The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-03
Ry DAVID 1. PuLLlAM

The following article on the Man
chester schools. their progress and
prospects. has geen prepared at the
request of The Times Dispatch by
Mr. Pulliam. the efficient and en-
thusiastic principal OF the public
schools of that city:
The schools of this city We're never in
more prosperous condition than now.
Under disadvantages originating in
lack of sufficient money (Which condition
applied TO other places in Virginia as
well as to this city,. we have maintained
the marked efficiency and excellence of
our primary and grammar grades in the.
past, and they have for many years COM
pared most favoraby with the best
schools of those grades in this State,
and, in fact, they have been commended
as equal TO any in the State by men
OF competent and impartial judgments
Their efficiency and prosperity have been
gradually advanced, until to-day they
rank educationally with the best schools
OF other cities. We only need more
schoolrooms for orr higher grades. in q
new, up to-date building. well equipped
and sufficiently supplied with teachers
to meet any increased attendance in the
future. To make our schools the peers
OF any public schools established in our
cities. This need is about to be met by
ing, on the finely located lot at the
corner of cambridge and Eleventh
Streets, in this city. This is an ideal
location for this beautiful and conlmo-
dlous building which. when completed,
will be one OF the best and handsomest
of its class in Virginia. The lot fronts
1872 feet by 155 to a twenty-foot alley,
and is centrally located and splendidiy
drained. A picture of the magnificent
building to be soon erected accompanies
this article. and speaks for itself more
eloquently than any words can do When
erected our schools. in this new building
and in our present fine buildings, will be
housed most commodiously, and we will
be amply provided with room; few of
which we have to now temporarily seek
outside OF our school building and
grounds.
I will not give, at length. any COM
ment on our schools, teachers, etc., as
the letter of the Hon. +. II. Russell, the
State examiner and inspector of schools
for this district, incorporated In this
article. amply presents their excellence
and standing; but l wish to show what
our high-school course is at this time, so
that this advanced and wel-rounded
course. in this branch of our work, may
be fully understood and appreciated.
Our high school, up to the beginning of
this session, while excellent as far as it
Went was not sufficiently advanced to
meet tho requirements OF the Board OF
Education as to a high school OF the
first grade. Our high school has for
many years been equal to many OF the
best, and superior to most OF the high
schools OF the State, except those in
three or four Of the larger and richer
cities. where unlimited means were af-
forded and employed for the institution
and perfection of their schools. My
principal, Mr.. G. C. Moseley. and myself
We're gratlfied to find, upon an eXamna-
ton of the curricula and standard Of
most of the prominent high schools in
the state, that our high school, as COM
pared with them, stood about as high and
we taught about as much as they did.
We state this to show that, though adj
vanced and strengthened. we have not
been much, If at all. behind the general
trend and progress of educational work
and effort in the State.
When the Board OF Education pre-
scribcd the requirements for high schools
of different grades we determined to
maintain the high standard and repute
of our schools, and to have n high school