The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-14
WANT To IMPROVE
SCHOOL FACILITIES
SPRINGFIELD PATRONS ASK THAT
THEY BE ALLOWED $4,000
FOR PURPOSE.
STIRRING TALKS MADE
SPEAKERS AT CHURCH HILL MEET
INC POINT OUT EDUCATIONAL
NEEDS AND RE
QUIREMEyTs.

Thet the patrons Of Springfield
grammar school. at Twenty-sixth and
Leigh streets, are determined to get
better accommodations for their chill
dren In evident from the way in which
the proposition was discussed at q
! largely attended meeting held In the
school building Friday night, when a.
number of stirring talks on the sub
5ect were made.
t Addressing more than two hundred
patrons Of the school, City Superin-
tendsnt Chandler declared that Rich
mond Is far behind other progressive
cities OF it's class in educational ia
lcilities, Atlanta, Memphis and Nash
vile. he pointed out, spend each year
an average of nearly $40 a pupil.
while Richmond spends hardly more
/ than half that amount He showed
that many OF tho Richmond elemen-
tary schools provide only half-time
/ instruction for hundreds OF pupils,
owing to crsmped conditions and a
general lack OF school facilities.
...s IA@fasing Facilities Haah - .ss>
! Mr. j. H. Rinford. executive see
rotary Of the STATE Educa ton Asso-
citation and former principal of the
school, dwelt at some length on the
deplorable condition of the Spring
field structure showing that the light
ing of the building Is far from be-
4 ing within the Law. One room. he
said, has light coming in from three
! directions. thereby endangering the
4 eyesight OF the pupils. Again. he
showed that frequently the children
have to stand out in the rain during
recess period, there bein gro base
ment accommodations, as is found IN
| all up date school buildings. Nei-
Their Il there an assembly room, nor
are the Fairgrounds MALT as spacious
as they should be, he declared,
Two OF the teachers. owing to lack
| of facilities. instruct more than nine
| ty pupils each day. and in one In
stance the health of certain grade
| In menaced as a result OF the children
| having 10 attend studies In nearby
| dirty and inadequately equipped In
every way for school purposes.
Principal Agar voolfolk. who Is
secretary OF the State Teachers As
| ISOLATION, showed that Richmond II
| far behind practically every other city
! or community OF progressive spirit In
the State in regard to school facilities
and improvements. In the little town
Of Emporia, where he taught before
coming to Richmond last year. he said
I far better facilities are provided. rela-
lively speaking.
Rape Method OF Construction.
Prof voolfolk commented especial
on the fact that the Springfield school
was built originally with only four
rooms, the remainder OF the fifteen
It now has having been added from,
time to time. This method OF con-
structiop. he contended. made It i'm
possible for the building to be pro-
vided with proper facilities.
Other speakers were Principal J. Fl
Saunders. OF Bellevue School, and
School Trustees w. J. Kimbrough and
r. C. Ebel.
t A petition signed by more than SOC
names asking for q new building and
additional Fairgrounds was recent,
presented to the board OF aldermen
and now the patrons propose going
before the finance committee OF coun.
ell for the purpose OF asking that al
least $4,000 be included In tho 1911
budget for the Springfield School