The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-17
THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

in criticism of the proposed public-schooi
ordinance now under discussion in The
Constitutional Convention. Il there IS q
man in Virginia whose opinion on this
subject is valuable and worthy OF cnnsid-
Grafton that man is Or. Ruffner lie is
q thoroughly trained educator and has
devoted his whole life 20 educational pur-
suits. he was graduated from the ole
Washington College (now Washington
and Lee University) in 1872, and for
many years was its president. lie also
had theological training and is educated
in heart as we'll as in mind. In 1870 when
there vas a strong sentiment i'll Virginia
against free schools. especially against
free schools for the education of the
negroes, Dr.. Ruffner wrote some of the
ablest papers on that subject which have
come from the pen of any man, and
through newspapers and periodicals, as
well as through public lectures, he sought
TO bring conviction to the minds of the
people. In that year he was elected SUI
perintendent of Public instruction in this
State. and within thirty days after his
election he had submitted TO the Legis-
lature an outlined school system, which
in few weeks he elaborated into q
complete school law, and the bill was
passed substantially as he wrote Il.
Upon the passage of this bill he organized
the schools promptly and efficiently
that at the end Of the year 1S70-'1,
fifteen thousand children were reported
in attendance, and the schools have
steadily grown from that time. as has also
the sentiment in favor of popular oduca-
ton.
These statements are taken from a
sketch Of DR.. Ruffner by Miss Celesta
Parrish, herself one Of the best-known OF
Virginia educators, and she quotes DR..
j. l.. NJ. Curry as having thus referred
TO DR.. Ruffner's official work:
For whatever of success has crowned
this system. DR.. Ruffner is entitled to
the credit. His eleven reports are lucid
discussions of al! leading subjects per-
tanning to the organization and manage
Ihent of schools and school systems. They
are hardly surpassed in our educational
literature, have often been quoted as ;,u-
thoritative, and were honored with a d.
ploma from the Republic of Chill. Ruff
ner will hereafter be ranked alongside
of Mann, Sears, Wickersham and other
such educators. During his admnistra-
ton he apportioned nearly $4,000 900, ad-
ministered s12o00,o0o without bond or Sc
curity, and yet no item in his accounts
and his bitterest opponent never intima-
ted that Their: was anything mysterious
or dishonest ir his administration. Every
page Of the public school history of Vir-
einia is luminous with his triumphs.'
We commend the article from Or.
Rutfner's pen in to-days Times to the
members of the Constitutional Conven-
ton. First of all, he suggests that on the
proposed Board of Education. there
shall be representation from the public
schools.
DR.. Charles ". Dabney, president Of
is prominently connected with the South
orn Educational Association, heartily
agrees with DR.. Ruffner in this view, ana
SO committed himself il: an interview
published in yesterdays Times.
Again, Dr. Ruffner and DR.. Dabney are
both agreed that the State would make
a great mistake to apportior the school
money in such a way as to discriminate
against the black man and to deny TO
him the opportunity of educating his
children. It is not necessary to say
that The Times takes the same view, fcr
we have frequently expressed ourselves
as emphatically as We knew how on this
question. DR.. Dabney well says that Viz
ginIa is an exemplar, and that it would
be most hurtful to the cause of popular
education if she should commit herself
to the proposition that education is a
ney also well says that the ordinance |
adopted by the Virginia Convention ought |
TO be above suspicion" If the Consti- |
tuional Convention proposes to discr;m- |
mate against the black man and to give |
him for the education of his children only !
fund, then let the Convention have the |
courage TO come out and say so. 1t would |
be unworthy of that body 10 accomplish |
this purpose by indirection.
We have already sounded the warning
and we repeat it, for we feel very deeply |
on the subject, and our feeling amounts |
to conviction, that il the people of this |
State do this cruel thing the injury will |
be more to the whites than TO the blacks. |
If the black man is 10 remain with US,
NE must. under the overriding providence |
Of Cod help him to improve his condition |
and TO become a better citizen. If we do |
not help to lift the black man up, II we
keep The. negro race in q state of vicious
Ignorance and allow that race TO so
down in the scale OF degradation, as sure
~ as the sun shines, as surely as there |
is a law OF cause and effect, just so sure
~ will the degradation of the black man |
Nave its demoralizing effect upon the
white race. The path of duty in this
he Ia, 81 ntl,e t.,