The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-05
WHAT'S TO BE DONE WITH THE MONEY

WHAT'S TO BE DONE WITH THE MONEY.
The Vrginidn.PiIot labors under misappre
hension II 1t thinks that The Vrgiaidn has ever
regarded IL other than vitality interested in
the public school system OF the State or has ever
believed that IL would oppose as liberal appro
priations as is consistent with the state Of the
public treasury. The Virgindn- Pilot has given
too many instances OF its frendliness to the pub
lie schools and Its desire for more efficiency bet
Ter pay for teachers and wider spread of pub
lie education for any one to attempt TO classify
1t other than a staunch supporter of the
schools
II seems to The Figintan however that It's
Norfolk contemporary entirely ms.onceives the
purport of Mr.. Stearnes announcement that there
are $1,000 children in virginian WAC car neither
read nor write and fails to understand the force
Of that argument for an inc eased appropriation
The Vfginian-Piiot wishes to know whether the
three hundred thousand dollars asked will or
can be applied to the reduction OF lliteracy If
it cannot. it wishes to know why the fact that
there are so many lliterates should be used
in support OF requests for more funds, pointing
out that The Viraniah admits that there are
facilities for more children than attend
school"
II we remember rightly The Virginidn did not
admit" this. 1t stated it as fact to demon
strate that compulsory education would not
necesstate provision OF facilities for all not now
in attendance upon the schools. as some of the
influx resulting from the operations of CON-
: yu dv ha raI for RITZ 10
facilities. This fact however, does not as the
Firainidn-Pilot seems to think, make unneces-
sary extra facilities and does not demonstrate
that an extra allowance would not affect the
problem of iiliteracy and non-attendance
The reason is plain There are now facilities
for more children than attend, II we take the
State as whole. but In many sections there are
not facilities for many as would attend In
rertan counties and even cities the schools are
greatly overcrowded. In certain counties many
are denied the opportunity for education at tho
public expense because there are no schools
within reach because those that have been
three hundred thousand could be devoted to
established already overcrowded That full
increasing facilities and yet there would re-
main some who would lack
Another mistake which the rtrgtnfdn- Pilot
makes. 1t seems to us. is In assuming that the
existence of illiteracy was Mr. Stearnes' sole
/ argument for an increased appropriation. It
was not. Money Is needed to provide other
facilities than those Of buildings. Money is
needed to improve many schools already in
existence. 1t is needed TO secure teachers where
they are too few in number 1t is neeiei for
equipment. whcih would not allow an Increased
attend dance, but would make more thorough the
courses prescribed for those already in attend
ance. Mr.. Stearnes laid stress upon the amount
of iliteracy in the State. 1t is true, but he did
not intimate that all the money would be spent
in districts which lack facilities He did mean,
however, that much of It could and would be
used for that purpose. That was the plain IN
ference to be derived from his words and re-.
membering what we have Just stated that while
In the State, az a whole. facilities are better
than the attendance. in very many places they
are entirely inadequate, we understand why the
money can be used for that purpose.
This condition Is due more to the fact that
the greater portion of the expense OF the pub
lie schools Ia born by the localities One locality
may. as many have done. make provision for
the future and provide greater accommodations
than needed at the time. Another locality may
not even provide for the present. because of lack
OF funds The State money must be distributed
proportionally and that received by the districts
already having sufficient room and enough
teachers would be applied to increasing efn-
cheney while those lacking accommodations
would apply their share to Increasing the number
of teachers and to enlarging and erecting build
-ings
After all Ii seems that eggs can be IN