Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-10
Bedford Aroused.

The Bedford Democrat this week pub
Dishes the proceedings OF n number or pub
lie meetings held In that county to con-
bemn the High School Board for pur-
chasing the Jeter Institute at Bedford
members OF the General Assembly are
hlso called upon 20 explain at whose in
Btance they secured the passage OF the
bill authorizing the board to make the
purchase In question.
The price to be paid for the property
Is $1,000, and II is alleged that the an
nual expenses OF the school will be $1,000
Ind that the High School will absorb so
much school money that all the other
schools will suffer. 1t is further repre-
Eented that the purchase in question was
particularly unadvisable at this time In
view of the straitened condition OF the
nounty's finances, by reason of the defalea-
ZION OF the late County Treasurer, ana
Il is proposed by some OF the taxpayers
10 appeal TO the courts to interfere ard
ksstop further proceedings In the matter.
The Board OF Managers are out In
long card In the Democrat explaining
That the bill in question was not Sc
rretly concocted; that it was fully dis
nussed by them. and was published by
Its title In the State papers before 1t
&as passed, and was published in full by
mo county papers after II was passed;
t1at better high school than that now at
New London is n necessity 10 prepare
Teachers for the public schools; that the
building bought is exactly suited 10 their
needs. and was secured on advantageous
terms, and without undue solicitation from
hny quarter, and that the expenses of
1he school, which will be n model of Its
Kind, Will not be above $500 per an
mum, and these will not necessitate any
Increase of taxation; and they insist that
u is unfair that "the Board OF Mana
gers should be denounced and CANNED by
resolutions in mass-meetings stirred Up
by selfish agitators, some of whom, at
least, have been the lifelong enemies OF
the publlc-school system"
{ Much else is being said on each side.
and 1t is evident that the question has
become IA burning one in Bedford. Tor
Che moment the people of that great
bounty are ignoring the tariff. not puz-
filing their brains over the causes of the
business depression. not considering
whether we should or should not have
n State constitutional convention. The
paramount issue with them IS high
school or no high school In the Joter
tnstitute?" How 1t will all end we do
not know: probably the courts will be
invoked to interdict further proceedings
On the part OF the board.
There is much In the controversy which
i've do not understand but there Is one
Thing which we think is clear. and that
Is that the newspapers are not as closely
read In Bedford as they should be, else
The Taxpayers generally would have
known about the bill long before IT was
passed. Then they could have risen in
their majesty and might and caused the
obnoxious measure TO be kicked out of our
legislative halls.
II is singular how surprised COM
snunity can sometimes become at legisla-
tion, the purport of which has been laid
before them over and over again IN the
bubble prints. The explanation Is that
lnany people read papers very carelessly
others don't read them at all, and others
still do not "catch on" to what they read