The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-20
A fine LECTURE
BY DIR. BOATWRICHT[
He Speaks to the Students on
Educational Changes
Of a Decade.

Of a Decade.
Professor T. w. Boatwright delivered
last evening the first OF six lectures Of
the faculty course at Richmond College
before On enthusiastic audience. His sub
ject was Educational Changes Of De-
cade," which was treated In most In
terestng manner.
He began with the statement that right
education had been the basis Of the sta
bility OF the two strongest republics
Switzerland and the United States. Edu-
cation has now new meaning. culture
as well as discipline. which was the old
conception OF 1t. 1t begins with the child's
birth, or, as Holmes said it should Begin,
with the child's grandfather. It Is not
a preparation for life. but lifeS itself
The speaker said he had chosen the
decade because ten years ago the report
of the Committee OF Ten on Secondary,
Education was published Since then
changes had been marked by:
~ Growth In educational literature.
Commissioners w. r. Harris reports are
perfect theaurus Of educational facts
and discussions. The publications OF the
National Education Association are Of
great value as are the various State
reports, reports OF college presidents and
educational societies.. There are $4,000
volumes and 10000 pamphlets on educa-
ton In the library at Washington, and as
many have been written since 1888 as
were written before that time in all the
ages. Thees and the 100 periodicals de-
voted to education show the tremendous
earnestness Of Americans IN this line.
~ Educational expansion. The spirit
NJ evpa Inn ha hnen crea since tina war
with Spatn!n Business has grown by COM
blnation. Railroad enterprises, canals,
steel corporations and tunnels deal with
millions Of dollars. Expansion In educa-
ton has doubled the number Of college
students In ten years; postgraduate stu
technology flood the Institutions There
are 1900 900 school children, many times
more than our national population at the
beginning. In 1901 alone s107, 10000 were
given to education. Famous are the Car
ncgie gifts to schools and libraries and
tho Cecil Rhodes gift. The question Is.
says President Wheeler of California,
what to do with the money given. But
this has not affected the South. Yet the
Light is breaking. Great benefit will come
through the Southern Education Board.
The Spanish American War, said the
speaker, brought, q new, period for the
South: the South again takes Its place
IN the national prOceSSOus
(3) Organization followed expansion.
Foreigners. wonder at the lack OF sys-
tenn in American education. Any State
or individual might start q school or
..llniversity;'. there Is no authority to
regulate courses or secure reports. But
certain States. like New York, have
passed statutes regulating some matters.
Organization has. been most rapid IN pup-
lie schools The report Of the Committee
of Fifteen on Primary Education followed
the report on secondary schools Then
came the report on rural schools, followed
by development and consolidation. Among
colleges there Is tendency to uniformity,
especially in entrance requirements.
The rises Of the public high school Is
Missouri the Oh schools are now almost
entirely in the hands Of the State. The
growth has caused President Butler, Of
Columbia, and others to advocate the
shortening Of college courses. for high
schools now teach subjects once taught
In college. Older universities oppose this
idea There Is growing, too, sharp
denarkatton between collese anu ut'-
yersity.
4. Increase and improvements IN books,
history, science, modern language have
grown wonderfully In the decade, largely
because attractive text books are more
available Tho speaker here paid tr-
butte to the B. #, Johnson Publishing Conn
pany. Libraries have not only been added
to in the decade but books arenow carried
to the people, to school and neighborhood.
DR., Harris reports that in Massa chusetts
not one person In 800 Is without ample
library & facilities. II What that would
mean for virginia.
g. Coeducation. In 1870 thirty per cent.
OF students were In coeducational insti-
tutions; seventy per cent. IN schools
which admitted only one sex Now the
figures arc exactly ssversed. seventy per
cent are In coeducntional schools. But
since 1890 there has been scarcely any
increase and Chicago UNIVERSITIES action
In segregating the SEEKS has seemed to
discourage coeducation.
6, archaeological education has progress-
cd by leaps and bounds. 1t Is the teaching
OF how to subject the forces of nature
to mans service The discovery of the
sugar beet by the German Government
chemists illustrates the value of techni-
cal education, Germany now exports
sugar and has ruined England's sugar
trade. Made in Germany" because pos
sible through technical education. Rich
mond hopes to have chronological
school here In Richmond College.
The development In education for the
professions tho unfortunates. ha sbeen
marked. University extension has riser
and fallen. School architecture and hy-
gdene have becomeeuSjects OF the highest
Importance. Athletics In ten years has
changed from magnlfying the gymnasium
to belief In ball games, but Its problems
are yet unsolyed,
Discipline has changed front; love rules
not fear, The school Is ready to admit
new ideas: 1t more than ever references
"a fact. It becomes more than ever part
of tho civic life or city or country.
Many things are yet lacking, ana chief
among then, trained teachers only one
third OF the Massachusetts, teachers have