The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-24
LARGE SUN
FOR. SCHOOLS.
IA Special Appropriation OF Fotir
i8 Hundred Thousand Dol
lars Proposed "
WILL GO TO THE WHITES
Mr.. Thomas Offers Two Bills OF
Great Interest and Import
ance to Educators.

E . d
AIR. 4. r. Thomas, the new senator
from Lynchburg, yesterday introduced III
tho Senate two bills. ono Of which WIZ
rovolutionizc the public school system OF
The State in large measure, II ciacteu,
rrhn bill proposes Il special approprlatle!l
of 100000 out OF the State treasury, ID ao-
dition to the amount required by inc eo.'-
sttutlon and existing statutes 10 pe
raised for the maintenance or the PUBIC
free schools. This four hundred l .,o
sand dollars will bo at the aisposlt'u :,
81 the local school boards and can .oe
applied to tho maintenance % s s =.
schools MS they may deem desirable. |. -
~" 10 - nnortioned among the cities ana
Il ,,n,,,tia. ar tho State on the bnsls o.
school population.
rbe other bill amends section 14oo OF the
code in tho matter OF the selection OF
school trustee boards, and aims 70 Jake
their appointment out of politics. lt pro-
noses that the electoral board consiSs
y ~ three citizens, to be desgnatcd D.:
tho circuit judge. The present law makes
Y he board consist Of the Commonwcalths
attorney, the division superintendent :.
schools and one citizen. Mr.. Ihornas Is "
Nj opinion that since the State superihteh-
don't is now elective by the people u
might be possible to construct p .a.,,
chain. extending through the division
s,,perintcndents that would extend down
to-the teachers and their families. 1t is
thought that the attorneys for the COM
&c ,nonwealth have In some cases maze use
) of their opportunities as members OF ttls
hoard TO advance their own political
fortunes.
Remedies a Defective Law.
Ar amendment to section 1906 leaves the
j local authorities free to levy taxes to the
nm constitutional limit of five mills oi;
The hundred dollars. There is Incorporated
in this section a provision that the super
q yfsors shall within the constitutional
limit, levy Il tax sufficient IN amount %
raise the sums asked for by the county
and district boards. This principle was
enacted in reference to cities IN 1913, ana
the result has been highly satisfactory.
MIR. Thomas thinks ..ere is little rea-
son to doubt that it will work equally
we'll in the counties. This Dill proposes
to rcpcal sections 1890 and 149l, the latter
n Of which provides that the counties shall
conduct the schools five months before
any State funds become available. II this
law were permitted to remain on the
statute books and enforced, 1t would, IN
E Mr.. Thomass opinion, operate to close
nearly every school In the counties OF the
u State.
New Departure in Education.
Tho second bill embodles q new de-
parturo which its patron will urge upon
y the attention Of the members OF tE0
General Assembly. The principle UNDER
lying the bill is that the uniform system
of educating negroes and whites Is wrong,
for tch reason that tho two races re-
uuire different treatments The bill pro-
yides that the special appropriation car
rcd by it shall be distributed uniformly
in the cities towns and counties OF the
Commonwealth, but the local school
boards can apply this fund especially and
entirely to such class of primary schools
as they believe TO be for the public
good In other words they may dcvotS
the same entirely to white schools if they
choose, and that, too, without contraven-
tion of tho Constitution and without de-
n prlving the negro of primary school edu.
cation.
No Conflict With Constitution.
The bill does not undertake in any wa,
to interfere with the constitutional funt
consisting of.ltrat derived from the CAPT
tation tax..>ntercst on tho literary fund
and such State school taxes Al
may be levied by tho General Assem-
bly,. This fund must be distributed TO-
both races alike
In order to safeguard the proper distri
4 button Of this special appropriation 1t i
further provided that the county and cit.
school boards. when they have decide
upon the class of primary schools to b.
aided, shall aid alike all schools Of tn
class selected
1t Is thought by the patron of the bill
that this principle. when properly ap
piled will result in great good, and vii
furnish in Z; large measure the solution o
one of tho most difficult problems wit
which the South has to deal. 1t is 10
proposed shat the negro shall be cut OF
without education, but that he shall hay
emily that instruction in rudimentar
branches which will enable him to bette
prepare himself for the station that h
seems destined TO occupy in this section
The Text of the Bill.
The full text Of the bill is as follows:
BE it enacted by the General Assembl
OF Virginia. That the sum Of four hundre
thousand dollars be. ana the same
hereby, appropriated annually out or III
money belonging TO the State, and nc
otherwise appropriated, to be used a
special fund 10 aid IN The maintenance
and support Of such primary schools n
may be for tho public good The Stat
Board of Education shall apportion thi
fund among the counties and cities of til
State on the basis Of school population.
The county and the city school board
shall apporton this fund among tn
school districts on TIC basis of schot
2 population, The said local boards sha
devote this fund exclusively to tho al
of such classes OF primary schools q
may be for the public good except tha
the fund shall be expended uniforml
upon all the SCHOOLS OF the class whic
they may select
,9gs TITuSYILLE. IrLA.-Cracksmen bic
88 opcn the pos,ofiice safe here carly III
morning and tool: all he cash in !