The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-17
MOVEMENTS IN
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH
Universities and Colleges Being
Adjusted to Modern Needs
and Demands.
GROWTH DURING PAST DECADE,
Virginia, With Supreme Forth
tude, Pledges Future to
Greater Work.
ny GEORGE H. DENNY.

BY GEORGE H. DENNY.
appreciate the invitation and the,
opportunity to furnish The Times. Dis.
patch brief paper on The South and
education 1t is an inspiring theme.
In fact. nothing in our national life,
has been moro significant or more i'm
preSsive than the progressive move.
meN IN education In the South in the,
past decade. 1t Is a record OF solidl
achievement.
we are passing through a period OF
educational reconstruction. The uni.
versities and colleges are being re-j
organized,- land in many instances prac-
tically rebuilt They are being adj
justed and readjusted to modern needs
and modern demands. Young men ana
young women are crowding into them
We are to-day graduating from Wash
ington and Lee as many young mon as
there were in the entire student body
a quarter OF a century ago. Tho en-
dowment is three times as large; the
income has quadrupled; the now plant,
and equipment, in scope and In quality,
outclass the old. This is typical of
many Of the colleges. 1t is an express
sion OF the educational "reminiscences
through which we are passing It Is
one Of the most hopeful and signifcanrf
signs OF the times.
| High school Movement.
| More significant still is the phenom-
email progress OF the high school move
ment in the South. This is not the
place to quote statistics. 1t is true.
| however, that larger number of high
schools have been organized In the
South in the past decade than durins.
the entire haIf-century preceding. Tho
high school is the peoples college"
and no man can estimate the value or
! this movement upon the future ctvili-
cation Of our section. Every first-class
high school. planted in rural COM
munity, becomes centre OF influence
and Of immeasurable benefit to the
masses of the people. 1t is indeed. "a
| city set upon a hill"
| Equally as significant Is the organi-
| "a ton OF normal schools, in which Vir-
GINA has been doing her full duty. l.
pause to say that in this matter she
has done nothing more than her duty.
No school system can be fruitful un-
| less there Is an ample supply OF trained
teachers We have never had such q
supply in Virginia. Dr.. William Henry
Ruffner, the great educational prophet
of our Comm onwealth, fully realized
| that there could be no sound system
of primary education without ample
provision for the training of teachers.
His great mind conceived the plan and
Launched the splendid organization ar
Farmvlle, which has for many years
been benediction to the State The
chain of normal schools now being or
ganized will do more for primary edu-
cation in Virginia than anything that
has ever been done in our history.
| A Significant Fact.
Another significant fact in our edu-
Icational expansion and development -
the rapid progress OF the agricultural
and Industrial movement IN the South.
! This is a matter of first Importance.
The South is less understood than any
/ other section of the country. We owe
1T to ourselves to develop and to en-
plot our vast resources. We are now
/ well started on the way to do this In
dustrial schools trade schools. manual
training schools. agricultural schools.
farm demonstrations and various other
/ agencies are directing and engineering
/ the remarkable movement that has IN
recent years been working revolution
in our agricultural and industrial life.
i This movement is felt in every section
1 OF the South II is recognized that the
\ opportunity is here, and that it awaits
only the disciplined mind and the
framed hand TO grasp IT. 1t is the
plain duty and the high privilege OF
the State TO foster this kind of training.
! 1t is sound economic policy to train
our youth in those arts that will de-
4 velop taxable values, contribute to in /
dividual wealth and guarantee the ma
terial prosperity of the people.
\ Primary school system.
Most significant of all is the wonder
full growth and expansion OF the prl-
4 mary school system. This is the cruN
of the whole situation. 1t is the most
1 important factor and the most hopeful I
sign in va entire record OF our educa-
ttona! achievement. The entire South
has in the last decade been passing I
through far-reaching and remarkable +
renaissance of primary education, The
| masses are stirred as never before.
Legislatures are deyoting more time to
| this subject than to any other Hugo
sums Of money are being appropriated.
The local tax is being increased to help
/ In Fastening the day when every boy
and every girl shall have the chance to
lattend q nine month school, under n 4
trained teacher. in a respectable school
building. amid proper surroundings.
The ideal has not yet been attained.
But the South is moving rapidly. Vir-3
| GINA is moving rapidly The goa!
will be reached, let US hope, in this
/ generation.
Thus. briefly. I have mentioned some
of the things in our present educational
/ history that cause good men every
where to rejoice. Virginia has passed
/ through the hard days of her educa-
tional life She has, with a supreme
fortitude, endured this hardship as a
| good soldier She pledges her future
to renewed conservation to the great
ideal OF duty TO high ends that has nj
ways dominated her life--an ideal that
has enabled her TO weather each his Y
| toric danger that has marked her pro-
gress forward ard under which, please
God, she will continue to mount ana
II xS WAS - Il