Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-07-23
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CONCENTRATE SCHOOLS.

l. mere are lldilN CIItlClStlS hi"ue
about the management of the
public schools. Attorney-Genera
Anderson hit the nail on the heat
when he said, 1--WE attempt tC
establish too many schools" That
is the trouble now, and caused DR.
Southall in his biennial report
last week to deplore their condition
He says:
"We have been dissip ting Oul
educational energies and resources,
instead of consolidating and con-
centlating them for the great
struggles against i.literacy and
crime. This deplOrable state of
affairs is due mainly to the wild
and insane tendency to multiply
small district schools"
Amidst the collection of cold
facts and figures presented in DIR.
Southall's report there are many
striking statements about the
school situation in Virginia. In
the presence of a thousand teachers
and leading educators at Char
IOttesville they both emphasized
the need of reform in the matter
of public schools now existing in
Virginia that have no legal right
of existence, as their average at
tendance falls below that required
by law.
Avoiding tabular statistics, the
summary of the various superin-
t,ndents' reports show that there
are 6,O56 white schools in Vir-
ginia Of this number, 1858 have
an average attendance of less than
twenty pupils. In other words, 43
per cent. Of the white schools do
not muster enough pupils to meet
the legal requirements. OF the
2,O32 cOlOred schools in the State.
49S have an average attendance Of
less than twenty, or about 81 per
cent. of them are below the re-
CURED standard of attendance.
DIR SOuthall says: cit is useless
to speculate as to the causes that
have led to the multiplication of
the rural school. The causes are
many, and the temptations to con-
tinue this ruinOus policy are as
strong as ever. Every man natu-
rally wants a schOol-hOuse as near
to his home as possible; every little
village is ambitious to be the school
center of the neighbOrhOOd and |
in many cases schools have been
established at places to accOmmo-
date men who have daughters, or
some other relatives whom they |
wish to have appointed to teach |
the schools. X We cannot |
afford to let this policy continue
1t has done great damage to the
State, and it will cOntinue to work |
harm unless we employ |
heroic measures to check it.
The simple remedy for this evil,
DR.. Southall says is the cOnsOlida
Jon of the county schools, and
says:
eff district trustees would agree
20 have their schools at least four
nil Is from each other, and would,
-efuse to continue those thnt do
rot make the legal average when
his average >ould be easily main
aimed, the solution of the problem
would be reached"
We have an object lesson right
lere at home. Central, or LeXing-
on district, several years ago
,egan putting one school house of
anger dimensions at point about
from where the two
TODD and the result has been
urger attendance, longer terms and
arger salaries for the teachers
Tx and o.e-half months has been
he average term. The fathers of
he system thought it an evidence
f their zeal for the cause If public
ducation in allowing schools to ,
1t is seen now that they '
l,de Il wOeful mistake which it '
ill take time to rectify.
The Evening News OF Harrison
nrg is sprightly penny paper
hat is published in that town
ye get it the same evening it is (
-inted, and is consequently the t
test ard freshest news of any g
,Der that comes to our town. it 4
handsomely printed and well E
Iited. Evidently it was born to h
Iav as it is now seven years old "