The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-03

Saturday II possbie:
1. Were there any public schools in
the South before tho war?
2. If SO, how many?
| 3. How many are there now?
| 4. Did it cost moro to go to college
| before the war than 1t does now?
8. How could 1t be proved that there
| is more culture and refinement among
| the country people of to-day than
| those before the war? What would be
| a good argument on the gative side
of-"Resolved. That there was more
| culture and refinement before the war
| than there Is now?
L. The Southern plan OF providing
| for education at public expense was
| different from that adopted in North
| ern States. In Virginia, for example,
| the idea was to have those who We're
| able provide for the education Of their
| own children, and public funds were
used in systematic way to provide
| education for the poorer children
4 From the record of 1885 we learn
| that there were 2,S33 schools in Nir-
| ginia in which part of the children
| We're educated at public expense, The
| number OF those who were eligible to
participate in the State fund that year
was 32,s04. Or these. 1861 attended
| school, and the actual average attend
ance of each child was S. days. School
commissioners were appointed In each
| county at a very early date to regulate
| the local administration of these funds.
In the county OF rranklin the sum of
| $l.1SS.55 was spent for this purpose In
| the year 1893; in Loudoun county,
| S1,073.60; in Hanover county, S25D.12;
in Frederick county, s1,9SS.47; and in
\ Floyd county, misunderstanding, in
the last-named case, by more than
5000 the total amount OF taxes col
lected In said county.
AT the session Of the Legislature of
! 1915 or 1916, law was enacted where
/ by the councils OF towns. without a
vote of the people. and the country
district by two-thrds vote Of the
| people. could adopt the free-school sys-
tenn as we now understand 1t. Several
counties took advantage of this law.
What has been said of Virginia was.
in general sense. true Of the entire
South. In 1880 Georgia's expenditure
for the poor school fund was $7,724. 63.
The Legislature also appropriated to
county academies s4,095.3o. In 1910
the annual income of North Cardinals
invested school funds was S111,00o, and
at the session OF the Legislature OF
1S3S'39 an act was passed to divide
the counties into school districts, and
to establish common schools. The de-
1 sign was submitted to the people in
August, 1899. A great majority Of the
counties voted In favor OF the com
| mon schools. The act also provided
for local taxation.
| The following entries in the American
Almanac OF 1850, in reference to Mis-
sissippi and Louisiana. will furnish n
fair statement of the efforts OF the
| Southern people to realize for them
selves the benefits of the public-school
system and to adapt 1t to their pecu-
liar social conditions:
A 5 I,l; 81
system Of common schools was passed
in 1876. The funds arising from the
4 leases of the sixteenth section of lands,
from fines and forfeitures, from licenses
to hawkers and peddlers. keepers of
billiard tables, retailers of liquors and
brokers. shall form part of this school
fund All Of the larger towns arc
adopting the common school system,
l and q deep and increasing interest is
felt upon the subject. The sparseness
of population, however is formidable
obstacle to the success of any general
s system
Louisa na-The Constitution provides
Il that there shall be superintendent
Of public instruction to hold office for
two years. Free putHc schools shall
he established throughout the State.
The proceeds OF lands granted for tho
purpose and of lands, escheated to the
state shall be held as q permanent
III
shall BIO paid by the State in support
OF these schools.
At an extra session OF the Legisla-
ture in 1910 the sum Of s55O,000 was
appropriated for the support Of free
public schools or tho State. and $1,000
to support public schools for free coll
ored children.
The statistics for 1850 show tho num-
Der Of white children in North Carolina
between six and twenty-one years to
have been 225,00O. There We're eighty
I'VE counties In North Carolina. Tho
returns from seventy-flve of these coun-
ties show 1O2,2S7 children In attend
ance upon the schools. Tho report
adds: ."The present common school sys-
TEN went into operation in 1870 and
is now growing rapidly IN efficiency
and usefulness. In few States have
schools more energetic superinten-
dents"
The returns for the same year show
that In Georgia. oVt of 1o7,s26 white
children of school age, G7,l55 We're
| taught In the schools and academies
that were under control of the State.
louisiana for the same wear, reported
TAO public schools and state approprla-
tons to the several parishes OF S3l2,-
235.42,
g. Inasmucl as public was combined
with private education ~ the ante
bellum days. 1t is lmpo ssble to state
exactly how many public schools there
We're in the South.
g. The last REPORT of tho United
StQtes Commissioner of Education"
III gives the number OF teachers in the
Southern States: White, lo5503; col
ored, 2s,2so. Total enrolment OF chill
dren; White 4,522,744; colored, l577,-
ss5, These were the figures for the