The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-20
HOT AFTER THE
SCHOOL OFFICERS.
Move to Abolish County superin-
teadents.
MAY BE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE
Abollslns Amendment Withdrawn. but an~
otner ow.cs.ng 0ae Presented Qune
Warm pebale-lne pays
tr.csed,ngs.
MAY BE ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE

The Constitutional Soi'Ne''s'
rn,r,ted Session OF four hours yes1e' oas >
nearly all of which time VAS deFoAeo %
"a discussion OF the section OF the eo1c'l-
tim r,nor, relating to the office OF county
superinrrnuenl OF schools.
r,bcr,. were seyenty-four members pres
ant. and the usual delegation OF educators,
nrcnincnt among them being Iap'.
Franklin Pierce Brent, OF the bepaI lii.eite
Of Public Instruction. Among the o.iic.
distinguished spectators were Miss May
rns.i. Toe daughter Of Gen. r. E. Lea,
Hon. j. TAYLOR Ellyson and Governor
elect a. J. Montague
There were but few preliminaries, ana,
shortly after roll call, DR.. McliWalhe
moved TO go INTO Committee OF the
Whole, and Capt. r. E. Parks was calieu
TO the chair. Things went along smooiiii!
for a while. but Mr.. BoaZ soon oasiieu
a bombshell into camp by moving d"
amendment to the section relating 70
county school superintendent, providing
that the Office be abolished. rms was
discussed in a fiery manner for some
time end. finally. withdrawn. after Mr.
Barbour presented che Which MY foiz
accepted, providing for district sl.pcria-
tendents to be chosen by The State Board.
This IVES quickly followed ty one from
Col Petit. providing that the superil-
tendents be chosen by direct vote CT
the people. The och of the day was
made by Senator Glass. who vigorously
opposed both of the latter Amendments.
and made an able and striking address
on the subject OF free education.
Co.. Petit was replying warmly to Mr..
Glass argument. when the lour Of 2
p. M. arrived. and the convention under
the special order adjourned until 10 o'clock
fo-Sa,r rho Ir-, m
be very interesting.
TIE DAY IN DETAIL.
The couyenuon met al ~ clock. i'rs y
er by Rev. air. Warren, OF the Bar,:st
Church.
Seventy-four members answered the OIL
call.
On motion Of DR.. Mcilwaine, the con-
vention went into Comm. ttee of the Nhole
to conslGer the report OF The committee
on Education. MIR. Parks presiding.
The amendment 10 secIion tnree, II O.
vi6ing Tor the election OF super.n. .ncent
of public instruction by the people at the
same time the Governor IS erected, " as
proposed TO be a.nenued by The aGGIuon
of words, ana III the same MAI le-.
Mi. Mcred tn declined to aliow ltuani-
nous consent. He sad the amendment
already made, he considered SO fatal 10
the public school interest, he did not pro-
pOSG ~ ScliSSLl " oily 4uL tIlSI
ment.
MIR. Meredith then offered an amend
ment to sectlon three requiring tat ire
duties of the superintendent be .IX I'd by
the State Board OF Lducat on. Those
who had Won as they thought, such a
victory for the people, should low lie
willing to have the superintendent Sub
ject to the control OF the Board II Edu-
cation. Otherwise it would have no
and
If the superintendent was absolutely m
dependent OF the board you would have
two independent authorlt es working
along dlnerent lines.
1t is proposed TO put the Board Of LOU
cation under the control of the Legisla-
the whole free-schooI system would oe
placed under the control of he toalG;
otherwise there would be q .onusct OF
authority, With the consequent Jesuit ihat
the whole free-school syste inwould be
demoralized If not destroyed.
Chairman Mcllwaine said he thought
Mr.. Meredith was exactly right. AS
president of l1ampden-Sidney, he was
under the control of the Board Of 1lus-
tees and he was glad of 1t. This sy' TEN
was in use in ali States which were do
ing the best work for public lree-schooi
education.
The amendment was opposed ,y Mr..
keezel who said it was not rair to ok
out this particular officer to be controlled
by a board not elected by The ,cople.
AMENDMENT ADOPTED.
The amendment was adopted.
Mr.. Quarl.s SAID, under the se.tcn as
amended. there could not be an election
for superintendent for four veacs. lie
offered his substitute, VIII CHI prov.dcd That
after the first term, the superln- end It
should be elected at the same time as
ha Tho substitute was llt III
ed-yeas, 40; nays, Is.
Section four relating to the duties and
powers of the Board Of Education was
then taken up.
This section gives the Board power to
appoint all superintendents of city and
county public free schools. and may re-
move for cause The authority to appoint
a Stale Superintendent of Public lnstruc-
ton was struck out to conform to sec
ton three as amended.
Mr. Boaz moved to strike out county
superintendent. He said he thought that
office should be abolished, or at least be
left subject to the action of the LeglSla-
ture and not infiexibly fixed in the Con-
stitution. He said it was n notorious fact
that county superintendent under the
present system did not perform any sat
isfactory duties.
STIRRED THEM UP.
Mr. Petit: 81 would inform the gen
IlGman from liieil tAiS III
tendent OF Fluvanna schools is q most eX-
cellent officer. Her schools are admirably
superintendent.
Mr.. Boaz: II must say that the fame
of the schools of riuVanna has never
reached as far az Aibenarle. / was not
critcising the superintendent so much as
the system.
Judge Garnett stated that the Superin-
tendent of Mathews was model officer
ana there was no use in abolishinS the Of
Ace.
Mr. Keezell moved 20 strike out all of
sne section except the appointment of SUI
perintendcnts in the city schools. He
said this would give the committee OPP