The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-12-27

voted its attention to the shop rather
than the farm. Vocational educa ton
from state standpoint must place
agriculture first, but we shall do well
to make the shop a close second /
ann glad to hear the committee reject
the idea OF expensive trade schools
even in a city Of this size The COM
mittee stresses the Importance OF con-
tlnuation classes In city life, and now
the State must bring the farm and
the shop closer together We must
get more out OF our manual training
courses in towns and small cities than
we now experience | can think of
half = dozen smaller place. where
evening continuation classes could be
introduced to great advantage
The Best Legislation.
/ have spoken Of our supreme de-
sire to develop a State system OF
schools. We have tested the develop
ment of that system in two ways since
July. 1919 The first test was along
sanitary lines. We asked that two
sanitary outhouses might he provided
for every school in the state. I be-
lieve ! am safe in saying that 30 per
cent of our schools have been thus
equipped Our second test was a
carefully planned. united and concerted
movement to get the children in the
II
enrolment during the present session
equals the estimates made by the di-
vision superintendents on the basis OF
the October and Novem Der enrolment
our total enrolment at the close OF
the present session will reach 4s6T21
an increase of 1886. or II per cent
in three wears, or an increase of more
than $4,000 in one year During no ten
wear period in recent years prior to
T1 4.
equal the actual increase during the
past two years or the probable increase
during the present session.
Under these circumstances feel that
the best legislation to promote voea-
tional training throughout the borders
of this Commonwealth would be four
or five lines in our appropriation bill
giving us enough money to put the
work on the same basis as our high
school work or graded work under the
special acts providing State aid to all
schools In which certain work is In
troduced. or certain equipment pro-
vided This. as | have before indi-
Gated. would stimulate local Initiative
and local levies in both cities and coun-
ties. or course the vocational fund
should be made available in cities as
well as counties, and I have faith to
believe that our tax commission will
provide sources of State revenue that
will enable us to take this advanced
step.
Under all Of the circumstances OF
the ease, my keenest regret is that we
have no State school inspeetor--no ex-
pert, whose duty it would be to study
and direct the vocational side OF our
school life. That is an immediate need.
as ii seems to me. The special inspec-
tors of certification of teachings. OF
high schools. Of agricultural and nor
NAL training courses in high schools,
and Of negro schools are doing such
splendid work that one can almost see
in advance what the inspector OF In
dustrial training would accomplish.
The only question with the state board
4 onc~of ways and means. 0ar sys-
TEN Of organization is so responsive to
wholesome stimuli and the spirit OF our
educational leadership Is so catholic
and progressive that it really seems
remarkable to me that some Aneri-
can millionaire does not endow the
state system with n permanent fund
Of say thirty or forty millions OF dol
lars.
Vireinias latest and best statute on
vocational education reads 40 follows:
l. Re it enacted by the General
Assembly OF Virginia. That the State
Board of Education is hereby author
lied and directed to investigate and to
assist in the introduction OF industrial.
agricultural, househol arts and COM
merciaI education; to aid local school
authorities to initiate and superintend
the esta blishmcnt and maintenance OF
schools and departments Of achools<or
other agencies for the aforesaid forms
of education: IA, inspect such schools