The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-07-28
GOOD TEACHERS MUST
MEAN GOOD SCHOOLS
Recognizing This Fact the
Association Works for In
creased Efficiency and Pro-
fessional Pride--One of Sew
eral Influential .Organiza-
tons
BY DIR j. MCCONNELL
President of the State Teachers
Association.


The Forward steps In agriculture,
industry and educa ton in Virginia
are not separate or detached ntcre-
ments, but are each a different ishase
Of ..-.rpr ene recently Lett through
out the South
Such a revival was inevitable and
TO no particular orga nizttion or men
is due the honor or credit of the de-
yeiopment of our resources, material
and personal. A region az rich III
natural resources as the South. oeeu-
pied by people of sucn spirit and ira
dition as are our people had within
itself the means OF it's own regenera-
ton. For almost two decades fol-
lowing the close OF the war the at
tempt was persistentIy made 10 bring
on the renaissance of the South
through external. material and par
ticularly through external stimulus.
Very little was accomplished by these
means
Universal public education in that
period was accepted in form II not in
spirit, yet this awaited little, as mat
ters then were. Agriculture was
primitive, industry was entiQuated In
method and scope and education lam
Eushed Through these dreary years
many individuals ana groups were
working TO hasten tine educational re-
birth of their section which they
knew was inevitable
Our People 60 West
In the generation following the war
about two and one half millions Of
our people despairing Of the rehirth
of the South Notwithstanding IL sparse
population, the fertility Of the soil and
the salubrity OF the climate. lett the
South proper and sought homes in the
West and in other sections of the
United states.
For many years rrgns Of Improve
ment were manifest throughout the
eouth. Agriculture and Industry
slow iy revived Notwithstanding the
handicaps almost everywhere encoun-
tered In those years various move
ments were instituted for the reha bita-
ton of this section through the con-
seryatson and development of the
boys and girls of the land,
During the last generation there
were In Virginia various associations
more or less local In character. OF
teachers and other citizens, ~ me
promotion of educational interests
through greater efficiency or he teach
ing force or through the coop e-a slon
cf citizens tho endeaVored 20 poiu-
larize the public schools OF their LEGAL
communities and TO sireng hen them
in resources and equipment Frao =
caliy all sections of the State have at
one time or another seen such efforts
tyh.z NgyyTfz
such movements These were local and
lacked the stimulus of large fellow
ship. This isolation of the workers,
this lack OF information as To what
was being done elsewhere and the fee
hleness characteristic of men who work
without feeling OF fellowship with
larger numbers and without an under
standing Of the tendencies aud intiu-
ences of the age, rendered Intellectual
In a large measure the efforts of all
these workers and organizations.
NtsM Work Together.
In recent years several organizations
State ide in scope and membership
have grown up.
Chief among these organizations are
the conference of the division superin-
tendents. the Cooperative Education
association. the State Teachers asso- !
citation. and the State Trustees asso-
citation, which promises to prove one
Of the most effective organizations In
the State. 1t is growing In numbers
and influence each year.
The conferences of the division sup
ferRatendents, under the direction OF !
the State superintendent or schools.
are peculiarly helpful In many ways.
The conferences serve as clearing
house of Information. Perplexing
problems of administration and pol
Icy are discussed. Many weary
and discouraged superintendent re-
turns TO his work from these confer
ences with new hope and clearer
vision of his task and opportunity
He is strengthened and encouraged
by the larger fellowship.
Tho CO. operative Education associ-
alton is an unofficial voluntary as
sociation OF men and women repre- /
sentative OF practically every vocation
In the Commonwealth. This associa-
tion enlists in its active membership
the widest range of talents and inter-
ests of any OF the great Statewide
educational organizations.
Through its various representatives |
engaged in its work it touches almost
every interest and phase of life in the I
State. 1t has set before itself the /
task of lengthening the term of
schools the perfection of the school
equipment. better support for schools. /
the organization Of school improve (
ment leagues. better attendance, pro- i
per sanitation OF the home and school, |
good roads, free rural and village |
libraries and the enrichment and en- |
beiifshment of every phase of life, T
particularly OF rural and village life. i
It works in the fullest harmony and I
sympathy with all the other educa- t
tional agencies and organizations of 4
the State. many members of the SUI 4
perintendcnts conference and or the +
State teachers association being also ,
active members and officers Of the \
(Continued on Fifth Page)