The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-15

the man In ordinary circumstances and.
the poor man usually went without any
education beyond that which was Afford
ed by tho common school after 1t was first
introduced An 1873. The ndmber OF pupils
at any time pursuing secondary branches
was small. 1t remained for the public
graded and high schools to increase tho
sphere OF Influence. Thus In year so
recent as 1897, there wero altogether only
about sixty.nve pupils In higher courses,
while Mt the present tlne there are 175.
THAT this has been the work Of the public
school system can be seen from the fact
that now there Is no private secondary
school on account OF too strong compe-
tltion by the public high schools and that
tho public schools are educating over 95
per cent. Of tho higher. grade pupils In
the county against only 30 per cent. five
years ago. And not only has tho scope
OF secondary education been brondened
by the increase In number OF pupils, but
also IN actual influence over a. wider field
Of territory. In 1897 and previous to thtE
year, secondary education was confined
to ono or two localities. The benefit Of
which was enjoyed Mt considerable cost
to tho patrons Now. there arc twenty
ono different schools In different parts,
of the county. two of which are progress
sve high schools In name and reality
the others being graded schools. having
from eight to nine grades. The signiti-
cameo OF this fact can only be fully APP
| precintcd when we recall that Accomac
| county Is In many respects a rural one,
| with only one town having a population
|gapproxImnting 1000 Inhabitants
With this brief statement of the growth
Of secondary education and Its present
| extent, tho question naturally arises:
What Is the nature OF the education de-
signated as Secondary Principally, by
secondary education Is meant those stud
les which all above the common school
branches prescribed by law and generally
| included in high school courses, and in
schools preparatory to colleges. Thus, at
| the present time, there are In Accomac
| county, 76 pupils pursuing rhetoric and
| literature, 1l6 In higher mathematics, 10
In modern languages 100 in latin, 52 in
higher histories. and 80 In the higher ply
steal sciences l. e.. biology. physics, gem
eral science. etc, not including physio-
logy. The character and grade of the
work done in branches may be under
stood by referring to the curriculum of
the higher grades In the Onancock High
| School. which Is now In actual use. By
| wayto OF explanation. 1t Is necessary to
| say that this school Is graded into ten
/ grades, seven of which are primary and
| grammar and three high school,. The
courses Of study In the last named are
as follows:
Grade S-Hstory, ancient. with topical
,
MATES. algebra to quadratics Latin. ety.
mology, with easy reading and exer-
cises; English, study OF the sentence and
elementary paragraph work; Reading and
practice In classics; Natural Science, bio
/ logy and zoology.
Grade 9-Hlstory. MEDIEVAL and mod
ern, with topical work: Mathematics.
algebra completed, hgh-school arithme-
tic, two classes; Latin, etymology drills
!. al apta evn
Caesar: German. etymology, with exer-
i cises and graded readings: English, con-
i inued study Of the paragraph and theme
1 work, study of college requirements, in
classics and rhetoric; Natural Science,
/ physics or chemistry.
/ Grade 10-History, industrial observa-
ton of community and economic inter
putaton followed by industrial history
! Of England and the United States; Math-
ematics, geometry and trigonometry. two
classes; Latin. syntax and graded exer-
cises and reading In prose and poetry;
i English, theme work, study of American
i authors and application of rhetorical
principles; Natural Science. physiology
and hygiene.
The result OF this recent activity in
public secondary education Is beginning
to be felt and to be seen. In the first
place, the number Of students sent to
higher institutions Is steadily Increasing.
Thus during the present session. at the
3 Polytechnic Institute Mt Blacksburg there
are nine from Accolnac. seven at Wash
ington and Lee University. thirteen mt
the Farmvlle Normal School. ten ut WILL
liam and Mary College and so on, which
is a large Increase over past years. In
the second place, teachers for the pr-
mary schools are being developed. Quite
nm appreciabe percentage of our COM
mon school teachers are graduates of the
old Margaret Academy and the number
Of home teachers will be increased MS
public secondary education Is advanced.
This is an important point and well
worthy of notice when we remember that
a very large part OF the common school
teachers in Virginia have practically no
) education above that Of the common
ondary education is benehtting the mass
7 es In two ways. in raising their educa-
" tional level and the level of their cul-
ture. and In materially aiding some of
them to take college courses. This later
Is also OF practical value to the peo-
pie for in having good high schools at
home, tho prospective college student Is
better prepared and hence can go to a
college OF higher standards and get a
good education In shorter time. In
this way the amount of money ANNUALLY
saved to parents is considerable and bet
ter educated and trained men come back
. to take their fathers places.
4 In conclusion. attention should be call
Il ed to one great obstacle and one equally
important factor OF good promise. High.
er education In this county as we'll MS
In all other parts of Virginia is greatly
retarded by the baneful influence OF the
activity Of colleges and other so-called
higher institutions OF low grade In
purloining pupils from the high schools.
These institutions having practically no
entrance requirement. are able to enter
students in their freshman classes who
have barely taken one years work above
the grammar grades. It Is fault Of hui
man nature to take short out and the
parents will, in the majority of cases,
J prefer to have their sons in Colleges .
or their daughters In "seminarles' than
! to have them at the public school when
they sec that 1t Is possible to have them
at higher" institutions. Thus the high
schools are retarded in their develop
ment by losing pupils every year from