The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-12-20
NEEDS OF COMMON
SCHOOLS ARGUED
BEFORE COMMITTEE
Three Hundred Thousand Adj
ditional Urgently Demanded
by Conditions, Prominent
Educators Declare.
Heads of Higher Institutions of
Learning Also Tell of Their
Needs. University of Viz.
ginia Wants Increase for
Many Purposes.

For the common school fund alone,
Superintendent Stearnes, OF the de-
partment OF public instruction, put in
a claim for an appropriation Of
$T66.000 before tho senate finance
committee yesterday. this being s3e0,-
goo in excess OF the amount which has
been available annually for the past
seven years for this purpose.
Forty thousand OF this amount he
would have apportloned for the
benefit OF the summer normal insti-
tutes which he regards as In reality
an integral part OF the common school
system.
The increase. he explained, would
go toward raising the salaries OF the
teachers and providing better school
buildings wherever they are needed.
He pointed out that the extra amount
asked Was barely equivalent 20 fifty
eeLts per child II school age.
Details of Needs.
MIR Stearnea went on 10 say thai
no would Hike for $1,000 to De de-
voted especially toward the mainte-
nance OF the public free school at the
Laurel reform atory, and the sum Of
5000 toward the maintenance of the
school at the negro refo-matory in
Hanover county. He would like 30
have Sf60,o expended for the en-
eouragement and maintenance OF
rural graded schools OF two. three
ard four rooms, provided that no such
school shall receive more than 5000.
For high schools. he asked for an
Increase from 100000 to si5o.00
He asked that sac, 900 of this amount
he devoted to the establishment and
support OF partnents Of agriculture
.i..ss4
ing in at leas; one high school In each
congressional district Of the State 10
he conducted under such rules and
regulations as the State board of edu-
cation may prescrdhe,
For the normal training depart
nasnts OF the high schools. an increase
from $4,000 10 AT least ssg.soo and
sum of s.0oa was ASKED for libraries
in the schools, and $500 for the
school teachers pension fund.
stcarnes Speaks First.
Mr.. Stearnes first addressed this
committee. sitting forth these various
needs and emphasizing the import
ance OF getting more money. He re-
minded the committee that when the
propriatIon was last increased
made that substantial increase
should he allowed each thereafter for
the free schools The sgure had re-
manned stationery, however and he
thought il high time that the Increase
should he forthcoming. And nc made
1t clear that the additional money ask
"a was intended for expenditure In
one year and not two,
Mr. StearnRs was followed by n
number At school officials and teach
ars who supplemented bis remarks and
urged the extra appropriation. Among
those who spoke were; Or, ]. A. G,
Chandler. IF Richmond. G, G.. Jones
If Acsomac: Joseph II Saunders. %
Richmond. w. w, Edwards Of Prince
George and Sussex: Frank T. West, OF
Louisa: Fl 7 Watkins. Of South Bos-
ton: G. NJ. Abbot. OF Bedford; J. II
Rinfnvd % Richmond, Miss Belle
Webb Of Prince George; J. C Hurt
cf Blackstone: Mrs. =. Il. Munford. of
Richmond.
Following these talks. Mr.. Stearnes
closed with another urgent appeal thai
apparently went home to the commit
tee.
For William and Mary.
Lyon g. Tyler. president Of William
and Mary college. asked $4,000 for
each OF the two succeeding years for
maintenance and support OF that In.
st.tution In addition to this, w. c.
L. Taliaferro, chairman Of the finance
and building committee of the college.
submitted the following additional re-
quests totaltng S44.600: Remodel gym
nasium. 4,00o. new science building,
$4,000; new dining hall and kitchen.
S14, 700, repair Ewell building, $4,000.
repair TNaliaferro building. $4,000:
change dining hall and kitchen into
sormitory, 800: gas plant science
department, $500; concrete walks.
$500. equip Taliaferro building. 5000.
President Tyler also asked $4,000
for the operation OF n summer normal
70 be conducted Jointly by William
and Mary and the Virginia Polytechnic
institute. He said that 1t was proposed
Continued on Fifth nagel