The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-05-19

The first superintendent VAS An
drew Wash burne. who died in Mas
sachusetts about two years ago, and
the first board of education consist
ed of George Cahoop, president. and
David i Burr. S. II. Jones. l., II,
Page, II K EnysQn and m Man
, ley, In the second year of the sys-
tenn AN appropriation OF $+2.521 was
made by the City Council for it's sGp-
orr. All rfTe schools were IN rcUtEV
buildings. the appropriation @upar-
entity not being sufficient to- cover the
cost OF purchasing buildings. and
there were ~ altogether. with -
white teachers. Only one OF the
white schools had three rooms.
Not one of the schools OF today stands
/ on the site occupied by those Of the
! first years.
! Fist Couro of study,
Il might De Of more 5aan passing
! Interest 10 know OF what tts FIRST
coarse Of s.u IL con sistel II VAS
simple az things go now and the
wonder Is that 80 mauw men grew
/ ia 10 so great on so little. Inc
course consisted of patient perueal
I of MeGaffey's readers and many OF
today will remember them --of
Quackenboss arithmetic. Cornells
geography. Holiness speller aud En-
glsh grammar. and Goodrich & hts
/ tory of the United States. There is
no mention of writing. hut it is TO
! be supposed that the other "R vas
] also taught, which would include
''readin'. ritin and 'rithulelic,
| In tns next year, tS7@-7l the
schools passed under the control Of
! the State, and !. II. Bintord became
superintendent. and Judge y. VI, hei-
| ley. who was afterwards appointed
lnlniatar- 4nls1lipoisntleL..N. IL Austria,
/ became president OF the soand OF i.d-
ucation Thomas Branch, founder
/ of the Branch family Row existent
was one OF the members OF the
board.
/ AT this time the l4ancastrain school
was taken possession of by the state.
! and AS soon as the schools passed
! into the charge OF the state the
enrolment OF white pupils tncreas-
81 to 500 waile the enrolment 81
colored pupils was l,ybe9, :, In. the
J first. year under State supervision
/ the colored- normal school was es-
I tabliahed. following the Washington
Normal school. a private enterprise,
( hieb had been established during
The Reconstruction period. The per
capita cost of each pupil iii those
| days was sl1,45, which might not be
| considered too expensive William
/ +. Fox. later superintendent. ~as a
! teacher IN the grammar grades dur
| Ing that time.
+ High School Opened.
The first session of the High
school was opened in 1S1z IN rented
rooms, and in the following year
! 1873. the High School entered ita
own building ON the site opposite the
present John Marshall high school
with w. f. Fox as superintendent
and r. II. L, and II. A, Mitchell rs
teachers. The course was for three
years.
I Between thaf time and the pres
ent the progress Of the system has
been gradual. each generation build
ing on the other, and only the note
OF progress has marked the changes.
The first superintendent was An
drew Washburno. who held office
from 1869 10 1870. and the other
Superintendent follow IN their or
der. Jones H. Binford. iS70-76
James n. peary, 1869; Edgar ~
GARRETT 1892 SO; John y. Cary
! 188e-ss; William r. Fox, 1ssa-1909,
and, present superintendent Or. j.
A. G. Chandler
The principals of the High School
have been as follows William r.
Fox. 1929. w. A. Bowles, now
head Of the Deaf aud Dumb Institute
OF Stanton, isss-s0; Julien r.