The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1911-06-30
SOME ITEMS FROM
the ANNUAL REPORT

Iht ANNUAL hcrUh ]
OF Superintendent Lafayette Bliss, Of thu
Virginia Public Schools.
The total enrolment in the Vir-
ginia schools for the year just clos
ed is 1924, including 400 in the night
school. The mum Der of pupils en-
titled to draw the state apportion-
ment of bout five dollars per apita
is 2521. Of the 303 pupils lot entitled
to draw the apportionment 229 were
in the night school and ranged in
age from II to 81 years. The total
attendance in days by all pupils
amounted to 409,222, aud the average
attendance in days by each pupil
| was 100. There were enrolled 765
pupils between 5 and years OF age;
1881 between and 16; 262 from 16 to
21 years of age; 2608 from to 21;
and 1867 from 8 to 16 who were in
school the entire ten months as the
compulsory school law requires.
This law Of compulsory school at
tendance is very strictly enforced
in Virginia.
Of the 78 teachers on duty,6 were
men and 72 women. The average
mouthly salary of the men teachers
not including the superintendent
was $98.75; of the women $72.65.
The preparation of the work of
teaching is shown by the fact that
10 teachers are col eye graduates,
and 81 normal school graduates,
most of the others have attended
normal schools or colleges and hold
first grade teachers certificates.
AS to terms of service, 20 teachers
have taught continuously in Vir.
ginia for three years or more and
48 for the past 2 years.
All text books, reference books,
school supplies and apparatus of
every kind are furnished free OF cost
to the pupils. The average cost for
text books per pupil for the year
Just closed was 80 cents.
Two hundred trees were set out
on or around the different school
grounds this spring and the play
grounds about the Technical and
Roosevelt buildings have been
graded with sand and gravel in
conformity with specifications furu-
ished by Spaulding Bros. of St.
Louis; 1910 books have been drawn
from the library during the year.
Fines etc. were collected amou uting
to $37 81. Receiptsfrom the lecture
course committee~am to $643.O 90;
disbursements of lecture course
committee $6l50O, leaving balance
in the treasury of $500. The Class
Play fund for 1911 amounted to
S27775, which will be used by the
class IN decorating the front en-
trance of the new Technical build.
ing.
1he returns from the State High
School Board Examinations show
that 1890 certificates were won bv
pupils this year. One hundred
twenty-six pupils were neither ab.
sent nor tardy during the year.
The growth Of the school popula-
ton is shown by the total enroll
lnent for the past eight years which
is as follows: 1904 $50; 1905 1850; 1906.
l24l; 1907 1925; 1908.l5SO; 1909 ls49;
l9l0-22l5; l9ll-2S24.
Systematic and regular instruc
ton has been given in all the grades
and high school in temperance
hygiene, the evil effects of the use
of tobacco, first aid to the injured,
| and IN the avoidance and cure OF
tuberculosis. The public schools
are public trust. Physical sound.
| ness is the basis of social progress,
The children who are placed under
! the supervision Of the Virginia
| school authorities are protected
from harm in every way possible
and particular care is taken that
they 20 through the schools in such
way as not to impair their phys
ical health and vigor. No effort or
expense is spared to safeguard the
moral welfare and physical health
of all the children. In support to
this part of the work the local board
of health, and physicians resideu,
in the city have rendered valuable
assistance. A vacuum system OF
cleaning has been installed in the
Technical high school building and
it is hoped that soon several more
of these plants will be put in opera
tion. Floors are swept with sweep
ing compound at least once da1
and both floors and window. a.e
frequently washed, 80 that the Vir
ginia schools are proud to meri,
the reputation of being among ,he
cleanest in the state With rnoderr
methods of sweeping and busting
IN full operation, the substitution
of sanitary drinking fountains fo,
individual drinking cups, and will
the best heating and ventilatins
lsystems known to science in opera
tiou, the Virginia school authorize,
can be said to be fully alive on tn,
great question of school sanitation