this county. We have 10 word Of
criticism for his predecessor or his
successor, bat when we say he was
the best superintendent the county
ever had, and we speak by the re
cord. Had high personal charac.
ter, intelligence, social and moral
worth, energy and administrative
capacity, been considered in con
nectlon with a change in this office,
no change would have been made,
Had the best interests of the schools
been kept steadily in view, no
change would have been made.
But, unfortunately, the spirit Of
blind, partizan hate, that never
pauses to consider the good or evil
effects of It's efforts, was the NOV
ing cause of this change. So little
consideration was shown for the
interests Of the schools so strong
was the spirit Of partizan hunger
and greed that the current school
year was not allowed to run its
course, but was broken IN upon at
the middle Of the year, the term Of
the superintendent abruptly closed,
without regard to what had been
done or what remained to be done
during the present school session.
Not "a days notice was given
when the Office should be surrender
ed, yet III the very hour that pos
session was demanded it was turn
ed over in perfect order and correct
in every particular.
When Mr.. Funkhouser went out
of Office he left behind him a re-
cord that will be an honor to him
all his days, and rebound to the
advantage Of Rockingham county
as long as free schools are kept
alive. His administration was
brief, but see how it is crowned
with noble work
In two and a half years he in
creased the number Of schools in
the county twenty.three over the
highest number ever opened before.
lie secured the adoption Of the
subdistrict law, which reduces the
school work to order and system
in every part of the community,
and removes much cause Of trouble
and bad feeling.
In the summer Of 1891 he held
in Harrlsonburg, a normal school
of nearly five hundred teachers,
from all parts of the Common
wealth, and one of the very best,
if not the best, normal ever held in
the state.
Last year he laid the foundation of
Il systematic course of study and
regular grading Of stadies 10y a
new and original term report.
At the exhibition Of the school
work of the whole state, one hun
bred counties and twelve cities,
held at Richmond in February.
1850, he placed Rockingham coun.
ty ahead of the whole state, re.
ceiylng the highest award of honor
bestowed by the convention.
Again in the summer OF 1885, at
the New Orleans exhibition, when
Virginia in school exhibits lead
every state in tho Union, Mr..
FunkhOuseI's schools bore OF the
highest honors, and Rockingham
was singled ont as the one county
deserving the splendid distinction
Of special mention.
And again in this year, 1886,
when his political enemies, run
mad with partizan greed, were
laily clamOring for his official life,
ne crowned his brilliant and Success
Tul administration by winning the
highest honOrs ever offered any
superintendent Of public schools.
On the very day his successor took .
he oath Of Office, Nr. Fnnkhouser .
was unanimously awarded, by a |
OF distinguished educl. /
ors, the only silver Peobody med. I
Il ever offered for the best and I
most meritOrIous services rendered /
DC u school superintendent.
There is q record of which any .
nay proudly boast. It's an honor
o him and will 50 remain to his
children and to his people. 1t is
ounded in good work done, and
marked by purity ofact and pur-
,Ose.
His noble work wins additional
plender from the fact that it has
)een achieved in the face of the
most bitter, vindlctive, unrelenting |
nd INSCRIPTIONS opposition we
ave ever known waged against
my public official by reckless par.
ian foes.
His removal is a fair sample Of
hat civil service reform and of a
administration in the
'ublic schools which is the boast
+ a canting hypocritlcal Demo
racy. But its trlumphS will he
{ short duration. The people,
ecOgnizing the moral worth, abili-
y, tireless energy, and successful
lbors of our late superintendent,
eSt0w upon him the plaudit Of
well done, thou good and faithful
crvant,' and stand ready to call
i'm to new fields of labor, aud are
My biding their time to bestow
pom him higher honOrs than any
g has ever yet achieved spirit
I the valley.
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