The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-29
.STEARNES REPLIES
TOPRESbYTER|AN
Says State Board of Education.
Did Not Select Tarr's Ply
steal Geography.
ADOPT TEXTBOOKS THIS FALL
Declares That Writer Is Nearly
Ten Years Tardy in Discover
ing Objectionable Feature.

The present state Board of Education
ana not select Tarra New Physical
Geography as = textbook for the pub
lie schools Of Virginia.
The editor OF the PRESBYTERIAN OF
the South is nearly ZEN years tardy in
discovering; an Objectionable feature in
this textbook
The selection of textbooks for the
Virginia schools Will not be made until
late In tn" fall or carly in tho winter
Of this year.
In the foregoing paragraphs the re-
ply of superintendent of Public In
struction II. G. Stearncs to the severe
CRITICISM passed upon the state Board
of Education is summarized. Mr.
Stcarnes has just returned from "A ten
dnEs' trip TO Franklin. Montgomery.
Clarke and Shenandoah Counties
When the comment OF the Presbyterian
ct tho South on the geography that
carries a reference To the Darwiuian
theory OF the evolution Of man from
monkey was shown TO him yesterday
afternoon. Mr.. Strarnes said:
HOARD DID NOT ADOPT
TEXTBOOKS LAST SPRING
'Tarr's New Physical Geography has
been on the approved list of textbooks
In Virginia for nine years. OF longer
ami If during all that time none III the
$1,000 or 1900 orthodox school officials
and teachers OF the State has called
attention to the objectionable para
graph. If none OF the large uercentapc
al taxpayers being Christian men and
women has opened his mouth II IL has
taken the astutc editor OF the Pres
brtcrian OF III" South nearly ten years
TO discover the little fox that has been
SpoiIihS INC vines. perhaps the State
Hoard of Education, AS at present CON
Stituteu, may he excused for a sit,a-
ton which is none Of It's making II &c
doubtless known to every man in tho
state, except the editor OF the Presi,v
t"rian of the South, that the state
Board OF Education refused TO adop,
textbooks last spring because il r,:,I
lied thar enough time had no, been
given TO the many important questions
inNoiNcd. The selection OF textbooks
therefore. was postponed until some
timc tnfs iall or winter Should the
State board votc>to retain the phvsicnl
geography. after n full and cnlirbtcnc,1
consideration of all the facts now
Known or TO lie hereafter disclosed
then the language Of the Presbyterian
Whlch now appears 20 he so intern
perate might ne considered apropos
IN thls connection wish 10 SAY
thai Of making many books there 81
no cnd. ard II ] thought tho speoplc OF
Virginia expected me 10 guarantee that
no objectionable paragraph could IA.
round in tho hundreds of books
am called upon to approve or the
thousands OF volumes that am
Obliged To consider. I should refuse rho
responsibility. l Yield not even to tho
colt"r OF the Presbyterian in nv
orthodox views on the subjects of the
creation and the inspiration of the
scriptures, but ] should be lees than
FRANK If should fail to say that prior
10 the publication OF tho article in IN.
presbyterian of tho South my attention
had never been called TO the parigrtph
In Tarr's New Physical GEOGRAPHY.
fancy my brethren on tho State Board
o. Enucation are In the same posi-
ION"