The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-24
SHORT SESSION OF
THE CONVENTION
Cities May Contribute to Educational
Institutions.
MECHANICS INSTITUTE SAVED.
Education Report Practically Disposed Of
TIVE Sections Passed Over by
Request-Day's Pro.
ceedings.
MECHANICS INSTITUTE SAVED.

The Constitutional Convention has
practically completed the consideration
OF the report of the Committee on Edu-
cation. in Committee of the Whole. At
the session yesterday, which lasted
from 10 o'clock A. NJ. until 1920 O'Clock
F. NJ, this was the chief business trans
acted. and then the body adjourned I'M
tn noon Tomorrow.
TlDcre were only ffty-fiTo member;
present. Major John T. Cowan. of Mont
lEomery. was among the prominent WISH
'ors on the floor.
The convention Went into Committee
of the Whole (NIr Flood in the cnairl
shortly after being called 10 oToet' aiiU
the report was disposed of IN hurry.
section z which was debated at length
on Friday and which has relation to the
justification of local school funds, IVES
passed by on account Of the slim attend
lance and that providing for the MAIN
fenance OF the University took the same
course. at the instance oil MI GLASS,
who was absent for the day
The only important amendment ADOPT
cd WIS that offered by Mr.. Withcrs, pro-
Irjdinc that counties and CITIES! may
i,nake appropriations TO educational IN
lstitutIons exclusively owned or controlled
kry Them The entire SESSION passed
without any striking incident The pro
vision with reference TO compulsory eou-
iCation is practcBlly tie sa'ii1 % 80 80
present constitution.
THE DAY IN DETAIL.
The convention met at 10 o'clock, Pres
ident Goode in the chair. and prayer by
pr. DlEaw-ay.
Fifty-five delegates answered the roll
calI, and the journal Of Fridays proceed
Iings was read and approved.
Petitions favoring the Barbour liquor
license resolution were presented by va
rious delegates.
Resolutions adopted by the Episcopal
lConvocation, of Norfolk. favoring tho
proposed ordinance. were read.
Chairman McIlwaine moved that the
convention go into Committee Of the
Whole to consider the report of the Com
rrittee On Education.
Mr.. Eggieston said the matter now I'M
der consideration was one of too much
Importance to be considered or voted on
with only a bare quorum present. He
said there was only a quorum at roll
rall. and in the few minutes that had
elapsed since then several members had
gone.
DR.. McIlwaine said the convention
eeemed TO be at the mercy Of those who
Mould not or could not remain here
Ind attend to the public business The
convention had settled almost every
thing with a. membership of siXty-fiVe
Or less. and there was no use adjourning
now # there were enough here to make
\ quorum
DR.. Runaway insisted on going on. He
laid the vote would not be final, as IL
sould be taken over again In the con-
Sention.
The motion to go into Committee OF
HE Whole was adopted CNir. Flood IN
,he chair.
Mr.. Eggteston announced that Mr..
Flood had withdrawn his amendment and
he renewed the one offered by nm 10
.,r;ke out all of section Z, requiring
iour-months' primary schools 10 be Kept
before the discretion of applying iocdl
taxation could be exercised
Bv a vote of 33 to 20, n motion to pass
bv consideration of this section was
adopted Mr.. 1<eezell announced that ne
did not care to continue his speech, be-
enn Friday. since Mr.. Floods amend
s1ellt had been withdrawn
MANUAL. SCHOOLS.
Section s, autht rizing the establish
eaent OF normal. manual training. tech
heal. AGRICULTURAL schools, and such
others as snail pc lor Tue Pupit| 'ou
was adopted
Section a. authorizing the Legislature
70 c: act laws to prevent parents and
Guardians from allowing their children
,r wards to grow up in ignorance, was
takcn up.
Dr DunaWSr offered an amendment
He was rot in favor of the section at all.
He did not think it should be in the Con-
st{tution but as it was already a consti-
t,tional provision. he believed in not
ieatinG about the bush. The language
meant compulsory education; why not
ny no? He offered amendment, say
ng: The General Assembly may pro-
hde for compulsory education of emil
lren between the ages of nine and four
ben years, except those weak in body or
Aind.''
Chairman McIlwaine read statistics to
how how many children failed to take
sTvantase OF schools already established,
md said he had received n great many
stters asking for a direct compulsory
hdinance. He believed in it. He could
bot support the amendment offered by DR..
Runaway because children ought to be
kade to 20 to school before they were
me years old, or they might not be able
\ 20 at all. He said the section. as re-
iurteo. did not suit him. but 1t suited the
tmmittee. and he hoped 1t would be
f7opted IS it was reported. 1t was tile
language of the present Constitution eX-
spt the word vagrancy was omitted as
=, having anything to DO with schools.
OF NO USE.
Mr. WI'sor said there was no use of
living such a section in the Constitution
all. The Legislature had the power TO
klact such "a LAW unless forbid doing so
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