The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-02
1aH PUBLIC SCHOOL system.

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Times this morning we print an article
from Rev. S. II. Thompson, pastor OF the
5 First Baptist Church at Farmyilie. Mr.
Thompson was for years resident OF
Halifax county and there conducted a
large and influential school. He is an
educated men, an educated teacher, an
educated preacher preacher who is
noted for his mental vigor, his courage
and his moral integrity. Such man is
entitled to q respectful and considerate
hearing upon all questions, and especially
upon this subject of education, which he
has made lifelong study.
MT. Thompson addresses himself to
some of the obstacles in the way Of public
education In Virginia. First of all. he
speaks of ..neighborhood Iittleness." He
explains that every now and then is to
be met in this community and that petty
prejudice against the teachers, and that
parents Will sometimes keep their children
away from school in orier to punish the
scacher The second obstacle which he
mentions is the lack Of interest or pride
an the school and its surroundings. He
saws that he has noticed in some sections
that parents give little or no thought to
the public school, too often for the rea-
son that they are satisfied that their
children are not getting much benefit from:
their attendance, and SO do not care par
ticuIarly whether they go or not
In the third place, he speaks Of the
wretched condition OF the schooI-houses
In various parts of the State. We in
wife ettention to what he says under this
hes& as Or. Frazer has been censured
for what he said concerning the school
Nouses inNVirsinia. DR.. Frazer's remarks
as reported were rather broad, but, hay
ing talked with him in private we are
cure that he did not mean to convey the
3 Suppression that all country school-houses
mere mere novels. OF course not. There
are numerous schooi-houses in the rural
districts that are altogether decent and
comfortable, If not artistic, and we are
sure that Dr. Frazer knows this as well
as anybody. Nor does Mr.. Thompson
mean to say that all the school-houses oil
the country are small log or frame, sin
Ele-room affairs, innocent of paint or Or
,,ament, unsishtly and uncomfortable.
But he does mean to say that there are
many such school-houses through the
State, and in this he is abundantiy borne
out by the Virginia School Journal, the
official organ Of the State Board Of Edu-
cation. In an article on this subject
published some time ago the Virginia
School Journal said:
This is the season of the year for school
superintendent ard school trustees to
visit the schools in their respective juris
dictions and to see that all is going well
with them. The public-School system
has been in operation in Virginia for
thirty years, and yet in many of the
counties the school buildings are totally
unfit for human hahitaticns. In many
instances they are old tenement houses
that have been moved from the farm to
the pnislic road. and are not even owned
5iy the district, but are rentef at en-
orbitant rates, sometimes as much as one
fourth of tile original cost of the build
ings.a We know OF some school districts
in Virginia that do not own single one
OF tile buildings used by them for public
school purposes: and yet these districts
are rich in natural resources and taxable
values
They seem TO be willing to allow private
persens to fit up deserted tenement
houses or to build new ones at. such
places as may he most convenient to
them, and then charge the districts what
they please for the use of them. This
ought not, to be. Whenever it is possible
the district should own and control all
the public school buildings
And again:
If then we wisl, to improve our schools.
we must provide slightly. convenient and
5well-furnished buildings for the children.
1t is a Same that the children of this
State arc compelled to sit during the cold
Ireary winter months in such unsightly,
uncomfortable buildings as many of the
districts provide for them. No wonder
the people complain that the schools are
not doing what they should do for the
rising generation School officials should
remember that the ugly. uncomfortable
Buildings in which school children are
housed have a silent get irresistible in
Iacnce. on the tastes and character OF
children that attend them The bare Wall
fits the vacant mind, and the ugly sur
roundings teach the child to be content
with ugly and common things.
There is no more urgent demand for re-
form in any department of pul3ic school
work than is the demand foc better
buildings in tho rural districts.
rir. Thompson also speaks of the ''in-
efficient and poorly equipped teachers"
as an obstacle to advancement in the
public school system He says that he
has seen ..weli-eluipped teachers thrust
aside for some girl or boy who was to-
tally unfit. both by nature and training.
Tor this difficult work" and he cites some
interesting examples which have come
under his observation. These selections
( are rlade. he declares, through favorit-
.s,n. or for political purposes. or for the
selfish ends of certain members OF the
board. we trust that What he says un-
dc. this head viii also receive the most
careful attention of tho proper authori-
ties He declares that political influences
are at work here and there in the system.
and everybody. who has taken the trouble
to inquire knows that that is trsle.
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