The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-27
sUpEs1Nr NpENT pBRn UPHELD,

To THE RpIToK OF THE TINES: Please
grant mespace in your valuable columns
to say word on the school question. Il
is we'll said that community is judged
by its schools and churches. These are
taken as the highest opponents of a
streng end progressive people. Next to
tho Christian Church stand tho schools
as the next gceat bulwark of defense
against vice, superstition and crime. a
peoples intellectual faculties must be
aroused before their volitions are
brought to play.
Tho s.rongest&ppeal or greatest in
duceuients q community can mako or
offer to those whom it would have cast
their fortunes with it and join in build
IL up is well regulated scnool system.
Considerate people, however much they
desire to find investment for their capt.
tai, will bo ekow in leaving com nunity
or city OF we'll established, we'll reg@-
lated and we'll governed schools to cast
their fortunes in a community where
thor children will be practically do
prived OF the privilege OF attending Mt
least good schools.
Let uscompare Roanoke, as whole.
with ner present system OF public
schools, with other progressive cities,
whore the people are alive on the school
questions. Would not Roanoke be forced
to take her stand in the non. pr ;Gressivc
district? Roanoke is indeed a booming
city. IL has grown from Big Lick of
four hundred inhabitants to Roanoke
city of "a, 600, moro or less, and the SUI
perintendent of schools must engineer
the course of 4 1000 pupils, supervise and
control seven schools and thirtytour
teachers.
The superintendent must not only do
this work at the school houses, but
when at office must be accessible to
500 patrons who would like to consult
him and sometimes insult him about
school affairs. When not engaged with
these, the remaining portion is con-
sumed by lecturing, reprimanding and
restoring truants or insubordinate
pupils who are suspended and sent to
him.
All OF this the superintendent must do
to perfection for the pitiful sum of 5000
Il year from the city, just what it pays
the janitor tor sweeping the Offices of
the court house.
Is this the way the city fathers value
the Importance of public schools? Can
the city fathers afford to tell the civil
lied world that so little do they regard
the work of educating ohei. children,
that they will only give the chief Of
fcer of the schools SIS Per montb?-iust
what they give their .janitor. These
things should not be thus.
But says some logician of great req
soning powers: IF the different princi-
pals of the schools are doing their full
duty there would be no need of the con-
-stant supervising care OF the superin-
tendent. Just put the school rules and
regulations into their hands and let
them do their duty" Shades of Moses!
The same argument would do away with
the chief of police.
Four years ago when Mr.. Derr became
superintendent of the city schools there
were but three schools and fourteen
teachers.
The board Of trustees had done every
thing in their power for the good OF the
schools. They did not leave stone un-
turned that they could turn without
transcending their authority. And yet
there was nothing in TIE form of printed
rules, regulations or grades to mark the
| distinction between the schools of the
city and the schools of the county.
| Mr.. Derr's first official act was to
draft and present a code OF rules and
regulations governing the schools and
prescribing the duties of pupils, parents
and teachers, and by which the schools
of the city have since been governed
He has spent days in the school house
planning, suggesting and arranging the
work. He is an excellent disei plinarian,
fine organizer and incessant worker and
practical teacher. He has visited other
cities of reputable schools, obseI wing
their operation with a view of improve
ment here, and so much had he the
work at heart that he has at times in
Cured private expenses for public pur-
poses. Can the city ask more at his
hands without making it possible for
him to do more? Certainly the city
cannot plead poverty and throw itself
upon the hands Of charity.
The schools have improved during
the present administration 60 per cent
of their present efficiency. If the SUI
perintendent has done ell this, being
handicapped by parsimonious appro-
priations, what could he do with suf-
| ficieDt appropriations?
Such economy is extravapant.
d. w. HARTH.