Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-03-31
THE NEW SCHOOL LAWS.

A considerable stir-up, says The Rich
mond Times Dispatch, has followed in
the wake of the new school laws that
are now being promulgated by the State
department for the benefit of superinten-
dents and county boards throughout the
Commonwealth.
In several important particulars radi-
cal and almost revolutionary changes
were made by recent legislative enact
ments, and to the administrators of the
school system as a whole, some of these
new and startling provisions are just be-
coming known. About hundred copies
of the text of the laws were secured by
the State Board and sent one each to
the superintendent of every county and
city, and it is these superintendent
and the boards associated with them
that are now scratching their heads and
pulling their brains over the situation.
The law has carried CONSERVATION into
some camps and worked revolutions in
Others. In number of sections of the
State a thorough stir-up is expected
when the school elections occur very
shortly.
Under the statute existing today every
school trustee in the State will go out OF
office on the LIST of May instead of Oh
the lst of August, as has been the case
heretofore. Elections will have to be
held all over Virginia and it is an inter-
esting fact that these elections are not
likely to be perfunctory reinstatements
of the men now filling the positions.
The body which elects the trustees is
called the school electoral board. Each
county has one. The complexion Of
this board itself has been changed by
the new law and this fact is expected to
mean that there will be resulting
change among some of the trustees. The
board until February l, 1904, consisted
OF the county judge, the Commemorative
attorney and the superintendent of
schools.
Since that date it is composed of the
Commemorative attorney, a resident
qualified voter who is not a county or
State officer, and the superintendent of
schools, who is ex.officio chairman of
the board.
But the most notable of the changes
provides that "no district school board
shall employ or pay any teacher from
the public funds if said teacher is the
brother, sister, wife, son or daughter
of any member of said board" This
means that teachers who come under this
category will have to get out after the
present session or else on May 1st the
trustees to whom they are related will |
have to resign their Offices. This provi |
sion will play havoc in certain sections
of the State and will cut deep, very
deep.
at will practically decimate the dis
trict boards in number of countless"
said an officer of the State department
recently.
Another section provides that no fed
eral officer, except fourth-class post
master, and no supervisor, or county or
State officer, or any deputy of said Off
GERS, except notary public and COM
missioner in chancery, shall be chosen
Or allowed to act as district school trus-
tee. The act further provides, which is
in view of the coming cleo
lions, that the regular terms OF the
trustees shall hereafter be three years,
ind their successors shall be chosen by
he several school trustee electoral boards
lot more than thirty days or less than
en days before the expiration of their
regular terms; provided, that the first
made under the section
hall be for one, two and three years,
respectively, and thereafter one trustee
hall be appointed annually in each dis
riot. The boards will fiji vacancies oc-
'urring within regular term for the
Inexpire1 part thereof. No person who
5 unable to read and write shall be ap-
pointed a trustee.
A last revolutionary change may be |
allied to mind. A startling fact reveal
d by the last Virginia school report is
hat the treasurers Of the several counties
eceiye more money for handling the
chool funds than the superintendent
eceive for administering the school sys-
EN-. The aggregate of salaries paid by
be State to the superintendent was 4
AZ, 1870; the aggregate of commissions to
reasurers was $50, 1863. The new
aw cuts the latter sum in two. The
got 2 per cent. commission
,efore and received the amount cited
ERE. The law that will govern the
treasurer hereafter says: "His compen-
alton for discussing moneys apportioned
D the county from the State funds for
ublic free school purposes shall be a '