The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-12-04
Noteworthy Gatheringiln
Norfolk This Week. Of
Patriotic Virgirians
COUNTRY sc OOLS
THE CHEF THEME
Their Needs Will Receive Spe-
ci;ll Considerations All Real
ize That Educational Move
rment Is the Greatest Now
Before Virginia People. #
Large Richmond Party.

In response to a caH issued by Govsrnds5
1fontagito and Or. ssouthnll. a n0asA
worthy meeting or educators was held u
the Capitol ut Richmond last spring 10
consider questions relating 70 the Il aA>s
vancemont Of education, special references
being had to the needs OF the country
schools. The chief lnsu tuto Ions Of YirsS
ginta-- State. .tenominational and privato--
sent representatives 70 this meeting. an1
there We're present, besides. numbers s<
leading citizens. men and women who
while not actively engaged in school work
are wall known for their public spist4
and for their philanthropio interest In q I
movements that sealt to promote thai
strength OF the State or the wed afarH Of tho
people a two days discussion OF Ssdooas
tional conditions in Vh'g ginia led \ to tn
conviction that one Of our most pressina2
needs Is that OF a closer and more cordial
union OF school au thorities and people IA
a patriotc and determined effort for the
betterment OF the schools. In Baccordanoo
with this aconvict ttonss jthere was orsaniseds
Tho Co-operat tive EtiIcnti ion Commission
of irglnin, ',ttt an associati ion composed
OF q number of our Leading educators and
most infilent tial gci items.
The first genera r,esti1 Of the asso.a
citation was held lust isu,rmler at the unk
versity OF Virginia, with a large attend-
ance. 1t is now pro posed 70 hold fano they
injecting. according to Il the Il programme:
given below KS 81
Significant M overnent.
a1, y Q lnovemen Il Of deeper 8 lgSitic icancegori
of richer promise has engSgt.e a Il 10 thought
of Virginia people since the 5eVentfu PEE
liod5 Of the sixties than the great edi,ca-
ttonai royiva ! N which has been giinlng
strerlgtl in the State for two
lt1oni and discover ha: lners
al the peoples Of the clVil llxeds dsiWprtd in
u sort or interdepe end erco of trad e and
correlation OF Industrial activit is.a.s The
scope Of America il \ in dllstr rlal Ism has
moved out and broad dened & untll u t has
come to eTblac q large part Of the
world and ut is constadl tly extending
American farmers and artisans have an n
eye to the wants OF; Austria and Japan.
OF f South America aId iberia and a I'M
supplying these wants Yirg ginia3 Is brought
Into closer competition with Iowa and 4
,Connecticut. In n complex cl lvihzattonf Il
like this. taking within is purvisw3 III &
the world. and doing all It's drudgery5f by
machinery, ,S there is found no place for Y
.tlres ignorant, urtrained mar And $50 4
1t has come to pass that the state which
does not make wise and liberal provision
fcs' the ntelligence aud skill Of aid III ts8
people must learn f to be coliten t.. with
forces. Our people in Virginia re8wakinE 1
up to the vita meaning of facts lika [.
these, We are coming to il1ldsr srstand, Y too 4
that access to that pre- 5ernln ence OF proc FS
perity and greatness which Is deemed {the h
lawful heritage OF a cotnmonW ealth ao1@ 90 &
mlni fcentl y, endowed Il Of ature y az y b
lies only along the line Of good 4
schools for all the peopl e. 4. "
Meet in Norfo ok. h
The place selected for&this great nesa- II
Ing is s!ns1ilarly appropriate to. p Everything
a bout Norfolk 4 Is s In Il keeping with thA q
spirit OF educational progress. No cDtys3s
OF tho State has seen greater advance II
in educational interest and ecu ipmaut than n
has Norfolk In the decade of Superanten.9
dent Dobie's administration. Ten years
ago tho city had only seven school houses. I'll
with a seating capacity Of ! $50. heir tag.s
Eresato value was about $50, 900. s5ss There "
are now fifteen buildings. ~ but two of Ks
brick or stone, and all OF graceful archf-s5i
lecture, The seating cttpacity Is largely as
over 5000, and the aggregate value nearly HI
n half million do Lars A So, In ten yea1ab
tho number of school houses has been g
the seating capacity increased n
fourfold, and. the aggregate value " lfl-- sssES
slxteenfold The stoves OF i ton u
years ago have been replaced BY hea ting
md Sentllatng appliances In strict keeping
with tho requirements OF modern sanitary
science. Corresponding advance has been f
made in educational appliances and II &
the teaching force and hight schools n
have been opened with an attendance 7
Of moro than 15o pupils. q Tho total ems
rotrnoalt has grown In ten years from
|, ,750 pupils to $3.50. The session&has been h
to ten months. Appropri Ions
have kept pace With tho general advance,
That for the present session reaching tho u
sum of $4,000. The city boasts one of tfia 2S
best high schools In the South It's en- sF