The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-21
slE0aI., AND ROADS.

the most part with two subjects-public
education and public roads. These two
subjects are Intimately associated AND
should very properly be treated toseth-
or. Good roads will help public educa-
ton and public education viii help good
roads. AS it is, Virginia roads in the
Writer season are so had that it is al
most Impossible for the children TO at
tend school regularly. and it Is during
the rainy season that the schools are IN
session. From Inquiries that we have
recently made, we are satisfied that one
q. the most serious drawbacks to the
n,,bIia schools of the State is the condl-
ton Of the public roads II winter
We say, therefore. that it is quite ap-
propriate for the Governor I'm his mes
sage to treat these two subjects to-
gether-
The Governor well saye that a govern
,nent OF universal suffrage nccessitates
universal education, and that, therefore,
the education Of all the children of this
state is a task Tor patriotic statesman
ship. That means negro children as well
as white children. 1t means poor chill
dren as we'll as rich children. 1t means
the children of all classes and all races.
and he might have said that the children
ce the lowest classes are those who are in
most need of education. This is ques-
ton which the people Of Virginia must
take 10 heart. It is a practical ques-
tion-a material as we'll as moral ques-
tion-for if we neglect the education OIL
orr children we Shall certainly not keep
abreast of the other States OF the Union
in progress and prosperity.
The Governor lays special stress upon
practical education, saying that such edu-
cation is; not merely material In our
discussion OF this subject we have en-
dcavorcd on several occasions to impress
tho fact Of manual training as moral
training. Manual training teaches val
liable lessons in observing, in accuracy,
in precision. which is the development
of truth. and by stimulating the creative
genius in the child you necessarily drive
out much of the native vandalism that
is in him.
In this connection the Governor rec
c.nmends that .his branch of instruction
be introduced IN the normal schools OF
the State.-in the Normal School at
rarnyille for whites and in the Normal
School at Petersburg for blacks. The
Normal School at Petersburg should, as
far as we are able. be modelled alter
the Normal School ut Hampton Ihat
sort of training is the sort of training
that the negro reeds above all else, and
II &c frnDracticable To have the negro
children of this State trained except by
teachers OF their own race. therefore,
the negroes who are put in charge OF the
negro schools should have such train
ing as is given them at Hampton
we have already suggested that there
should be i manual training course at
The Farmvile Normal, and we hope thai
the Legislature will see fit to adopt the
Governors recommendation.
What The Governor says about good
roads is not new, but is in the MAN
sensible and practical. We are grained
that he directs especial attention to the
fart that the money expended on pub
lie roads in Virginia is in many instances
wasted. for the reason that it is not in
diligently expended. We are not sure
that it is always honestly expended. we
are not in position to bring charges, out
those who are handling the ROAD funos
seem to lie responsible to nobody, ana
the Taxpayers in many cases have no
means of knowing what use mas oeeh
made OF the money that they nave palu
i'm on this account. There ought 10 De-
first of all. an engineer for each county
10 supcrvise the work of road-maklnS,
and those who handle the funds ought
10 be required to render each year, at
least. an itemized account 10 the tax
payers, showing just where every dollar
has gone.
Coupling once more, and finally the
question of public roads and the ques-
lion of public schools. We aSain express
tho oniniou that in neither case are the
tax-paycrs getting as good results from
Tho money which they arc cXpending as
they have the right 10 expect.