The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-22


ground system. / believe that prop
erty that il owned by the people
should be freely used for amy purpose
beneficial tp the people that rs ger
name TO the object tor which II was
acquired This would serve TO create
and stimulate community spirit ana
that is one of our needs.
But Few Graduates.
"0ut of every hundred children
that enter the elementary schools in
Richmond. only ten so into the high
school. OF the ten that enter the
high school. only two graduate. OF
the graduates, only forty per cent
continue their education in other IN
situations of learning. 1t Is n sad
thing to contemplate that out of every
hundred children that enter these dis
triCt schools, ninety eight OF them tall
10 get even d high school education.
The boys and girls run about even
for the first four years, In the gram
mar grades there are flfty-et girls
in each hundred pupils In the high
school. including the graduating
class. the girls outnumber the boys by
two to one. Now just here we reach
a point at which Richmond falls sad
ly down.
The best that any system of what
we call education can do for the in
diWduaI is 10 develop and train his
mental machinery so that he can run
1t by himself to good advantage, and
to teach him how to find his place in
the books / have told you that
ninety-eight of each hundred children
that enter the district schools do not
go through the high school, and thus
they start out in life with a serious
handicap. To the two who stick it
out We give a diploma, an affection
ate good bye, and we tell them they
must now strike out and swim for
themselves, yet we provide no water
for them to swim in, but, instead. We
throw them overheard into the sands
of the desert.
Library IL Needed.
'If even one Of them has gained &
thirst for knowledge, it. may not be
Quenched at any well provided by us;
and the other ninety eight are in q
hopeless fix indeed. for to our shame
ii is said that Richmond is the largest
city in the United States without u
public library. How long shall we
have to explain and apologize for our
lack of one2 How long shall we con-
tnue 10 give stones TO those who beg
for bread2 Let us hope that this fit
ting and necessary CapStonc TO our
educational system viii soon material
iHe through the united efforts of all
Of those who appreciate its necessity.
If this school, Is 10 fulh1 our hope
fdl expectations, il win strengthen
and broaden and deepen the minds
and characters Of its pupils 1t will
teach them 10 he tolerant aympa-
thetiC and charitable. 1t will teach
them 90 think and speak Of Richmond
as nay city, 10 regard her as be
longing to them: TO treat her as some
thing worthy OF their highest consid-
t5Eatinn au1 tenderest regard f;ehd to
+a&raaSsd ahe,SsffsrG from ~ hers, 10 con-
slider all questions involving her wei
( fare uninFiuenced by personal interest,
passion, prejudice or personal friend
ship FL viii train them in the virtues
OF good citizenship and patriotism. 1t
+ %-44 4--5te hem to live as If they were
proud of their city, and SO as to make
their city proud Of them
Oldest Richmond school.
When the new Bellevue is com
uleted it viii represent an eXpendi-
rur" of 81 10000. IT will contain
twenty -four rooms and win have an
galtorum capable OF seating one
thousand people.
TeIEeVuc Is the Oldest public school
building in the city. The old building
~lN bee continued in service for some
months. The old building at twenty
th.rd and Broad, streets. was built in
From its start the rooms were crowd
ed rs there were 40 other school
buildings in that section (Church
Bid of The city.
jefferson, Springfield and Chimbo-
ra1o schools have sprung from old
j. Bellevue All II them are now on
the verge Of charging Chin boraZo
has enlarged once. and a new build
ing is projected for Springfield
, while stiil another new school Ia To
be built within reasonably short
time
oakwond school for which Coun-
? Gilman Sullivan is working faithfully
wili be one az The latest offsprings
from old Bellevue.
The site IL the new Bellevue is that
Of the old and historic Van Lew prop
ertr. Mrs. Van Lew was postmaster
Of Richmond ia reconstruction days
, and WAS during the strife between
the states, MON spy, The old
hou&o, which was demolished To give
room for the school building, was The
} rendezvous ot the scouts and spies
and il n said that many a plan Of
the Confederates Was sent TO the
other side after consultations in the