The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-01
OIL D-FASH|ONEO
TYPE OF SCHOOLS
Long Time Before Public
Schools Will BE Able to
Take Their Place.
GREAT SPHERE FOR BOTH
Impossible to Do Highest Grade
Of Work in Ovcrcrowdcl
Glasses.
GREAT SPHERE FOR BOTH
tRcpublished By Rcquest)
ny W. GORDON McCAnE,
Ss. A.. Lit. d.. LII. d., Long Hcadmastcr

fou have done me the honor 10 ask
my op!n!on touching the educational
needs In the South. trust IT is not
impeTtinent tor mo TO preface my few
words with tho statement that 70. six
and thirty years I was hendmaster OF
ono OF the largest hitting schoo!s'' in
tho South and that for eight years
was chairman o: the Committee on
schools and courses q instruction IN
the University OF Virginia wh,ls serv-
ms on the board OF visitors OF that in
etitut!on.
During that long time wos N cor
Respondents with tho leading headmas-
ters OF the schools in this countr, and
visited their schools. as we'll as ,he
most famous schools abroad
Tho matter Of education has alway.
possessed an intense and vital Interest
TO me. and we're once started on my
hobby and elaborated my views with
a capital Was ST. John says. II they
should be written every one" suppose
that even the Sunday edition Of The
Times Dispatch itself could not contain
the books that should be written
shail therefore oonane myself to
ono point Ny conviction is strong
that one OF tho creates, needs to-day
In our presen: educational system is
the establishment and generous sup
port on the par, OF our Southern people
OF hrst-class private schools schools
az the type Of Concord Acaden.y. Han
over Ar.d.,,, fg.,,-,1- ..-3 ..
other university where boys
weye not only thoroughly taught what
VAS In the books. out had instin.a into
them. as being far more Important
than any learning Whatsoever. the par
amount Lessons OF the conduct OF NE"
where they lived in an atmosphere of
absolute truthfulness. manIlncss.
courage ana an abiding sense Of per-
eonai hono.
1t is idle TO talk Q: this noblest ..
Gil education" Din the ;.ue sense OF the
word) IN our public schools. with their
crowded classes drawn from ~a! sorts
and conditions OF men"
The Superintendent Of Public In
strlction in this State. Joseph Eggie-
ston, is 4 me man. l gentleman in the
''.s.'Sst StLSc o, tflat much GOutcC
term, and has done admirable work !p
improving the methods and raising the
STANDARD Of instruction IN ou- public
schools But were he ten tines As
ccomplished as he IS. h could not
90 much in the direction OF which /
hsves poken. Thatm ust be left 20 the
individual teacher. and the ird!vicull
teacher must have ,ime to study the
character OF his pupils. which he does
in he
} or course there Will DC :. storm Of
protest against this statement. chiefly
from those who have never given I'VE
minutes thought to the suoject.
People who are ambitious for pubic
office are all afraid to breathe Z. ,sord
OF criticism asains, thu public schools.
Ihere not to-day In this State q
poll al leader" 60 who would dare
utter III public any criticism OF them,
no matter what their shortcomings
This Is the type OF Header" Is who
is always Dragging about the increase
in civilization and education" In what
his Kind calls the New South" and
who listen. as II one had inquired OF
an oracle of God. to the educational
maunderings OF the Miss Nanc!es'. OK
the New York Evening Post
Emerson talked much "transcsnden
tai" nonsense. but he said one fine
thing. u none other: The true test OF
civilization is not the census. nor the
size OF the cities, nor the crops-no.
but the kind OF men the country turns
out"
There's the root OF the matter on one
side while. on the other. Sidney Smith
wrapped UP the true atm o, education
In an immortal epigram: Education is
not TO inform the mind. but 10 form IL"
Il
the public men that this Commonwealth
turned out 100, seventy-five. nifty years
ago as regards personal and civic vir-
tues. their real greatness OF soul. their
pure and antique patriotism. their
single minded devotion to duty-con-
cider and compare.
The public schools have come 10
stay" and no doubt do excellent work
In various localities. But there is a
hysteria about them-a blatan: lsser-
tion as to their superiority t. the
private high schools that Is not only
absurd. but to a man VINO knows his
craft rauseating. 1t is jmst the same
sort Of unthnking hystcria that in pub
lie affairs proclaims william Jennings
Bryan "a statesman and an economic
sage.
have never been an enemy of the
public schools. For the nassc-. they
constitute their only chance for VIVA
is called getting an educat'on.''
want most earnestly 10 see then be-
como more and more efficient.
But 1t will be long before they can
become hrst-class "itting schools UP
to the mark OF those of the noble old
type. which are gradually disa ppearing
one by one. as wellto-do people too
stingy to pay tuition fees. send their
children TO the public schools and try