The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-04

I. As to Primary. Graded AMI High
Schools.
The modern vision OF well-resulatcd
public school system docs not exceed in
clearness and distinctness the vision Of
that prime seer Thomas Jefferson; nor
lave conditions in Virginia so materially
changed n sto make his visions unreal or
chimerlcal. As then, so now Our vision
might be as follows: a State. of one hun.
dred counties and Il goodly number OF
cities. each amply provided with educa
tional opportunities for all OF the citi-
zens: each county so subdlvlded that there
should be one good primary school for
every four miles square: In addition a
we'll housed and equipped graded school in
every school district in Virginia; n good
high school maintained by the county
and open free to every pupil In the county,
centrally located In each county In Vir-
GINA; supplementary high schools In all
cities and towns OF consequence. The prl-
mary schools. with courses SO well adj
justed that admission to the graded school
In the magisterial district should be with
out break or hindrance. The graded
school so completely organized and with
courses SO well designed that those who
pass the examinations might be admitted
without further conditions to the county
high schools and the county high schools
with courses so well planned and so hon
estly pursued that graduation would adj
init to any of the colleges or universities
of the State. These one hundred county
high schools and the added number of city
and town high schools would then form
the preparatory schools for.tlic State Uni
versity. which would BIO In fact. as 1t is
in theory and name. the continuation aud
contamination of the public school system.
To realize such a vision care must be
taken that now schools should not BIZ
whimsically started. and that many of
our old schools now failing TO make the
required average should he abolished. and
that others. too close together, should ba
consolidated. We do not need more
schools: we need better schools, with
longer terms, better equipment and better
paid teachers
IT. AS to the relation OF the State insti-
tutions to each other.
In the abstract the ideal State institu-
ton for higher learning includes in itself
at one place and under one management
all the parts of this higher system. Such
condition has been realized in num-
Der of the Northwestern States that were
free to work out their school system on
the basis of a we'll conceived plan.
In Virginia, what should be a higher in
stitution OF learning for the State, Is di-
vlded into number of parts: the Unlver-
sity of Virginia, with its provision for
graduate work. and its professional de-
partments OF Law. Medicine Engineering
and Agriculture in addition to it's College
work: the Virginia Military Institute,
meeting particularly the needs OF military
discipline and training: the Virginia Poly
technic. with duties suggested by It's name.
largely of technical character; William
| and Mary College. with its incomplete
| provision for normal training for men and
and F'arlnville as training school for
| lad yteachers.
1t would seem impossible, under exist
| ing conditions. that these separate insti-
tutions should ever now be drawn to-
! gether at one common point, and there
| fore we must forever perhaps look upon
a system unfortunately divided in space.