The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-01
FINE RECORD IN
FIRST Ten YEARS
Mrs. Munford Tells What Rich
lnond Education Associa-
ton Has Done.
SOME NEEDS POINTED OUT
kindergarten for eolorcd Pupils
Offers Unusual Adj
vantagcs.

lust ten years ago tho Richmond
Education Association was born. In
presenting this tho tenth annual re-
Ssart Of the president. 1t may be well
to include in our view our beginnings,
our achievements and our aspirations.
Tho associa ton. numbering now about
700. Is the result of the weekly gath
ering during the winter Of 1s99-1s0o.
under the leadership Of an enthusiastic
young Boston woman. OF small group
interested In the study Of the Kinder
garten. At tho close of the winter a
few OF us were still anxious to con-
tinue our work. We were elk students
in the kindergarten. and our tenth
year finds US 700 strong, a rate OF
increase in attendance worthy OF note
by school authorities. whose problem
IS TO hold students after the sixth
grade. Corporation, the keynote or
the twentieth century, has been our
class motto year after year. we nave
cndeavored to bring together IN our
organization the various agencies
working in Richmond for education
and civic betterment to unity their ef-
forts, to give them understanding OF
each other. and, above all. TO educate
the average citizen as to the educa-
itional and civic needs of our city.
Series Of Lectures.
We have had each year series OF
lectures open to the public sometimes
In cooperation with the school Board,
and again in conjunction with the Wo-
mans Club or the Peace Lea que.
We have conducted educatiohai SYM
posiurns. NOTABLY the one held during
the legislature OF 1908. in which dis
+ineutshed educators aud members or
the LEGISLATURE, presided over by our
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
!. D. Eggleston. discussed the ecuca-
t!onal bills then pending. Two grea.
educational conferences have convened
in Richmond through the efforts OF
this association. namely. the Confer
enee for Education in the South in the
year 1903, giving as II did so vitai an
Impulse to the work for education
throughout the State; and tho Confer
ence OF the Public Education Asso-
> Citations Of tho Eastern States, held IN
1908. when a very complete exhibit OF
manual and industrial training was
held for four days at the Mechanics
Institute.
The Richmond Education Association
began the agitation and paved the way
FOR the introduction OF manual train
In, and the kindergarten system into
Arc public schools OF Richmond. these
kindergartens resulting in the orsahi-
za.,on OF Federation OK Mothers
Clubs, now 1000 strong we also
raised the money to provide the equip
nncnt and pay for teachers, for two
years TO carry on the classes in manual
training and domestic science i, s., IN the e
coiored High and Normal schoo!'
worry which has since been adopted by
the city. We had the privilege OF
being foster- mother to the Rlehmond
Training School for Kindergar.ners
and of nurturlng this school until ~
was able to stand alone From this
school have come almost all OF the
Kindergarten teachers in Richmond, as
we'll as the present head OF the school
Miss Lucy Coleman. and the efficient
supervisor OF public k!ndergartens
Miss Annie 3. Kirk.
First Volunteer.
Feeling the value of an educator
association to community, we first
proposed the movement for schoo
leagues in the country districts Of this
state, and tho first worker to cnte,
this field. Mrs. l.. r. Dashiell. was
volunteer, member of our executive
committee. These leagues now form
one of the most valuable adjunets t