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

DODulaTlZ6 lIo lASc s-SiAOoio e-iitA po"NA
fully advance the State.
The first step toward the contamination
of this is the procurement of competent
teachers BlacksburG and Hampton are
already giving us some Of these teach
ers I would recommend the introduce
ton of industrial teaching and training
into all the Normal Schools of the Com
monwealth. These are the scources
| whence alone must come the teachers
| who are to inaugurate and carry forward
| this great educational reform: and l
would earnestly recommend that you au-
| rhoriZe the State Board of Educat ton to
| take such steps as may be necessary TO
ingraft some forms of Industrial ana
| manual training upon the free school sys-
! tenn.
RURAL SCHOOLS.
Again, the tendency TO multiply rural
schools has greatly impaired the en-
! cheney of the system. We need strong
| or schools with longer terms. Such
schools will command better teachers and
admit of the Classification necessary to
| the best educational results 1t is quail
! ity rather than quantity that counts IN
| education. The State can better afford.
as RESPECTS cost and efficiency, to trans
| port it's children to one good schooi IMAM
to put an Indifferent school near el'e
| door of every patron. Sucn transport IA
| eticial In several OF the States. ana IN
| time doubtless will be introduced into al,
srarceIv-settled communities Some CEN
| al authority should be established in
| each county to fix the number OF schoo 8
| under sucl, limitations and regulations
| as the State Board of Education may
| prescribe.
There is no economic question before
| the people of the State of such moment
! highways tx
perts and publicists concur IN the opln-
! ion that good highways are the best eX-
! pcnents of an advanced civilization.
BETTER ROAD SYSTEM.
Virginia is spending annually about
| $500. Uuu upon pubic highways WITHOUT any
| appreciable equivalent in road improve
| ment 1t is manifest that the expendi-
| ture of funds through unintellisent adj
| ninistration is worse than extravaganza,
| and in dealing with the road problem
we must first safeguard the public
| moneys to be expended therefor The
| construction of roads in accordance with
approved methods and under respon-
| sible, capable, and scientific supervision
! are PREREQUISITES to the achievement OF
| the desired end. No house can be built
without a mechanic. no railroad with
| out an engineer, and no highway with
| out efficient and scientific control. There
| fore it would seem that the first step IS
| the creation of a commissioner or COM
mission Of public highways. with powers
| OF investigation, supervision, and control
given to similar bodies in other States.
| The financial phase Of good roads CEN
| tres perhaps around three plans. which
| have been successfully adopted in many
| States. The first is a county tax to be
| levied solely for bodybuilding; the Sc
| cond. the Issuance by counties, upon the
| cot Of Say.
| bonds, the proceeds from which to be APP
| pled to road construction and improve
| rent. such bonds being easily floated
| at a very low rate of interest; and the
| third, the State aid plan, by which the
| state undertakes to appropriate a given
| sum of money for the construction OF
f! roads upon the condition that the county
| supplement the sum from its own trea-
| Sury.
And it should be Furthermore said in
favor of scientific road construction that
no county or State has ever ventured
| unon the experiment without success,
| and that all expenditures for this pur-
pose have so increased the value OF prop
erty as to have proved most successful
! investments.
TO WORK CONNECTS.
It is not my province to frame q olil
This duty devolres upon YOU an" /
herefo1e, submit this great question l
your consideration, WITT the hope ina
the expectation OF the people may tille
no disappointment in your dong tli't
which has been successfully done oS
nearly all of the States Of tue Union
AS a factor in building better roaIs
| would. however, suggest the utll1Hdt'oI
! Of peritentiary convicts, taInps, vas
rants and certain jail prisoners. either II
the preparation OF road material or II
the construction of roads In a siste
State it appears that it took ole year
labor Of eight and one-thiId convlcts t
build one mile Of macadamized road. |
we could emnloy one thousand apie-ood
ed convicts they should construct d
this ratio about one hundred ana t"eli
ty miles of road in year. rms ni!edS
would be to increase the value Oh a''
iaccnt lands that the increased reEeau
ilere:rom would exceed the income nov
derived from work done by the con
| victs.
1t is true, the State has an existing con
ract for the working of penitentlar.
,onyicts for a term of about thlrteel
ears vet many convicts could DOUBT
less be still secured from the penltenuars
md the enactment of 4 law by your pro:
hat those hereafter convicted ior shor
erms be sent directly for service III Con
lection with the pubic highways "ou'
,,
,,or for the construction of roads an
prevent the overcrowding Of the nenitel'
larry cells.
Therefore, the Inauguration OF sys
em of construction OF roads by any on
the plans mentioned including III
Utilization of prison labor, Will lllsl u,
Highways that will be of incalcuiaol
aneft to this State. 1t is true ~
Whole State cannot be threaded w.
-ood roads in two. ten or twenty year
ut we can very soon have system
ub1ic roads that will give an lm'ileis
igor to our industrial and com,iertld
f. and will also facilitate sociai inter
or1rse and ameliorate the ISOLATION az
ar1ships of our rural population.
And in conclusion l ask your peiuss
f nv inaugural address, when. IN a.
4itio,~ to my remarks upon eou.a ~ =,
and good roads. refers to Virginla's II
crest in the st. Louis Exposit1on on .,l
our own ter-centenary celebration OF -. Ia
, founding Of Jamestown. togetner W.
nv views upon immigration and capri
+,xation and economy in go.'.'nrnrhl'
t sl2a 'ton 4. J. MONTAGUE.