Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-12-23

The School Board last night passed
upon three matters of prime Importance:
!. They declared a Christmas holiday
commencing and including December IS,
1872, and ending Monday. January s. 1903.
?. They reported the estimate of the
sums required to run the educational
system next year. and appointed a COM
mlttee to urge the same before Council.
5. They heard and endorsed the report
OF the special committees of Council on
manual training and kindergarten with
reference to inaugurating these features
in the public school system Of the city.
PLEA FOR ESTABLISHMENT.
Messrs. Crenshaw, Minor. and Bottom,
of the last-named special committee. ap-
peared before the board and presented
their report Chairman Crenshaw enforc-
ing the recommendations contained
therein with an exhaustive-paper which nc
read. on the practical workings of the
system as he had been able to gather
from nine months study Of the subject.
The report is as follows:
We beg to respectively recommend
that the establishment and maintenance
of kindergarten teaching and manual
training in the public schools or TINS
city is feasible because
l. 1t is recommended by the most adj
vanced and successful educators of the
age;
3 1t has been in successful operation
in many cities Of the United States hav-
ing reached in 1899 (after twenty-years'
trialC in number over $50 cities. taught
by 5000 teachers to over 100000 pupils
The educational necessity exists be-
cause,
l. The enlarged powers of absorption
developed makes wiser pupils, pupils
more tractable, more truthful. more thor
ough. and relieves the teacher of a very
great strain.
9. 1t prevents to a very large degree
the educational waste now existing by
Offering greater inducements to pupils to
complete the whole course.
The cost we estimate to be:
Three kindergartenS Zone in each school
DISTRICT, $1,000; manual training in first
primary grade in all schools. $1,000: man
ual training in first grammar grade III
all schools, 81, ooo; manual training in low
est grade of high school, $4,000.
The continuation of the system up and
through the higher grades of the district
schools will entail scarcely appreciate
increased expense. The extension and
continuation of the work in the high
school will entail larger expense. never
aggreEating more than 5000 for the most
deliberately conducted high school. Each
kindergarten added to the system VIII
cost about $1,000 per annum.
After some discussion of the report Mr.
Hutzler made the following motion,
which was adopted:
I'VE have heard the explanation OF
the method of introducing a kindergarten
system and manual instruction in the
nublic schools of the city of Richmond
as presented by the special committee and
, hereby declare our sanction OF TINS Tea
ture as one of the branches OF the pup.
lie school system and would be pleased
10 undertake its mana cement, whenever
the Council shall see fit to give US sum
cient appropriation for the purpose.
The report of the teachers and schools
committees was adopted in the following
narticulars: That the schools close fol
the Christmas holidays commencing De
| ceuher sd to be called again on Janu
| airy 9Th. 40,
Mr.. Turpin offered a substitute thai
| the holidays be "Wednesday. THURSDAY
and Friday Of this week and January ISL
! Defca ted. 90
| Recommending an Appropriation OF sio
| for necessary expenses of a series OF Zee
| lures on educational subJects oeAoi1 ''A'
| teachers of the schools. c
| MORE PAY FOR MALE TEACH fftS.
| Recommendation that the pay, OF IN
| male teachers of the High School De ln:lu'
| 500 per month, commencing HeH. ses9i a,,i
Two Of then, now get SIS each ana on
| SIS. aao,,+e,
The recommendation previously adopte'
| for medical examinations OF teachers II
=; n,,bIic schools was ordered to be present
| ed to the Council a., ,,,,;
The total enrolmehl VI '
| schools. 11,1Ie.
! Monthly enrolment. lO,is3.
| Average attendance, 10W4.
| The board decided to advertise Tor
| teacher to teach Latin at the Hisn ecl1oo
! to succeed Mr.. Fitzgerald.
NEEDS FOR THE YEAR
The Committee on Buildings ana Fur
nture presented the following est1mat
! If the needs for the year 1903:
General expenses. S12,SGo.
| Special repairs and improvements. S!.1l'
! For new building in the East End, lots
! q, $50; buildings. $50, coo.
! Annual estimate of expenses Tor IN
YEAR 1Ae-Pay-roll account, $780, 500
Niscel!aneous s150,SiS.5c Deduct 10
| state of Virginia funds same as lso-
S,5 o54 Total for city. s115,594.5O
RECAPITULATION. ESTIMATE
! FOR 1905.
Amounts received. Estimated
| 1902 1908.
| payroll account ..$l12,311 70 Sl1o, 5H ]
| General expense &C
! count ...... 1890; Low :" i-'o''
| Special repairs and