Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1906-12-07

In addition, every school should
have a good library to furnish good
course of reading to the scholars and
patrons. The last General Assembly
made an appropriation for travelling
libraries for the various schools of
the State, which it is hoped will pro-
vide opportunity for reading to man y
who are now deprived. If the ven-
tnre prove successful and beneficial
the next General Assembly will make
a larger appropriation. But, every
school should have permanent
library, increased each year by the
addition of new and valuable books.
Persons and pupils desirous of read
ing should have the books to gratify
their taste and ambition, Many a
weary winter hour in the country
could then be spent with pleasure
aud profit. The school should be
the social, literary and art centre of
the community. / earnestly appeal
to the pupils and patrons of every
rural school In this State to COM
mence at once the collection of a
school library. However small the
beginning, it will furnish a nucleus
for growth and the increase that will
come to it will be amazing. Another
need is high schools in the rural
communities, so that better and
higher education can be there secured.
Many people leave the country and
go to the cities In order to obtain
superior educational advantages for
their children. The exodus from
the country to the cities occasioned
by this is immense and increases
every year. This congestion of popu-
lation in the cities at the expense of
the country is detrimental to the
best interest of the State. Three
fourths of our people live in the
country and must depend upon the
rural school for education. These
schools must be improved, must be
given higher and more thorough
courses If we are ever to possess a
great educational elevation of the
masses of our people. Recognizing
this necessity, the last General AS
sembly responded to their needs aud
made an appropriation for the crea-
ton of high schools in all the coun-
ties of this State. The securement
of the State appropriation has been
made dependent upon an equal
amount being provided the school
from other sources. Opportunity is
now given to have splendid high
schools throughout this State. Al
ready 149 high schools have been
created under this act. The rural
communities are generously respond
ing to the legislative aid, and the
time seems to be approaching when
the children in the country can OBJ
tain an education, or equip them
selves for college, equal to those in
the cities. hope those communities
which have not done so will avail
themselves of this act, for, l want
every section of this Common wealth
to have opportunity to give its chill
dren such an education as will pre-
pare them to discharge the duties of
citizenship and the responsibilities of
life. If this present appropriation is
insufficient, favor the next General
Assembly increasing it, until this
purpose can be accomplished. But
the greatest evils that have afflicted
the public schools of Virginia for
years have been the sbortness of the
school terms and the low salaries
paid the teachers. The school terms
are entirely too short. This works
greatly to the .disad vantage alike of
pupil and teacher. The pupils can
not have that daily and continuous
increase in knowledge and growth in
mental faculties which are so neces-
sary to educational development.
Frequently pupils forget during the
long vacation the knowledge acquired
during the short session. The short
terms make it impossible to get for
these schools the best professional
teachers. Persons of energy and
requirements will not make engage.
ments which give five months of
work and pay, and seven months of
leisure. The result is, that many of
the teachers Of the short term schools
have as their chief vocation some
other business, and they engage in
teaching merely as simply supple
mentary work, or, as the drummers
say, "A mere side line" Many use
teaching as a stopping station between
girlhood and matrimony. Many
teach during the few inclement
winter months while waiting for
spring and the commencement of
active farm work. Trained and pro.
fessional teachers, who are indispens-
able to great and successful educa-
tional system, can only be obtained
for those schools where the terms are
sufficiently long to justify teaching
to be pursued as an entire and abso.
lutte occupation. Every school in this
State should run at least seven
months in the year. The best in
terest of teacher and pupil alike
demands this.
Then, as previously stated, the pay
of the teachers of this State should
be increased. Virginia, on an aver
age, has been paying the poorest sal
aries of any State. Seventy-seven per
cent of our teachers are women, and
until this present session their yearly
average salary was only $191.14.
The cost of living has greatly in
creased IN all directions and yet we
expect our female teachers to live on