The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1902-10-17
XMAS SCHOOLS AGAIN.

90 ii readers IN the lOIm OF lcddihs
edit. nal, the views Of TO us, an un
known writer on the subject Of the Viz
ginia schools in general. We reserve L
ourselves the poor privilege Of reply.
ing to such articles appearing in public
print as We care TO, and in this instance
We saw nothing to strike at, having a.
ready said our sayn on the subject
Our silence, however, was construed in.
toa lifting Of the white flag and beg
ging for mercy.
Then it was that in single para
graph we leveled the siege guns Of o
Southall, Glass and Brent against the
unknown pOp-gun.
With dash, worthy better cause,
the futile effort was then made of whif-
ling Dr. Southall, the "honest and ca.
pable" Superintendent of Virginia's
school system, into the ranks Of its de
tractors. Satisfied that the stalwart
Superintendent could and would best
defend himself, we referred the whole
matter to him. Read his reply
RICHMOND, VA, Oct. l4th, 1902
To the Editor of the Herald,
Farmville, Va.
Sir:-Replying to your recent letter,
| beg to say that | am surprised that
any one should entertain the opinion
that have ever attacked the public
school system Of Virginia in either one
Of the biennial reports that have gone
out from this department during my
term Of office. On the contrary i have
always maintained that the public
schools Of Virginia have made wonder
ful progress since they were Inaugural
ted now thirty two years ago. / do
not see how any one who will take the
trouble to read the two reports that
have been sent out during nay admins
tratiOn can truthfully say that | have
in these reports attacked the public
schools. 1t is true that / have at
tempted to point out some Of the weak
places IN them with view to improve
ing and strengthening our educational
system, but this has always been done
in friendly and helpful spirit. Ii
would be a great misfortune TO the
schools Of the State if our people were
satisfied with them. The man who
sees defects In the system and in a
spirit Of friendly criticism points out
these defects and urges remedial mea-
sures is the genuine friend of the sys-
tenn. Carping, unfriendly criticism
and cOmplaisant selfsatisfaction are
alike inimical to the best int
rests Of the public schools.
am with great respect,
Very truly yours,
(Signed) JOSEPH w. SOUTHALL.
We repeat, some extracts are deadly
and Others mlschieyously misleading.
Read ALL Of what the Superintend-
ent embodied in his reports, and, then,
in his own words, no man can "truth-
fully" quote him as an enemy Of the
system, or class him with another who
having visited q number of Virginia
schools found but one in 'eleanly" con-
ditioD aud that one taught by
neg
" never forget the whitening,
scor >, crushing rebuke administer
ed b. learned and just Virginia judge
to a uDg and pert attorney who un-
derto to mislead jury by reading to
it the syllabus Of a case as being the
very law Of the case. Ever afterwards
that Judge excluded all law books from
his court room and required the law
yers to put into the form Of instruc-
ton whatever decisions of Courts they
to rely on before the jury and
first submit them to him for approval.
From that time on the syllabus was at
discount In that court of justice, and /.
uries were protected against mislead-
ng extracts.
When the time comes that Glass and
Brent are also unfairly and unjustly
iealt with in like manner we will sim
ly ask them TO come to their own res
NE as DR.. Southall has so promptly
nd efficiently done. The devil often
uotes scripture but for no good pur-
'ose. Neither Of the three claim per- p
sction for the system, and with faith d
illness and kindness are ready to point c.
ut defects with the hope Of curing 7
hem, but with intelligent observation p
the whole system resent with right Is
BUS indignation the charge that it is 10
dirty, dismal, disreputable failure. ~
WHAT OTHERS THINK OF US.
The Baltimore Sun says: ~
Certain Northern educational tex pi
erts" have been recently asserting that m
iucaton given by public schools in ia
re South Is at q standstill, or even on
progressive, and proposed to take it 10 in
and in a patronizing way. such de
srsOns cannot but be shocked with or
Ie record Of the last census on this RI
lint. The last census shows that the Al
'rcentage Of Southern children from sai
n to fourteen who can read and write mi
IS increased in the last decade by an In
erage advance of seven percent, and of
Louisiana, Georgia and North and i'm
nth Carolina by nearly ten per cent On
ence II follows that the public schools An,
the South are vastly more efficient vii
an they have been represented to be. M
Baltimore Sun. Hi
Yes, they are improving, and Vir- pre-
lis leads experts" to the contrary. the
And our school-houses will be kept VI, WI
'rm this winter and passers by will ma
dice to watch the smoke curling hay
m the chimneys telling Of warmth ire
comfort while the fact that Vir- luz Ie,'
ia teachers are on duty will give cerI
assurance Of general competency to e
the discharge Of their duties and y
anlineSs Of environment. NE 1lie.
let detractors proceed with their east
TX, but the old mother will take fam
e OF her children al home and in tho Ear