The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-02-27
THURSDAY.FEBRUARY 81. 1902.
Weather forecast for Fred
erfckSburg and Vicinity:
Clearing THURSDAY.
THE NECESSITY For OBLIGATION.


this Country when a mancOuld make
a living without the assistance of an
education but that day has passed.
In these times the necessity for edu-
cation is everywhere evident and the
day is fast approaching when every
man will be required to pass an ex-
animation before he can secure a po-
sitiOn worthy of consideration.
With these facts staring us in the
face it is highly important that we,
as State and as parents, should
make every effort to give our young
men and young women the best edu-
cation possible. In order to do this
it is necessary for us to secure the
most talented teachers for our pub
lie schools and TO Danish from our
minds the idea prevalent that most
anybody is competent to teach in a
public school. In the past, Virginia
has had some excellent teachers in
her public schools, but she has also
had some OF the poorest apologies
for teachers to be found anywhere.
This is largely due to the fact that
politics has been allowed to sway the
minds of some of the school trustees
and because OF this fact many incOm-
petent persons have been selected as
teachers simply to pay some polltl-
cal debt. This ought not to be so;
the question of education should at
all times be completely divorced
from politics-for the development OF
the minds of our young people is OF
far more Importance than the paying
of political debts. This sort OF bust
ness has also caused good teachers
to seek work elsewhere and, as a con-
sequence, yiEsia = ii5 e;t''; az :. 81 80
valysts1 along educational lines as she
ought to be.
We note. however, with cOnsidera-
Sole pleasure the revival OF interest i'll
Four public school system. A move
ment is on foot to expend several
millions OF dollarsin the South for
the cause of education. Men ofgreat
wealth have given and are giving
large amounts for the purpose o.
spreading education throughout the
South. This movement is the result
of the educational conference held III
the South last Fall, when number OF
wealthy Northerners made the Trip
to study the educational condition
throughout this section.
The work done by the Peabody
Fund is we'll known, but this new
movement contemplates greater eX-
penditures and a wider scope. The
main end in view is the elementary
education and the practical training
OF the youths of the South. ltlooks
also toward an improvement IN the
public school system and the I'M
movement of educational conditions
among even the poorer classes. It's
this that the South most needs; this
can bring about those conditions
which all desire, make this class OF
people more Industrious, more thrill
ty and in every way better citizens.
OF all the educational movements in
the present day, none gives promise
of greater and better results than
this.
The Virginia School of Methods
will be held this year at the Univer-
sity of yirginia-an ideal place Tor
such q school-beginning on the Bird
day of June. The school continues
four weeks and the facilities afforded
those who may be In attendance W
better equip themselves for teaching
will be excellent.
Arrangements have been made Tor
securing an able and efficient corps
OF instructors in every branch OF
study, and this will be a splendid OPP
portunity for teachers to acquire
much knowledge and information as
well as to become more expert and
efficient in the art Of teaching. The
cost of attendance will be small and
every teacher should attend.
With improved educational faclli-
ties and thoroughly competent teach
ers Virginia would soon advancevery
rapidly along all lines.