Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-12-07
The Governors Appeal for
School Work.

day nights regarded as an impof.
tant contribution to the cause OF
popular education in Virginia. The
Governor said in part:
We have assembled here to un-
dtrtake earnestly and actively, the
improvement Of the public schools
of his,state. The purpose of this
meeting is to gather 81 the school
authorities of Virginia, and to in
duce them to unite IL Q determined
offort for the betterment of our
schools. We realize that the fu-
ture progress Of our schools is
largely dependent upon the local
officials who haye the control and
administration Of school affairs.
The boards Of supervisors in the
various counties must be depended
| upon for local school taxes to sup
plement the State appropriations,
in order to provide sufficient funds
for efficient and capable schools,
N, county in this State can eyer
be blessed with prosperous public
schools So long as they are starved
BY the parsimony Of hostile boards
of supervisors. Show me county
possessed of splendid public schools
and | will show you county where
supervisors have been favorable and
generous to the system OF public
education. Show ME a county where
schools are wretched failures and
have become subject of ridicule
and contempt, and will show you
a county whose schools have failed
to receive the proper sustaining
support from the supervisors. The
boards of supervisors of the coun
ties aud the councils of the cities
have vast powers and oppori unifies
in connection with our pubic
school system, and the friends of
education should see that those Sc
lected to these responsible positions
are friendly and generous to the
cause of public education. We
should let the supervisors and
councilmen Of this State know that
they, equally with the members OF
the General Assembly, are a part
of the public educational system,
and hence, equally resposible for
it's success or failure. The men,
bers of these bodies who are gener-
Gus and helpful should be given
their full measure of praise, re-
ward and support; those who are
hostile and stand as obsticals in
the pathway Of educational prog
ress should be exposed, and have
directed against them the
antagonism Of the entire educa-
tional forces Of this State,
RESPONSIBILITY OF TRUSTEES.
The efficient administration Of
the schools, the honest and wise ex-
penditure of the provided funds,
largely depend upon the division
superintendent and trustees. They
select teachers. fix salaries, build
schoolhouses and provide equip
ment, and determine the length of
the school terms. Large sums of
money may be furnished, yet, if it
is unwisely and dishonesty expend-
ed little good will be accomplished.
The local authorities of many of
the communities refuse to increase
the appropriation for school pur-
poses. because the present funds
are not expended wisely and used
to the best advantage. People are
unusually willing to pay taxes
when they perceive practical and
lasting benefits accrue from
their expenditure. Division super.
should be selected for
their devotion to, and efficiency in
work. Trustees should |
invaribly be men Of practical bust
ness sense, of reputation and inhu-
ence, broad minded and patriotic,
earnest in their uplifting of their
fellowmen. and in the progress of
their State. They should have no
partisan or selfish purposes to SUBJ
serve in The discharge of their du-
ties. These responsible positions
should never be given to solicitous
persons. who seek them in order to
provide places for their daughters
and relations, regardless of qualifi-
cation. They should never be givs
en- to persons who desire the ar-