The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-11
LUXEMBOURG SCHOOL
BOARD UNDER FIRE
sUPERINTExDEyT SUMMONED TO
APPEAR BEFORE STATE BOARD
OF EDUCATION.
ASK INVES TIC A L ION
DR. EDWIN MANN MAKES SAX
CHARGES OF ILLEGAL ACTS
AND FAILURE TO COMPLY
WITH LAW.
ASK INVES LEGATION

Superintendent l. T. Wilkinson. of
Lunenburg county, was summoned by
the State board of education yester-
day TO appear at the next meeting,
when charges made by DR.. Edwin
Mann. of that county, against the
board of trustees of Browns Store dis
trict will be considered.
DR.. Mann makes six charges against
the school board of the district, the
alleged Illegal acts covering a period
OF several years, one of the charges
dating back to 1905. DR.. Mann states
in his letter TO the board that he
has sought in vain to have the Com
monwealth'G attorney of the county
make an investigation. He adds that
the people Of the district have borne
with the conditions so long for fear
that complaint would result in no
school for them the following year.
I'm this they were nearly right he
says.
Neglect of Duties
Neglect of their duties and viola
tons of the State laws and the health
departments regulations are ehesEed
BY DR. Mann. Graded schools are
cared for TO the neglect of the eIe-
mentary schools. proper and requi-
site number of outhouses are not pro-
are used for purposes not warranted
by the law, and one member of the
school board accepted subcontract
for Misunderstanding for a Kenbridge
school. contrary to the State Law pro-
hihit!ng IL, according to the charges
contained in the lengthy typewriter
statement presented by DR.. Mann.
The charge as to the lack of proper
outhouses is not confined to Browns
Store school district. but applies to the
entire county. There are fftyfye
schools In the county, says the state
ment, and of these only thirteen COM
ply with the state law and the health
requiring that there be two
outhouses for each school.
Must Provide Health Conditions.
In connection with this chsrge the
action of the State board yesterday
In adopting a resolution designed to
upheld the haa 18th board In Ats crusade
for proper outhouses and better health
conditions generally in all the schools
Of the State is interesting. The boards
resolution directs Secretary Stcarnes
to write every division superintendent
in the State that they must provide
health conditions in accordance with
the regulations of the State health
department and the State laws with
IN a FedsDnd ule Tune OF stat IUhQs
will be withheld. The cost of these
improvements will be large, but the
superintendent are given ''reasona-
ble' time in which to make them.
There are 6,s3S schools In the State,
OF which 5,15T are one-room schools,
the total number of rooms being l LA.
OF these schools 4,545 have outhouses.
OF this number about one-half have
two outhouses as required by law
About 1900 schools need one and
about the same number need two
outhouses. The total cost of COM
plying with the law will be more than
s25o,00o, 1t is estimated.
To Examine Pensioners.
In reference to the pension list the
board of education adopted ruling
that all those on the list must be ex-
amined every three years as u their
eligibility. II this examination is not
taken the pension ceases automatical-
ly. This action was taken under the
authority of the pension act passed by
the last general assembly and APP
proved by the governor on March
l4th. which gives the State board of
education authority to require new
examination Of any person receiving
IA pension under class A.. as afore-
said. to determine whether the said
person ia still incapable, of rendering
efficient service as a teacher by rea-
son OF mental or physical infirnlity or
old age. and If either OF So board
shall be of opinion that the said disa-
bility no longer exists. the State board
of education shall after thirty days
notice remove the said recipient OF a
pension from the said retired teachers
list and in the event of either yolun~-
tary retirement or such removal. the
pensioner shall no longer receive a
pension unless reinstated as hereafter
provided
The resignation of Hugh S. Bird. as
of Williamsburg pub
lie schools. was accepted and f. F.
Birckhead. OF Fredericksburg was
named In his place.
All members OF the board were
present except Superintendent EggIes-
ton and Attorney General Williams
welcomes Investigates.
Isham T. Wilkinson, superintendent
OF schools for Lunenbarg county. who
was a Richmond visitor last night.
stated that the trustees OF he Brown
store district would be ready with a
formal reply to the accusations at the
next meeting Of the state board.
Wilkinson. ARE not directed against
me. and have no specific statement
TO give out at this time, but the trus-
tees will be prepared to answer in
detail every point raised by DIR. Mann
at the proper time and place The
contracts, receipts and warrants for all
the monies expended by the trustees
are among the records of Lunenburg
county and will be produced to show
hew she school fands were used. An
investigation Of the schools is not
only welcomed. but invited. and this
statement has been made in reply to
former charges from the same source.
The trustees OF the district have moth
ing to cover Up. DR. Mann has been
publicly invited to investigate per-
sonally the schools Of the district. but
he hasn't taken advantage of the in
vitstion.-