The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-22
OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
Some Suggestions Made to the State
Board of Education.


public-school system of Virginia, l avail
myself of the opening offered in the an
nual report of the Superintendent OF PUB
lie Instruction, which says there are 100
many public schools in the State. In this
he makes 4 notable departure from the
reports of his predecessors, who for years
have been congratulating themselves and
the public upon the annual increase IN
the number of publicsschools, as proof OF
the efficiency Of their department. and OF
the growth in the work of education
The real question is: Are there too
many schools as reported by Mr.. SOUTH
all? and if SO, how came there to be too
many? and how many too many are
there?
The Constitution undertook to regulate,
in some measure, the number OF public
schools.
Section g. article I, says: Each masis-
terial district shall be divided into SO
| many compactly-ocated school districts
as may be deemed necessary, provided
that no school district shall be formed
containing less than one hundred inhabl-
tants. It is evident that the trainers OF
the Constitution intended that each school
house in the Commonwealth should nave
a territory attached to it, defined by
bounds, the determination of which was
left to the school officers; provided, how
ever, that no school-house district should
contain less than one hundred Inhabitants.
Jefferson, who is the unquestioned faith
er of the public-school system, said that
public school should De placed within
reasonable walking distance of every child
in the Commonwealth. If the OF GERS,
laying off the school districts, had been
guided by that rule, and they should
have been so instructed by the central au-
thority, it is evident that except under
exceptional conditions, no school-house
district would have been laid off with
less area than twenty to twenty-five
square miles. In such district no child
would be more than two and half miles
from the school house. Surprising this
to be fair Interpretation of the Constitu-
ton, section g. article 4, we have a ter
ritorial unit with which TO divide the
square miles of each county and thus de-
termine, with fair approximation, the
number of public school to be established
in that county.
For example, take Campbell county.
The number of square miles in Campbell
is 465, divided by 20 equals q white schools
! and q colored, white and colored being
about equal, gives a tota! Of As school
houses.
Observe, I say school-houses, not schools,
for by the regulation OF the Board OF
Education, every schooi-house containing
two or more rooms or teachers shall be
reported as two or more schools. l wish,
therefore, that because of this ruling of
the Board of Education, which may re-
quire county superintendent to report
several schools in one building, l think
it proper to increase the number of schools
in the above estimate for Campbell by
adding one-third to the number OF school
houses, which would make siXty-four
schools, whereas this county IS reported
by the Superintendent Of Public lnstruc-
ton as having 107 public schools She
then has 43 schools in excess Of educa-
tional need.
Now, it takes $500 to run public school
for a term of five months and .3 schools
multiplied by 500 equals $500 excess IN
school expenditure for Campbell county.
BY the same rule, greater excess can De
Shown in some of the other counties.
am fully alive to the difficulties OF
the reform called for, In reducing the
number of public schools, but l am sure
it can be carried out by the Board of
Education without an appeal for new leg
isIation-eXc ept in some Insignificant par
tuculars. which in this paper I do not
propose to indicate.
In the act creating the Board of Edu-
cation, Section Z, reads: Their duties
shall be as follows-viz.: To make by
laws and regulations for It's own gov
eminent, and for carrying into effect the
school laws
Thirteenth: 'sTo guard by legislation
against so great a multiplication OF scnools
in proportion to the funds provided as
will tend to cause a low grade IN 1nstSuc-
ton in the public schools.
1t appears to me in these clauses there
is a warning and command to avoid the
evils of too many schools now complained
of, and that the blame for it rests with
the Board of Education in not providing
against it in the beginning, as they
should have done. Had they before build
ing school houses caused the county Of
fcers to define the several school-house
districts, the evil Of too many schools
would not be SO great.
To reform now is more difficult, but 1t IS
necessary if the public schools are to be
made efficient for the education OF the
people.
Superintendent Draper, Of New York
State, some years ago, reporting upon
this evil of too many schools In his State;
said it had grown to such a height that
it would be wisdom in the Legislature
to abolish the county schools-unless they
were prepared to take steps somehow to
increase the number of pupils III atten-
dance and make them worth the care OF
competent teachers.
He said they had sunk so low in pub
with contempt by the poorest and lowest
people.
MY experience as county usDeri1tend-
ent was that small schools We're non-.-o-
sressive and lifeless, and that parents
could not he persuaded to send their chill
dren to such schools.
This evil can be cured by the Board of
Education. Let it order the County School
Boards to lay off a school-house district
for every school-house of twenty square
,1siles-regardless Of imaginary lines be-
tween magisterial districts and counties
In its regulations already existing the
Board of Education has provided fof the
sending of pupils from one district into
another.
Order district school boards to build
additional rooms to school-houses. where
there are more pupils in attendance than
make up one school.
order district school boards to compel
the attendance Of the children living in
the school district at the school-house
of that district.
Give district school boards the power
to condemn public foot-paths for the use
of the children, and to build foot-bridges