The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-06-30

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While the membership OF this associa-
ton Includes both teachers and frlenos
Of education, yet It's general spirit ana
actual workings give pre- -eminence ana
predominance to the practical teacher.5
1t seeks to gather together IN one poay
ali Of the white teachers Of all OF the
schools in Virginia.
The State Teachers Association recog-
nizes the fact that Virginia has many
excellent schools Of every kind and every
grade in every section OF the State, that
these schools haye been made what they
are by yirginans, and the association
believes that what has been done In one
grade OF one school can be done by all
grades Of that school. that what has peen
done in one school OF q county or CITY
can be done In all schools of that. county
or city. that what one city In virginia
has done all may do. and that all OF the
counties may equal the work OF whatever
county now stands highest. Every thought
full man must realize that the making
of a school system is the work OF more
than year or two. He Will also recos-
nize the equally evident truth that radi-
cal innovations In methods are imprac-
ticable In Virginia and sweeping changes
OF teachers impossible. Such being the
case, it Is safe to affirm that what Vir-
ginia schools are to accomplish during
the next five or perhaps ten years de-
pends upon the teachers who are already
In the harness, and could be clearly fore
told If one might accurately measure the
mental training. moral fibre, and pro1es-
sionnl zeal OF next years register OF
Virginia teachers. This query, then. forces
itself upon us, Why not strlRe LOT tle
center and bend our best energies to-
wards cultivating the heart OF this inter-
esting situation?
A complete, an ideal Virginia State As
ISOLATION would contain membership
OF something like ten thousand persons.
This number would not comprehend all
Of the adult population of the State, nor
even all of those who ought TO be actively
and unitedly Interested in improving con-
In this old Commonwealth. but 1t would
BIO the '"renth LEGION, and, considering
the nature of the band. which one may
see ms in a vision, It's capacity to do real
work, its opportunities and experience.
Its fitness for mastering hard situations,
its quiet but immense potentialtles, It's
underyalued but everlasting possibilities,
I know OF but one historical prototype;
namely, the immortal ten thousand who
advanced under cyrus and retreatcd UNI
der Xenophon, and did both with equal
glory. Our membership now Is not less
than $500 and probably does not exceed
5000. 1t would seem, therefore, that SO
far as numbers are concerned we have
covered one-fourth OF the distance.
Its numerical strength Is by no means
the full measurement of the, associations
influence. The work has been restricted
TO no section or part of the State. but
tho whole has been reached The vice.
presidents arc according to congressional
districts. and the figures show an almost
equal rate OF progress In tho several dis
tricts
we include also all kinds and classes
of schools, Tho university and the col
leges have Joined as faculties, tho city
associations and clubs as suct, while
ltmany of the local organizations are
known az county associations ana some
as district leagues,
The policies advocated by the associa-
tton have been conservative. but singu-
lnrly consistent and progressive. The
value OF teachers reading circles has
been insisted upon from the beginning,
and the association has stood all along
for tho multiplication OF high schools
and for definite courses Of study In tho
rural schools Tn the cities. In the veal
thier towns and communities, IN short
wherever anything like a reasonable
amount of money has been put IN the
hands of the school authorities, splendid
schools have been ablished; the state
Association has wished to see all of the
cities, counties and communities do like
wise, believing that Virginia is abuEd
antly able to educate her own children.
1t has been declared by some of our old
est and wisest leaders that increase of
local taxation has come In nins cases
outNof ten from local appreciation of tlle
efforts of local teachers and other school
officials or, In other words, that good
school will In few years guarantee for
itself long term and sufficient reye-
nue. The genius of the State Association
calls attention, therefore. to what has
been accomplished In Virginia and not