The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-21
SCHOOL PROBE IS
At ACUTE STAGE
INCOMPE,NTE,NCY is CHARGED TO
PUPILS BY RICHMOND RE-
TAIL CONCERNS.
DENIAL is PRESENTED
TWO PRINCIPALS INDICATE THAT
PRESENT CURRICULUM is
SATISFACTORY AND THAT
STUDENTS ARE CAPABLE.

The investigation of the city schools
reached a serious stage last night
when an effort was made TO prove
that several large retail stores en-
ploying girls from fourteen to seven
teen years of age had found them in
competent because OF an alleged lack
of knowledge in reading, writing and
arithmetic.
g. X. Pollock, chairman of the
council investigating committee. pro-
duced letters from Miller & Rhodes.
The Cohen company and others stat
ing that girls they had employed from
I the city schools had proven to be
incompetent
To counteract this evidence Prof.
Joseph Saunders. principal of the Fox
school, exhibited a number IF letters
from patrons of the school, stating
! their satisfaction with tho present
curriculum and time allotment. and
Prof. j. G.. HARDWOOD, principal OF the
John Marshall high school. presented
} letters from several business concerns
; testlfYing Ia the splandid Qualifications
of students they had employed from
| the high school.
The letters afforded clash between
/ Chairman G. X. Pollock and DIR. J. A.
G. Chandler. superintendent Of the
public schools
Letters Introduced.
! Prof Saunders was permitted TO
place in the record scores Of letters
from the patrons OF the Fox school
indicating that eighty per cent fav-
| ored the drawing, music, manual
/ training asd physical culture One
patron spoke OF the "frills' as the
best feature OF the city schools and
heartily approved the "frills."
Upon the other hand the Miller &,
: X GO M MAJ etta f&l
they had employed az checkers and
bundle inspectors were so devoid of
mathematical training that "a teacher
was employed In the store to instruct
them.
In answer to the query DO you
consider the child graduated from the
grammar or high schools ef Richmond
well grounded In the essential of
common or practical education % Miss
r. l.. stephen. auditor for the Cohen
company answered, ri do not
These letters were addresses 10 Miss
Harriet c. Hughes, sl2 North TWEEN
tyninth street
Firms Should Specify.
/ George Wayne Anderson. assistant
city attorney, stated that any letters
from firms complaining about the
competency of Its employees should
specifically state whether or not they
came from the city schools and what
course OF instruction given.
When Professor Harwond was
( placed upon the stand he exhibited
batch of letters from concerns and
/ individuals, employing high school
/ graduates, testifying aS to their
4 worth. All OF the letters were COM
| planetary TO the graduates
| Fourqnreau, Temple & Company
wrote a letter stating tina, large
I percentage Of It's employees, taken from
| the city schools. did not prove COM
| petenf. That they were shy upon
| arithmetic, writing and spelling.
The Cohen company stated that Its
employees from me city schools did
not know the difference between 'r,u-
merical" and alphabetical"
Attorney Asks why"
The assistant city attorney wanted
! the committee to discover why a pu-
phi OF the city schools could not fiji
the position OF shop girl or shop
boy. If they could not than some
thing was radically wrong in the
present school system.
The chairman decided that the per-
| sons writing the letters pro and con
| should be asked to appear before the
| committee.
Superintendent Chandler was called
| to the stand, his evidence having TO
| do with technical features Of the pub
| lie school system.
! A motion by Marx Gunst prevaiied
! to adjourn upon the call Of the
| chairman.
! At the next meeting Superintendent
Chandler expects to produce two gov
eminent experts upon education.
There were many elementary teach
ers present at last nights session,
, and public interest seems to be TIN
abated