The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-17
SCHOOL SITUATION
DEVELOPS FIGHTS
Contests Arise in Many LOCAL.
tics Over Division Super
inteudents.
MUST ELECT BEFORE JULY I
Two Superintendent to Be
Chosen on State Board at
Next Meeting.

In all parts OF the State interest is
ceing aroused In the coming election
Of division school supertntendents for
me term OF four years, beginning July
!. AS the tenure of office OF every
superintendent in Virginia will expire
on that day. and as tho connection Of
these officials with the administration
of the public schools is so intimate
that 1T touches the life of every indi-
vidual in the State. the matter becomes
one OF absorbing interest
20 lar. contests have appeared In only
minority OF the divisions. but appl-
ca tons and Endorsements nre coming
daily to the office of the Superintend-
ent of Public instruction. and It is evil
dent that the State Bonrd of Educa-
ton Will have many problems to solve
when 1t comes TO elect the superiutend-
ents Under the law, the election must
be held within sixty days prior to the
expiration OF the term which means
that it must take place in the months
of May or June.
For instance. there are five candi-
Gates for the office OF superintendent
IN southampton County. Perhaps no
where else is there rivalry which in
cludes SO many asplrauts. but there
are indications that the fight will be
warm in many directions.
Election of Nonresidents.
Among the questions to be conaid-
cred by the State board is the one
that set SO many localities by the ears
four years aeo-the selection of men
who do not reside in the divisions 10
which they are elected Much feeling
was aroused in 1903 when the board
chose for a number of divisions educa
tors regarded AS outsiders. or nonresi-
dents over men who lived there and
had local Endorsements. Sentiment in
opposition to this practice found its
expression in the Legislature of 1910,
when s. II. Love. of Lunenburg, intro
duced and secured the passage through
the House of bill prohibiting the
election as division school superin-
tendent of any man not a resident OF
the division TO which he was assigned.
II did not reach vote i'm the Senate.
The measure was vigorously fought
by many leading educators and school
officials. who called il A step back
ward in the movement for efficiency I'm
the schools. II WAS said the board had
found much dead timber and had
deemed it necessary to clear this away,
and that the best men should no Sc
cured. regardless OF the place OF their
residence.
May Not he Legal.
But, as a matter of fact. doubt eX
lists as to the legality of the practice.
Some lawyers say school officials. like
others provided for by law. should be
residents of the localities they are to
serve. Nonresidents elected four years
ago have now become citizens, and this
objection no longer applies to them.
No opposition has arisen to DR.. J. 4.
c. Chandler as Superindent OF the
Richmond schools.
Four years ago the State Board OF
Education deemed il best TO consoli
date divisions in many cases, SO as 10
make the salaries larger and make II
possible to secure the entire time of
efficient men. To this end small coun-
ties were joined together and III some
cases small cities with counties. This
caused some dissatisfac tion, but on the
whole the plan seems 10 work salts
factorily
Elect BOARD Members.
Another problem facing the board is
the election of two division school SUI
perintendents IS its members The in
cumbents are NJ. NJ. Lynch, Of Fred
eriok County. and s. r McChesney. of
Bristol. by an anomaly of Law. the
time 70, electine superintendent as
members Of the board antedates the
time OF electing them as superinten-
dents. This would put the board in
the position OF choosing its members.
for four Years. without knowing whe-
Their these men will ne eligible after
sixty days To comply with the sta
tute. the two men should he elected AZ
the next regular meeting, to be held
April Ia
Az All events, it seems that MIR Nc
chesney is unlikely to he elected. He
has retired from his position as SUI
perNising principal of the schools OF
Bristol. and T. Il. Fitzpatrick. princi-
IA Of the Roanoke High school has
been chosen to succeed him. The sal
sIY of the superintendent in Bristol
rom the state. is only 200 the wear
ana Ii Is the custom in such cases 10
elect man who is teaching, prefer
ably the supervising principal go AZ
TO add 10 his income. The Bristol
school Board has apparently taken il
Tor granted that the state Board of
Education viii make Mr.. Fitzpatrick
superintendent on it's recommendation
but this does not follow by any means.
and II ~ within the province OF the
board TO reflect Mr.. McChesney as su-
perintendent for Bristol. and also TO
re- elect him AS q member of the State
hoard Ru. this Is unlikely, since he js
10 20 INTO other business. He has had
continuous fight for three ycars with
clements inside and outside OF his home
board.
In the event OF his retirement. ,her.
VIII naturally he - keen scramble for
This coveted position on the State
board MIR i.ynch's re election ig re-
garded az probable