The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-30
MOTHERS EXPOSE
FADS AND FAhC|ES
Too ManyF urbelowsIn Public
Schools, They Tell Council
Probers
FINE ARTS CROWDING
OUT THE ESSENTIALS
A. S. Briggs Compares Group
s., stem to Iwo-Ring Circus
Hearing to Be Resumed
Monday

4
| Several mothers and one father.
who have CHI .idren attending the pub
nc schools OF Richmond. testified yes
! terday afternoon that because OF fadS.
/ fancies and furbelows In the curri-
culum their children are not receiv-
| ing as sufficient a foundation In rudi-
ments az they might otherwise get.
Their testimony was given before the
special Coancil committee named to
prete the school systein, the hearing
being held in the Council chamber
In the City Hall. At +. n. the meet
4 ing was adjourned until p ID. Mon
I dag.
! Mrs. William s. Woodson. Of 1902
/ Grove avenue. was the first mother
| to take the stand. She declared that
| tho pupils are taught too much
drawing, sewing. painting. manual
| training and dancing for them TO
learn as much of the three RS as they
should. Having been once teacher
herself. she knew that time In which
| instruction can be given Is relatively
limited. and. therefore. it was all the
more imperative that the essentials
should receive more attention. The
(. fact that she had to help her chill
dren in their lessons also gave her
an insight into methods OF instruc-
I
ton.
| Mrs woodson seemed little bit
| hurried when she came forward 10
| testify, but she soon collected her
self and gave testimony in clear.
STRAIGHTFORWARD manner.
| Are you satisfied with the pro-
| xress your children are making? Z"
asked Chairman Hutzler. Of the school
| board.
| Nj. Woodson admitted that she
was. although she attributed some OF
| their success to her personal efforts
al home. And she wanted i known
| cross-examined further. she decfar-
ed that she had come to the meet
| ing to speak as a mother and not TO
be ca,sciised by Mr.. Hutxier. She vas
plniniy annoyed by mas iasetno1s "a
questioning her. She explained that
she h,sd little boy In the eighth pri-
mary grade and little girl IN tns
third grammar.
| A. with the other witnesses. Mrs
Woodson was accorded the strictest
attention as she proceeded with her
testimony.
1 She was followed by Mrs. A. Is.
Y Saunders, Of 1921 Grove avenue. VINO
said her daughters health had been
seriously impaired by what she re-
! rarded as an overcrowded curricu-
lu,n. IL her daughter had to he
/ taught cooking and dancing and
manual training. she saw no reason
why those features could not DO
taught at home as we'll as at school
| Az taxpayer and mother. mrs.
| Alice King. OF 1918 West Clay street,
! did not mince words in telling what
| she thought Of the SYSTEM. and she
proved the banner witness OF the AZ
ternoon. When her little boy finish'
ed the eighth primary grade. ne
brought home a copybook and num-
Der OF samples Of manual training
| which he had manufactured" The
copybook, she said. was thing oil
horror. A. for the other specimens
they were all very hre. There were
some paper envelopes, q fancy bag
or two. and a few other things alonz
the Same line. She left them a. ex-
hibits with the committee.
ibid your Boy do that :e~inS.,
asked Committeeman Hirschberg.
.He certainly did." answered Mrs
| King emphaticalIy. amid laughter
And he wasted forty minutes a
week. GA them. too ...saq.ss !.
/ chiieroO Started Early.
Mrs. kings little boy 10 ten years
| old. and IL now In the first grammar
| grade. Ehs has q little girl twelve
| years old. who 10 In tho NTH gram
mar. One OF the cisiidren started to
| school when Il was three years old,
and .hS other when It Mas four. 10Th
having been very proc0c1ous.
Mrs. E. W. Minor. OF SOL West Clay
/ street, whose husband was formerly
/ i member al Council introduced her
eeN 81 stating thai Committeeman
Kahn. who sat just In front OF the