The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-02

entitic research that the soil Of the
old State would be once more renewed
refreshed and restored. and that the
earth. the nourishing mother OF us all.
would be enabled To support not only
greater number, but :. higher order
OF men, having truer realization than
ourselves of the providences of God.
Possibly my idea OF Co operating
with the schools may not agree with
yours Possibly have not been able
10 convey TO YOU my conception OF
the scope OF your responsibility. nor
( my vision oil the splendor of the
achievements which il is possible FOR
YOU 20 accomplish II have succeed =
/ ed in making some OF you begin tn
think this subject, and to realize
that method of teaching is not nee
essarily good because II was handed
down 10 US by those Of a former gen
Grafton. then shall feel we'll repaid
FOR the effort | have made.
| have not attempted To amuse YOU
by narrating anecdotes. nor to Halter
you with assurances that you already
! have system Of public instruction
which is Incapable OF Improvement.
| Like everything else in nature, when
| our schools cease to improve they will
l die. When they no longer anticipate
I the needs OF the coming generation
! they Will become useless and atrophied
! When think Of the enormous growth
of our population. OF how rapidly the
! cost OF living is already increasing
Of the strenuous competition for ex-
/ istence in the near future cannot
but feel concerned that my children
may be properly equipped for the in
evitablc struggle.
Urges Association.
IL would be II source OF pleasure 10
me II there could be formed day in
the Dinwiddie High school an associ-
alton of patrons. banded together for
the purpose OF securing greater ell
cicncy in I'll Of our public schools
! Such IN association might, by com.
! mittces OF correspondence, like the
/ Rcvolutionists of 1876. secure the
1 formation OF other similar associa tions
/ throughout the state. which would
| eventually unite in Il State association
! having regular meetings in Richmond
| You might thereby keep in touch with
| your representatives. In the Lcgisla
! ture, make at least worthy effort to
! secure a larger measure Of vocational
! training IN your schools as we'll as a
| higher degree OF general school eff
| cheney. and, last. but not least to Sc
J cure appropriations for the advance
ment of the science Of agriculture and
/ for the upbuilding OF our soils. more
] In Keeping with the needs of the stu
: alton and with the vital interests oil
! our whole people
/ 1t occurs to me that this whole mat
! ter may be briefly summarized as fol
! lows:
The population of Virginia is rapid
I ly increasing: an increased supply OF
I food is required by rapidly increas-
| ing population: we are dependent upon
the soil for an Increased supply OF
| food. but, in order to increase its
| yield. the fertility OF the soil must be
Increased: the fertility of tho soil can
only be increased by the addition
thereto OF certain elements of plant
food, and the available known supply
Of some OF these elements OF plant
| food is being rapidly exhausted; in
| order. therefore. to increase the fer
tility OF tho soil, SO that 1t may pro-
duce an increased supply Of food abb
solutely essential for the preservation
| Of the lives Of our rapidly increasing
population, It is essential to discover
available denominations of the Gle
ments Of plant food heretofore un-
| known.
Must Use Intelligence.
In order to discover these new
means of maintaining the fertility o!
the soil. it is incumbent upon us 10
| use the intelligence which God has