The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-08
five years. Tho writer. whose name is
not given. thus prefaces his article.

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Nothing better indicates the true
! progress OF community or State in
elcvatinE Its standard of citizenship
than the interest. Individual and col.
icctire. taken In free public instruc-
ton. This interest may be cxpres sed
In Willingness to pay increased tpxes
and to contribute to subscriptions for
defraying tho cost of Improving tn.
public schools; and by the support OF
local schools in Improvement leagues"
To estimate correctly the depth of
this interest. past and present condi-
tions must be compared. Particularly
is this true of the South. which, fol-
lowing the Civil War, has in the last
decade experienced most remark a bic
awakening along many lines"
The article goes on to point out that
the public school system of Virginia
was established in the 7o's. and for a
Few years was ably managed Becom-
ing regarded as n political asset, how
ever. 1t made practically no advance
In the subsequent quarter Of n cen
Jury Early in this century. there
lore especially in the country dis
tricts, there were school buildings
built with no regard for proper light.
neat, sanitation or comfort; with nm
qualified teachers Occupying ma.
jorlty OF the positions" many of them
lacking even q high school educa ton:
with local officials selecting teachers
when the former could not answer thu
questions they themselves put; with
short school terms. and with system
almost wholly devoid of modern
methods of teaching"
Five years ago Virginia was spend
ing little more than 100000 an
nually on her schools To-day she Is
using Si,5o0o0o. little more than 46
per cent. OF her total revenue. Two
years ago Virginia had one State nor.
NAL school for women. To-day sho
has three, each with capacity OF
1000 students, and she will have an.
other one next year, II there isn't
some rotten politics. III addition to
this, normal departments have been
created and put into operation in
twenty high schools.
six years ago the State possessed
seventy four high schools a year
ago she had lOi. mainly in the coun-
try districts
The improvements in country schools
are most important" for more than
80 per cent. OF the population is out
side of cities and Incorporated towns.
The policy now obtaining is to con-
solidate several small schools into one
building of q number of rooms, This
brings about the grading of the
schools, better facilities, debating So
cieties, libraries and general equip
Inent. The pupils are transported In
wagons. Four years ago sixteen
wagons We're used, but now there are
more than 200 Inc consolidation pol
Icy reduces the number OF buildings
needed, but not the number OF schools"
yet in 1910 ZIG new buildings were
erected at cost of s6s1.145. and dur
ing the last Ave years about 400 new
buildings have been put up.
The design of these buildings is
absolutely modern. They are modelled
arEely after those of Massachusetts
The school system of that State being
among the best in the country. Most
u the plans have been made by a
single firm of architects, who special.
re in school buildings Virginia has
fund invested in sound securities.
rom the income OF which money IS
ent to assist in building new schools,
ana this plan is resulting in the build
ng OF many schools which could not
otherwise be built. Generous private
Iona atoms are also common, the peoplo
aking pride In the handsome build
ngs. which are sometimes the only
public auditoriums in q community
AVAILABLE for citizens meetings"
a great number of distric,s have /
-aised their rate OF school taxation TO
ne legal maximum, The necessity
or better qualified teachers has raised
ialaries. and there is healthy coInpe.
ition for positions. The average of
monthly Salaries paid white men
eachers last year was s5l.5l. and
white women teachers $36.sJ The