Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-10-21

offered by this legislature was a bill re-
curing the Auditor of Public Accounts
to pay over the small sum of SIS, 900 on
arrearage account, and even this small
sum was never paid until 1880. Since
then payments have been made prompt
ly and in full up to date, amounting in
al to $3.50, 900 which is a credit on the
s., 5O4, 245.37 diverted from the schools
(by the Democratic party up to and in
GLIDING the year 1879. The las,
legislature, in its zeal for public schools.
not only increased the amount left in
the counties under the amended Henkel
act, making it ninety instead of seventy
five per cent, and increasing the quar-
terly payments on arrearages from
$500 to SIS, 900, but also passed an
act providing that $500, 900 of the
amount received on account of the
States interest in the A. M. and O
Railroad should be applied as a further
credit on arrearages due the schools st
the rate of $4,000 a year to be appor-
toned among the counties and cities for
the payment OF teachers"
That the friendly hand of the Read
juster- Republican party rescued the
school system from destruction by TIL,
Democrats is abundsntly shown by the
foregoing recital Of historic facts and
the following exhibit of the condition If
the schools. In 1884 when the Demo
cratic party (again) took control of the
schools:
Number Of schools in opera
ton. INSTRUMENTATION, 1914
Number Of pupils enrolled. 2S6. 800
Number of pupils in attend
ance. ISL, COS
Months taught, ,..,,.. 90
State school funds for the
year. ,t..,t..-...t-,t9 1b2, SOI %
Coat Of system for he year !. 2S8. 400 81
Debt to teachers at close #
year reduced tn. .., 26,516. O3
This is the record of progress shown
under the Readjuster-R publican ad-
ministratiJni
Increase in number of S hools 3,483
Increase in uumber OF pupils
enrolled Observation-Disclosures, 100, $50
Increase in numb + of pupils
in attendsnce...:......... SIS. 2s4
Increase in State school funds $470, Cos 90
Increase in total expendi-
lures for schools ... 7IS.O2l. OF
Reduction in debt to teachers 1877. 600. 50
The Republican party framed the con
stitution of 1867. Incorporating therei,.
wise and liberal provisions for the es-
tablishment and maintenance of the
school system which was founded in
1870. II the money sacrcdly dedicated
to the schools by the Cons titution had
not been diverted to the extent of more
than million and half dollars and tn,
schools had been fostered and developed
instead of INSTRUCTED and crippled by
the Democratic party, the system would
now be fifty years in advance OF the po-
sitioa claimed for it by the Governor. II
is, therefore, now too late for the hoo
orable record of the Republican party to
to be appropriated by the new born con
verts whose zeal in the course of public
education is inspired by the lack of pub
lie sentiment,
SCHOOL BOOKS
On this important subject Governor
Swanson said:
The Democratic party has redeem
ed its pledge, aud established the single
list of books. saving the people of Vir-
GINA more than $50, 900 annually in the
purchase of School Books"
An examination of the official list of
books adopted in 1909 reveals the fact
that the list is not really single one.
There are four sets of readers, one be-
ing basal and the others supplementary;
three different arithmetics, and two
different grammars, to say nothing of
other supplements and variations. So
that, in this matteS, the Democratic
party has ret departed from it's estah.
hshed practice; it has, as usual failed to
keep its pledge. The Governors fig
ures a. to saving money to the people
by this adoption are, of course. approx
mated. They do not agree with the
widely heralded saving of from thirty
to fifty per Gent. claimed just after the
adoption. Any fair estimate of the
cost Of books to the people of the State
must be made in the light of the follow
ing facts: The pupils were permitted
to use their old books for one session,
and therefore the exchanges last year
amounted to practically nothing. Sup
srintsndent Eggleston now says that
under existing contracts made with
publishers the exchange arrangements
expired August LIST, last; so that, ac-
cordin1 to his abatement. as the nunils