The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-08-17
PASSES IT'S WORK
TO NEXT COUNCIL
TO CONTINUE JOB
Special Committee Investiga-
ting Schools Makes Its
Report
ENTIRE SYSTEM OF
BOARD CRITICISED
Finds Fault With Methods
and Text Books and De-
plores the Lack of
Cooperation

After nearing majority and mi
nority reports from the especial COM
mittee appointed TO Investigate the
city school system and an almost In
terTn'nable argument pro and con, the
retiring common council last night
adopted the majority report. and with
1t a resolution suggested by the spe-
cial committee bequeathing the whole
matter as legacy to the iucomir i
council. and transmitting the findings
likewise TO the school board for lis
sdifcatiop and enlightenment.
The majority report was submit
ted by Councilman Pollock and read
10 the council. 1t treats exhnustively
rho situation as the committee views
1t. Mr.. Pollock. as soon as the reln-
ing was completed, spoke briefly
in support Of the report and the reso-
iutions. He said the report was fair
and he believed impartial
II was the finding OF a body OF
iaymen, but those iaymen had en-
deavorsd 10 do theirduty Conscientious
Iy and he believed the investigator
would rebound to the good OF tas
schools He stated that the matter
WAS a deep one and of grave import
ance, and he believed il should be pur-
sued by the incoming council. The
council should keep in close toueh
with the schools and there should
by sympathetic cooperation. which
mas been lamentalby lacking hereto
fore
Has Already Caused Changes.
He cited, as an example OF the 1udS-
rnent Of the committee and the s.
don OF its findings. the fact that Ger
tain arithmetic, which the committee
thought not the right textbook, was
to be dropped by the school board
=fst1i. was ia reply to g. question as 10
,he aspth to which the COMMITTEES
delved and an apparent criticism OF
It's ability 10. deal with such saoJectJ'
Councilman Fuller then sptmitte 1.
and had the clerk read, the minority
report. which disagreed in many I'M
uortant essentials with the majority
report. Mr.. Fuller spoke 10 the re-
port. declaring that he thought the
invss,ig.atton had been depiorahle,
and had done the schools no good
MIR. Pollock retorted that the truth
vas the conditions were depIorap'e
and the investigation had brought
them to light
Mr. Fuller discussed MS repoF, a.
sorna length expressing the bellet thae
The school board and EVERYBODY c9h-
rccted with the city school system ~
aainy conscientious work. and that
Richmond schools are as sooa AZ any
In the country. ..
pollock Defends Co<nnutter.
1r Pollock again urged the "a y
nf the resolution suggested III ms -
rort He declared that though ule
had been assailed by press
and public. IL had done It's GUY go
n saw it, and so far as he was coz
cerned ne would keep on hgh'Ihs 1uu
:. .asor,,, in nresent conditions as long
os thsre was fight left in him he
vas fighting, ne said, for the chl-
dren ~ the community cofhinK
,.reration of Richmond's Citizenship
ana he wanted the next councii 10
have the benefit Of this partial inNes
: cation Ia order that IL nieut ma
to guide II IN deWihs 49, as
err into the matter. me s.noot
ro,,ld do as II saw fit with repert-
q aont the recommendations or throw
,hn renort in the waste basket
(.nnncilman Cmlauf followed MIN IN
sna.nn Of some length and long the
st.oaneil4sean Powell moved 70 an'ena
tho resolution by striking out that pait
the findings OF tns cum
uittee to the incoming couiich'
The Resolution.
p..., r,ottor, failed on roll call. ana
tho original resolution. which follows
was adopted: ,no,, NJ
.be III. OF Richmond, the board ~
aldermen concurrins; a 20
II. That the city clerk pe' anu
hereby. instructed to make ana ttaIs-
init To the board of school trus' ~
~ the city Of Richmond copy OF tie
re,ort of the. special joint commit
fes an investigation Of the puo'ie
s.hools department for such cons'd.r
alton as that body may desire 10 give
the SO me. a
-, That the said city clerk be, anu
IL hereby, further instructed 10 traua
ms & copy of the said special coninit-
tess report and the papers ac.u
scrirr OF evidence taken in the m
zion by said body, to the IN.
coming council to the end that sald
council may pursue the investigatioh
a. ordered under the joint resolution
creating the said special committee
Text OF the Report
Following Is the fun text OF the re-
nor. OF the special committee:
Richmond. Va. Aug. 16, 1919.
To the Common Council.
Gentlemen,-Your special Joint
which was directed to make
certain inquiries into the school sys-
tom OF ahe city OF Richmond beg
leave to report as follows:
/. The first inquiry under said reso-
lution is las to number OF the
teachers and supervisors Of the pub
lie schools being paid IN excess Of
what they should be for services rem
dered by them" Your committee re-
1ret to advise that TACK Of time pre-
vented their investigation ot this most
important matter.
Z. Your committee was likewise
preyented from investigating the pro-
priety of asking proper legislation to
vest greater power in the school
board Of the city. and to minimize
the control by the state board OF edu-
cation. The investigation of this i'm
portant matter, your committee feels
should be prosecuted. but the fact
that this council Is about to go out Of
being, makes 1t necessary that this
report be. at this time,
ffyouffnxaaA m ancond HnKNN