The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-07
nv W. n. WHITING, Jr.,
Pre- aide nj school Trustees Association.


Preside mt school Trustees Association.
In the Virginia school hierarchy We
have trustees. superintendents, prin-
cipals and teachers. OF these per
haps the least appreciated are the
trustees. and It may be doubted if the
genera; public realizes the import
ance Hud the responsibility of the
trustees office in OR educational
scheme. Often. indeed. 1t is evident
that the trustees themselves do n IT
aneci s.pnd :ile dignity OF thrs- posi-
ton and this do not+-fffa gaifs their
Office
The school board of today is pro5
ably the lineal descendant or devel-
opmert CT the method Of school in
spection and supervision which pre-
vailed in New England in the early
l&yT CO Puritan occupancy when the
town meeting delegated the manage
men. Of its educational interests 20
the pastors OF the townships Thee"
sometimes combined the office OF
rnacner with that Of preacher, but
more .ss ~ t-Sy took upon the@t-
selves merely the duties OF visitors
arG 3rsI.utafSA sJtpg " the saAOo!s
TO observe the methods of the teach
ers, to ex4gLi.rt ne t4puS IS TO their
question them on the Bible and cat
eehism. 4aetsrs 49, .scy a Associated
with themselves certain men OF good
report, and pastors and seiectmea
shared the supervisory responsibility.
From this point 1t was not a long
step TO the organization OF school
boards What Is trustee He is
one TO whom something ts entrusted.
one into whose hands is committed
for keeping thing or value. and
who must when required render sn
account of his trust Now, add the
modifying element, school and you
have a pretty fair notion of what the
Officer should be ard OF what re
should do. He is a school trustee. i
man into whose keeping the schools
are given anu TO whom Is coni. dta ~
a sacred trust the we'll being Of our
most valuable asset, the children of
the Commonwealth.
Fortunately in Virginia, this trust
ed man is not elected by popular vote
and does not receive a salary | say
fortunately because the membrs OF
school boards often have to face sir.
nations in which they would be much
hampered II their office was a polit-
!cai one in the sense OF being in the
Gift of the people, the prize OF party
fealty and the reward of party ser
Vice. The school trustee must often
mete out justice with an even hand,
must decide disputes in which his
friends and nelghbors are concerned
and In consequence OF which per-
sonai popularity must be lost no mat
ter how the decision goes. Hence the
law wisely provides that the trustees
nj. Ne -ta= a
consisting of the Commemorative at
torney. the division superinte ndent.
and a disinterested citizen appoint
ed by the -circuit- 1udge.-The- trns-
tees term Of Office Is three years,
term so long that he may prove his
efficiency and so short that, If TN
At. he will not be able to do much
harm before he can be removed. 81
the school trustee need not be swayed
by the cIamor and whims OF the in
dividuai voter. though he y near
enough to the people to be moved by
the ground swell or ins!stent popu-
lar demands
Each county and city Is divided in
70 districts-more or fewer according
to size and population. each district
has three number. one Of whom IS
chairman ana another is clerk OF the
district board.
Now these boards are. under the
law. In most matters the final author
fiy in the operation of the educational
machinery in their respective dis
districts The duty Of these district
boards ia TO employ and pay teachers,
to build schooihouses. to supervise the
school property. to settle disputes re-
ferred to them and to promote in
- u 1la4
the material efficiency Of their schools,
Their function is Legislative and judi
cial: legislative In that they must
make within their Jurisdiction such
special and local rules, compatible
with the general school laws as they
may deem best judicial In that they
must decide disputed cases of disci-
pline and act on appeals taken from
the decisions Of teachers. They are
not expected to shape directly the
holast!c policy Of the schools.
though by wise counsel and helpful
they may do much good
in this field; nor are they to inter-
NEEDLE or interfere in the matter of
gogie phases OF the work. A district
board cannot control the financial
policy Of the district further than to
expend the funds assigned TO the dis
trict The county supervisors must
make the tax levy and the division
SD peri ntandent apportions the result
ing revenue among the districts under
the provisions OF the law. The MEM
bers OF the board may 80 influence
public opinion. may so arouse the tax
payer to a sense of his duty. may by
wisely diverted effort so demonstrate
the value of education and 30 present
the needs OF the school that larger
district and county ieyies NAV be laid.