Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-09
UNCONVENTIONAL SCHOOLS.
mount Question at the Appronch-
ing Meeting.

The Baptist General Association Of viz.
g;n1a Will convene In Its ,seventy-ninth
annual session in Norfolk on Thursday.
November 18th, with the Freenlason-
Street church OF which Rev. j.. J. Taylor,
u. D.. is pastor. This Is one OF the
strong churches in the State, and could
easily take care of the Association I'M
aided. but. OF course. all the other
churches i'll the city will take part In the
Entertainment OF the large company OF
delegates who will go from every part
OF the Stale TO NUrfuk.
AS the name indical les. the territory OF
inns Association is practically the State
OF Virginia There are rev churches
just oser the ilne III west Virginia whose
membership is III this association, but
THESE are exceptional There arr about
i,vD churches. having al aggregate OF
lzo.vF9 members. Excepting certain life
members, tue delegates are appointed d.
rectiy by the churches. bu, on d purely
hnancia basiS-that is, each church is en-
titled to one delegate for every SO con-
trlbuted to the Work of the association
up to fifteen delegates, which is the maxi
mum allowed from amy one church.
Form of Go.ernment.
1t will be remembered that the Baptist
denomination has The "conSrega lloual'
form OF government. e.. each local
church is sovereign and independent. Its
associations and conventions, therefore,
cannot nave any legislative or judicia,
junction. but are voluntary organizations,
those objects are to stimulate the growth
i the denomination and to systematic
ana direct its great missionary and edu-
catonal energies. For these objects the
.,1kaS. ~ M.
100000 inclusive of certain kinds of spec
>iai gifts, as. for example. contributions
10 the permanent endowment of educa-
'fonal institutions. or to the church build
ing fund
OF the two departments of wo7k-ti1e
missionary and educa tionai--it is the for
mer which usually receives the larger
share of attention. But for the last year
or two the subject Of education has been
coming to the front. The first step was
he raising Of 100000 for the endowment
NJ Richmond ColH ge, a movement which
resulted in complete success. AS soon
as this was accomplished the educat ioual
leaders of the denomination turned their
attention to the Virginia Institute. at
Bristol. school for girls. which pos
'tssesra magnificent property. but which
was greatly hampered by debt. Dr.. Will
lam E. Hatcher, the financial agent Of
Richmond College. undertook to raise the
necessary furds for meeting the present
needs of the institute. and there is little
doubt but that this will be accomplished
by the close Of the present year.
The school System.
The work th.t has been done up to this
time is but preparatory to a much larger
overwhelmingly. the endowment and
co-ordina ton of all the sduca tional in
stitutions in the State under Baptist con-
troll. In fact. this is to be the para mount
question t the approa ching meeting in 4
Norfolk.
All the leaders of the denomination
seem to b. in favor OF COORDINATION Of
some sort: but as to the details of the
arrangement there Is considerable diver
-ence of opinion. Whether the Education
Commission which has been appointed by
the General Association shall act simply
in an advisory capa city with the local
boards of trustees of the several institu-
tions. and in this way strive to bring
a bout uniformity of standards courses of
instruction. etc, or whether It shall own
the property and direct at least the finan-
cal policy of the schools. is perhaps the
most vital question that will come up for
settlement.
There are several reasons for Some sort
Of coordination among the schools The
secondary schools would be better feeders
for Richmond College. as their courses
Of study would be arranged with ren.r-
ence to the requirements at the College:
there would be uniformity Of standards.
so that the schools would recognize each
others work: there would be less COM
netition among them. etc. But one Of
the most important things to be done is
to PIT each school on permanent basis
60 as to encourage men of means To equip
and endoW it. IT is claimed by the most
prominent advocates of the pan that
neon1e will not contribute to the endcw-
res1t of schools which can give no guar
antee that the money will not ha lost
and II is for, this reason that they a67vo-
rate the anncintr,ert OF q central com
mission. which will hold all school prop