Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-17
Members OF the Conferences E.-
lishtened as TO Educatisn or Nesrs.
. THROUGH EIGHT GRADEs.
On Record as Fay-
orins At Least Four Years, school
ing for the Nesroes-!Actlon Nor
In Hnrmony with Written Replies
to Questions Previously Answer.
ed-Dr. Robert Frazer ON the Ops
portunittes and Obligations %
superintendents-D Kent AmonRs
Those who Oppose Compulsory.
Education.

It was clearly demonstrated at ths clos.
ing sessions OF the Virginia School so.
perintendents' Convention yesterday that
the time Is not ripe in this State for
the Introduction OF compuIsory ecucation
in Virginia
DR.. Kent, OF the University: Dr.. Hem
ming. superintendent Of Powhatan. and
Others. took this ground at the afternoon
session. and even Or. Buttrick. the score
rarv of the General Educational Beard
thought Virginia was not yet ready for
the innovation.
Sentiment. however. was not unani-
nous. Superintendent Thomas e. Barks-
dale. OF Halifax. favored compulsory
education. and so did Superintendent Cx
l.. Scott. of Amherst. The latter argued
that compulsory school attendance In hta
section would keep children out OF this
cotton factories OF Lynchburg.
The conference took no action on tha
proposition. which was dropped when tha
discussion ended.
Education of the negro provoked an tr1s8
teresting discussion at the morning seEs
sion ,shile superintendents, as a rule,
had answered n writing the General
Boards question on this point by snss-;
costing elementary education and manual
training. many OF them went further
at Yesterdays session, and after tho
speech.making Anited with the other
superintendents In unanimously voting In
favor of giving the negro education
through eight grades-the equivalent OF
four years schooling The change Of
sentiment among superintsndeEts was
marked. and gave DR.. Buttrick an oppor-
tunity to critleise the accuracy OF press
reports, apparently torgetfuI OF the facr
that the supertntandenrs themselves had
changed front, as comparison OF their
vote with their earlier. written opinions
would easily demonstrate.
The feature OF the concluding session
at night was an address by DR.. R0berr
Frazer on the opportunities and obItga-
tons Of superintendenls.
Ninety-four per cent. of the Virginia
conference against ss per cent IN attend
ance On the North Carolina SuperIntsno-
ent5 Conference held two months ago.
Negro of Oldcn Days.
Discussion Of negro education marked
the morning session.
Before DR.. Frissell was introduced
DR.. SouthalI paid tribute to tha
negro of the oden days. The doctor
had black nanny. In common with
many men of his age. and the faithful
black has warm friend In the State su-5
perintendent.
Another matter disposed of befors
the discussion got under way was a
resolution offered by Professor Pc ard.
requesting the general educational hoard
to have prepared plans .or model school
houses, and the department. Of public In
struction to accept copies Of such plana
for distribution among the school authori.
ties OF Virginia. The resolution was
adopted.
THE Kind Of Education Best Suited
for Negroes, and How TO Secure the Best
Training for Negro Teachers" then cams
up as the topic for discussion. and Dr..
F. 3. Frtsseif, Of Hampton. opened ths.
discussion.
At Hampton the doctrine and privilege
OF labor Is taught. Work is not a curse. =
said DR.. F'rissell. VINO called to mind that
the soil was titled before the human oct
cupants were expelled from Eden. Labca
he declared the greatest blessing amt
moral force In the world.
Education Is Work.
DR.. F'rissell laid great stress on thu
highest result attainabIe In the system ae
Hampton-the strengthening of the biacB
mans hack-bone-his moral fbre-ts
make him a useful member OF society.
He used striking example to show
CONTINUED Oh. SEVEN III PAGEJ