The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-12

afford to pay, or does not, such salaries
as would secure the best teachers thar
can be had. Cheap teachers are not
unlike cheap everything else Only
heaven Is had for the asking and II the
State wishes notable Instructors she
must pay for them At the same time.
1t must be sald that the amount and
quality Of the work done by many OF the
public school teachers Is wholly dispro-
portionate to the remuneration received.
ut is a pity" says Roger AschaM.
THAT commonly more care ls had, yea,
and that amongst very wise men, TO
find out rather a more cunning man Tor
their children. They say nay IN WORD.
but they do so indeed God that stitch
In the heavens laugheth their choice to
scorn, and rewardeth their lberality as
It should be.'' That human nature has
changed but little in this respect since
the sixteenth century Is evidenced by the
fact that a large per cent of parents SEND
their children to the public schools In
order to secure as much education as
possible at minimum cost. This per
cent has largely Increased since the more
unphemistc name Of graded schools has
been substituted for free or public
schools. The prime PURPOSE In the estan-
lishment of public schools from the earl
lest period was ITO furnish gratuitous tut
ton to children OF INDECENT parentage.
Public schools were intended to be and
are and should be the charitable instltu-
t!ons There could be no objection to
the attendance OF all classes upon the In
struction furnished by the state. pro.
&vlded sufficient number OF competent
teachers could be employed, as to fore-
close the possibility Of the work being
sllghtingly done, and sufficient accommo-
dalton furnished for all. Virginia doesn't
seem to be In the financial condition to
measure UP to such demands AS y mat
ter of fact, the schools are often IN q
contested condition; the country schools
are kept open but portion OF the SEES
sion, and young. inexperienced, untrain-
ed and unprogressive teachers make up
too large a per cent of our public school
faculty. "a ~,
The man in literature known as the
apostle OF culture" said, That the grea.,
or part of the moral. social and political
planets Of English civilization could be
traced to the need of reform In the Eng
}lIsh schools.' belleye that this truth
is directly due to the fact that "A little
learning Is a dangerous thing" In many
instances the effect upon q person who
must DO self-supporting Of the possess
sion Of a "little Latin and less Creek"
is a deleterious one, I could furnish a
number OF examples from my own knowl-
edge.
only of our State, but OF our country,
need Is the furnishing Of an education OF
less, breadth and more depth. The po-
lite branches should have no place In
the curriculum OF States schools. One
directly good result accruing from this
reform would be the sending of children
whose parents are able to pay for a high
er education to schools where they would
receive such.
am told that our Northern brothers
are realizing that they have made a mis-
take In offering In their public schools
other than q thorough; plain education,
training am glad to know It. ! trust
that Virginia Will awaken to the same
realization. Every child has a right to
demand Of its parents, at least q com,
mon school education, and q practical
knowledge of a means OF support. IN
the order Of human economy the State