The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-31

ton, and their genius. and we should
! hold TO this purity of thinking. this eN-
allied conscience as the most precious gift
and possession Of the people.
20. South! Thy glory lies
In thine own sacred fields. There shall
arise
Thy DAY. which fadeth not:
There patient hands shall fill thy cup
with wine, - -; 80
There hearts devoted i. make thy name d.
vine. 4stTIsf3 yssst8s - .9lia-,,!
Their own hard fate forgot"
Q. They must become profession-the
new profession-which shall take its place
in equal dignity, influence land power
with the great professions of law, medi-
cine and the Christian ministry. This
should be the aim and ambition of every
teacher, for it is the way out of disaster
and low estate to prosperity anc
strength.
10. They must thus attain to high posi-
ton and great influence and obtain high
er salaries, founded upon merit, attain
ncnt and capability.
H. They must strive TO enlist the
riches of philanthropy and the judgment
of sense and justice to aid and augment
the regular appropriations In order
to build mp and enlarge the schools IN
all respects.
-. These things must be done through
organized efforts of the teachers and the
friends of popular instruction. and with
harmony and cooperation, which VIII
ensure complete success.
HAVE DONE A GREAT WORK.
Nor have the public schools of Virginia
done a paltry or Insignificant work III
the past. When launched into existence
thirty-two years ago, they We're sur
rounded by difficulty and hostility, alien
and unpopular, and harassed by the laci;
of money and the unwillingness Of men
to supply the little appropriated. War.
bloody and devastating, in which the
opulence and flower of the manhood OF
the State had gone down as II sacrifice
for principle and honor, was just ended.
School houses had to be built The sys-
tenn had to be organized and popularlzed
Teachers had to be found. trained and
fitted for the demands of the schools.
Officers had to be selected and made eff
ficient. Public confidence and support
had to be gained. Yet. with all these
difficulties and disCoura genents, the
schools have prospercd most wonderfully,
considering the disadvantages and per-
pleSities the system has encountered.
The State has in the thirty-two years of
the administration of the schools IN
creased her schools to s,94S, has enrolled
2Sl, ISL pupns. has school property amount
ing in value to SS6OS.6S4, has 55-2f per cent.
of her school popula ton enrolled, has
So per cent. of enrolled pupils in daily
attendance, expends annually S2,GS4,e47 for
school purposes, has S,9iS public school
teachers and pays these teachers-males.
an average monthly salary of s32.66;
females of so6.46. 1lliteracy has been re-
duced-fron the year 1870 to the year
1880 whites, from 23.4 to 1873; negroes,
from $50 to So; average. from SOL to
sO2 Officers and administration have
been rendered more efficient. and the
system has won and maintains the ap-
prevail and support of our citizens gen
orally. having overcome the chief an
ia gonisms Is this not a great deal to
have been accomplished in thirty-two
years? Have we anything Of which to
be ashamed? Should our people not be
proud Of the heroic efforts and sacri-
fees made by them which have afforded
these achievements? 0, who can reckon
the mighty influences and powers for
good and benefit, for growth and civili-
cation, that shall come from these
splendid energies and labors Of the past!
and the proud congratulation that you
can take To yourselves, as teachers. is
that. though others have worked toward
the same end and aided in the glorious
cause, these achievements are mainly
yours and the workers who have gone
before YOU, in the teaching and dis
ciplinins the minds. the souls and the
activities Of the children of this Com
monwealth. This should make you strong
and lift your faces, radiant with nope
and coura Sc, to the new dream that has
arisen on this midday of educational adj
rancement.