Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-12

moro compact, and by being so come
more directly under the supervision and
control Of those whose duty it is to see
after them.
How then does the system work in the
country? All whe are we'll acquainted
with the facts know that the larger part
Of the conduct of schools rests on the
district boards. The districts comprise
areas OF country say from ten to fifteen
miles square in extent, but are not square
in form, but on the contrary OF every
conceivable shape. This makes it al
most impossible TO locate school-house
properly. Again Some parts Of these
districts are densely populated others
very sparsely. Here arises another diff
Guilty.
No set Of men can afford to see to the
interest Of schools so scattered at their
own cost. The writer OF this knows
from actual experience that no district
board can do half the work laid down
in the law without taking at least one
month of time. They have to explain,
enforce. and obey the school laws. In
order to do so they must take time to
study them. They must visit the schools
to do so. When they are In operation
they must do so between the hours of
8 A. NJ. and 4P. NJ. To travel all this
area each one must have a horse. Can
farmers take their teams and ride
around the school districts for nothing ?
There must be regular meetings of the
boards to legally transact the business
rs,to al
teachers Frequently it takes sew
eral for this purpose. Another to sign
contracts and other miscellaneous bust
ness-at least one for every month the
schools are in operation, with one or
two meetings of the county board. They
are required to employ competent teach
ers and dismiss incompetent ones. Yet
the superintendent license is the only
means of knowing whether they are
competent or not. Our superintendent
ore generally well educated aud compe-
tent Judges. but like all other men some
times make mistakes. The patrons
sometimes complain 10 the trustees. The
trustees are sometimes aware OF 1t. In
either case there Is no redress. l could
say much more on this subject, but know
| am taking too much time and space.
The manner of electing trustees is sps
cially Objectionable. In the nature OF
things they will sometimes differ with
the county superintendent, according all
honesty and purity to both parties COM
patible with human nature, and human
nature in its best phases don't like to
have its faults, failngs, much less
its blunders and wrong-doings, ex-
posed or criticized. In cases OF con-
tests the Commonwealth attorney is
counsel for and against the district
board, his own appointees, and the
county Judge has to decide cases for or
against his own appointees. The same /
objection would apply as in case OF the |
superintendent 1t is claimed that the |
different departments of all governments |
are best not to be dependent on each |
other. The law having one person in |
each free.school distric. acted very little |
better. In both cases the liability to ar
bitrary exercise of power exists The |
question is, How can these things be |
remedied? | answer by making the |
Office of district school trustee bonded, |
responsible, paid, and elective Office.
The people know better who suits the |
Office than either of the electoral boards |
above mentioned BY requiring bond it |
will be the means OF keeping out ire
sponsible persons.
But how can we pay so many officers? |
Allow the district trustees to collect the |
school tax. and give them a liberal COM
mission for the service. While they are /
going around attending one of these du-
ties they can then attend to both. Judging |
from the efforts made and expenses said /
10 be incurred to get the Office of county /
treasurer. one would think the Office
would still Day we'll after deducting this |
much from his salary. In that way the
system would cost very little if any more
than at present. BY dividing the
amounts collected for different purposes
it might indirectly act as n coupon-killer,
and thus do good in another way. Bat
the principal good will be in enabling
those who do the larger part oil our free
school work to do so in manner credit
able to the State, the schools, and them
selves. G.