The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-19

uted none save the purest of motives
to the Mapp amendment increasing .he
Appropriation for common schools, the
move had every appearance of a play
to the gallery of public opinion. Mr..
Echols yesterday urged strenuously
that the appropriations measure was
equable and fair and asked the sem
ate to vote against the amendment.
Mr.. Mapps amendment provided Tor
an increase of $4,000 in the common
school appropriation. The senate
turned down the amendment by a vooe
of 20 to IA.
Mr.. Blanks. who would have voted
for the measure. was paired with Mr..
Wendenburg, who was absent.
Messrs. Blanks and Mapp led the
fight for the adoption of the amend
ment, declaring that in the distribu-
ton of the appropriations for schools
the institutions of higher education
had been favored and that the appro-
prfattorfs were neither fair nor eaHabie.
Mr.. Mapp denied that he was &C
tuated by other than a spirit OF fair
play between the schools and colleges.
He declared that he did not want to
line up the common schools against
the colleges. He merely desired TO
do the greatest good to the greatest
number and believed under the APP
preparation as recommended by the
were not getting a square deal.
Means No Reelection.
ct don't mean to reflect on the com
mittee" said Mr.. Mapp. l believe the
committee has done what In its judg-
ment is right and proper. However
II do want to show that while every
institute of higher learning in the
State had a representative before the
finance committee the public schools
had none
THE figures themselves" continued
Mr.. Mapp show that the distribution
of funds Is unequal. The normal
schools have an attendance Of 1850
all told The public schools have an
attendance of nearly half million
Yet the normal school appropriation
is increased far more than the public
school distribution"
There are now continued Mr. Mapp.
"15e, 900 children who do not attend
school because they have no schools
to which they can go. This is the
figure for white and black. There are
40 600 white children who do not go
to school because they have not school
advantages. 1t is not question OF the
institutions of higher education get
ting too much money, 1t is merely the
fact that the common schools do not
get enough and before we improve the
higher institutions we should at least
provide money for the establishment OF
common schools"
Common school Need Greater.
"If it be necessary" stated Mr..
Map, in answer to question, ito
take from the appropriation for high
er institutions in order to increase
the appropriation for common schools.
then l think that 1t should be done.
If the State has not the money for
common schools 1t should leave the
Improvement of colleges for a later
date"
Mr. Buchanan objected to the amend
ment and showed that the public
schools of the State now received S.
61ess4, and to increase the appropria-
ton for them would take money which
by law Is designed for the expenses OF
maintaining the government.
1T is a practical question" said Mr..
Buchanan. Il do not see how the diyi-
sion of money can be called unfair
when the schools receive over FIVE
and a half million dollars and the
total revenues of the State amount
schools receive more than is appropri-
ated for all other purposes"
Mr.. Echois then rose and earnestly
begged |the senate not to uphold the
Mapp resolution. He said he thought
that his colleagues OF the finance COM
mittee had so clearly met the argu-
ment offered by the proponents of the
amendment that he should not take
up the time of the senate to argue
| further.
This amendment. however. surprised
me-" declared Mr.. Echols. why has
| interest so suddenly developed in re-
gard to the school appropriation? why
did not these gentlemen come when
| the committee sent for them, when
! the school appropriation was under
discussions why wait until the bill
reached the busy floor of this senate
| and then make their hght against
| what they call unfairress to the com
mon schools?
| Like Play to the Gallery,
| Il do not say my friend is actuated
! by any save the purest motives, but
this fight has every appearance OF a
play to the gallery. II the fight had
| been made before the committee the
| people would have not heard of it. The
| people must know who is fighting for
them. and the newspapers will publish
the debates on the floor OF the senate.
when the question OF normal
schools came up in past legislatures
the great cry was for normal schools.
1t was declared that the State needed
I teachers, and that the normal school
was the only solution OF the case.
After one of the hottest fights l can
remember we gave them the normal
schools, two at a time on one occa-
! sion.
These schools are neither properly
equipped nor properly housed. and yet
when the finance committee appropri-
ated money for the erection of build
/ ings and the purchase of equipment
lii Is proposed to cut down the ap-
preparation and give it to the public
schools, which receive more revenue