The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-11-28
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
OF THE STATE
Biennial Report of the Department
of Public Instruction.
WHAT THE FIGURES Will SHOW,
Decreased Attendance for Last Year
and decreased Kevcnuc-The Leg
isIatiye Vote Clnyassed-Ask
About Virginia Lands.

Secretary Frank p. Brent Of the State
Board OF Education. is busy completing
the biennial report Of the Department,
which will be ready for the Legislature
about the middle Of December Years
ending July 1. 1898 and 1893 respectively.
From the statistical tables which have
been prepared the following summaries
are taken.
Schools open for the year ending july
/. lssS: White, 6.S16; colored, 2,Sl1 To-
tai 1893.
For the corresponding period, ending
July !, 1899: White. s,i92, coiored. 2'Sl4
Total. s.8oG.
pupils enrolled: IS9S-White 2iS,6iO;
colored. I2e. %. Total, 3a.si5..
lSs9-White, 2n,o96; colored. llIl9. To-
tai. S5sS25.
Number OF teachers: ls9s-Whlte. $3.50;
colored. 2.l7l Total S,726. ls9)-White,
G.6,I: colored. 2,l6j. Total, 1886.
Number of school buildings: lSS-',liJ,
ise9, 1.2iS
Number Of volumes in public school
libraries :lSgs-1l III; 1899, 1860
Estimated value Of school property:
1855, l93. 54j; 1899. 81. 1885, 1866.
School revenues: ls9S-$l9205 0il2; 1888,
! $e.Ol0C2353.
Total cost for all purposes Of the sys-
tcm.ls95-Sl .Si6,l 1854; 1879. Sl,s7l,2Gi49.
IN reference 10 the decreased attendance
for the year 1893. as shown above, it
is accounted for On the score of the Sc
we're weather OF last winter and the Prev
alence OF smallpox In the state.
Tho lncr.as in the revenues Is at
tributed largely 20 he wise management
of the Literary Fund by Second Auditor
Ryland. The fund yields a steadily in
creasing revenue for school purposes
THE VOTE CANVASSED.
The State Board Of Canvassers met,
pursuant 20 law. in the office Of the re-
retarv OF the Commonwealth yesterday TO
canvass the returns iu the legislative
election. There were present Governor
Tyler. who called tne Board 20 order, The
Attorney General the Auditor of Pub
lie Accounts and The State Treasurer.
The returns. as certified from the va
r.ous districts. wore gone oyer. No one
appeared to contest any Of the figures. The
proceedings were routine and devoid OF
interest.
The Board met at noon and concluded
az 2.-0 O'Clock. The signatures az the
members of Board were then attached.
The Official vote shows That Shand g
majority over BOykIn. In the Thrty-sec-
0nd Senatorial District. was lol2
I'm tho Floyd-Frnnkiln Senatorial Dis
trict. Dnwiddle. Republican, WAS cleo
ted over Hall. Democrat. by 23S major
ily
The vote I'm the Twenty-eighth Seuato-
rial District was as follows.
Lunenburg c0uuty-Mann. iol: Buford,
S7l. NottoWay county-Mann. l.7a6; Blu
ford. 30 Brunswick county-Mann. ii6;
Buford. li2j. Manns total majority,
81.
ASK ABOUT VIRGINIA LANDS.
Commissioner Koiner. of the Depart
n.cut Of Agriculture. has received re-
quests for information concerning Nir-
eiuia lands from PERSONS In the West ana
in Canada The WesteTner wishes To
know whether sheeD-raising can Dee prou-
tably engaged in in this State and says
tlat ne cOntCmplltes the establishment
Of ranch sufficient for 500 sheep.
Another inquiry was received through
the Swiss min ~ az Washington from
man in Switzerland asking about me
adaptabNity Of Virginia 10 cheese-mak-
ing
GRANTED \ PARDON.
John willis. q colored man. who had
been sentenced 90 three years in the peni-
tertiary. by the County Court Of Middle
sex. was Yesterday pard0ned By the Cover
nor. willis was charged with an attempt
an criminal assault. and had served
about nine months Of his time.