The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-05

| $4,000 annually to agricultural de-
partments In high schools.
The total number of regular high
| schools in 1911-1912 was 46S, an in
crease OF "a. and the number of pupils
enrolled was 1902. an Increase of
| 1,541.
Teachers.
! The schools were In session G1.s5S
more days in 1911 1912 than in the pre-
| ceding year. II there had been no in
crease in the number of schools this
record would have produced an in
| crease OF nearly six days In length
| OF session. The salaries OF teachers
were increased S252,777.40 In 1911-1912
as compared with 19l0-1911; IL there
bad been no increase In the number OF
| teachers this record would have pro-
| duced an increase of nearly s24 per
| annum in the average salary paid
| teachers. There were 21S new school
rooms opened and S37 now teachers en-
| ployed.
These circumstances SO far absorb
ed and accounted for the increased
number of days the schools were In
session and the larger amount paid
| teachers that the average annual ses
sion was heightened only three days,
and the average annual salary was in
| creased less than S15
| The increased salaries went, as n
rule. to teachers holding the better
| grades of certificates White teachers
holding second and thrd-gradc certih
Gates were paid lower salaries than
the year before. and the same was true
| of colored teachers holding third
| grade certificates.
! The total number of teachers was
11.ol7, and this number. 7,1s5 held
| certificates of rank equal to or
| greater than first grade. This means
an increase of AIS In the number Of
| high class certificates. The number Of
emergency certificates among white
! teachers was diminished by forty
eight. but among colorod teachers. un-
| fortunately, 1t was increased by ninety
| six.
Virginia is now paying her highest
class Of white teachers an average
salary of s546o5 per annum, and the
next class-those holding hrst-grade
or high school certihcates-s32O
| The higher grades of certificates
among colored teachers show CORES
ponding increases and relative
amounts
THE record of our teachers OH the
score of training and professional
spirit" says Superintendent Stearnes.
looms up In grand light when one
studies the twelfth summary. where
we give the number OF college and
normal school graduates who taught
| for us during the session OF 19ll-13l2
Including Lib persons. who. while not
graduates. had nevertheless attended
| college courses for one or more years
we find that nearly 80 per cent of our
teachers had the benefit OF these higher
spheres Of training. The numerical
| Increase over the preceding session
was 1876.
In other words. Virginia had 35 per
| cent more teachers who were specially
trained in 1911-1s12 than in 1910-1911.
| II an average increase OF SIS per an
mum in salary accomplished so much,
what would adequate salaries &C
complish?
II can discover only one weak spot
| in the record Of the teachers. viewing
| it in the large. The subscribers to the
| Virginia Journal of Education during
| the session referred to numbered less
than those of the year before by the
very large difference Of 91S. / wish
| to energize and organize the teachers
| of Virginia. not to enervate or pauper-
ize them. and I say that one OF the sad
! dest sights I ever witnessed was the
response to an appeal for a State
| school journal when only five out or
/ fifty or sixty teachers were willing to
/ subscribe. Those teachers simply did
not know how much they needed that
paper and how much 1t could do for
| them In pecuniary sense"
| Summer Normal Schools.
"The summer normal schools con-
! tinue to grow in numbers and efTicien-
Cyl" continues superintendent Stearnes.
! ''In pursuance OF thes policy insisted
upon by the Legislature of 1906 those
schools have been scattered through
| out the State. We now have twenty
summer schools. and their wide distri-
button probably saves the teachers
$4,000 In railroad fares alone.
Our summer schools are conducted
with the utmost economy. but 1t seems
impossible to bring the total expense
below $4,000. OF this amount the
Legislature furnishes only $4,000. I
renew the recommendation of my pre-
decessor that the State pay the entire
cost, but ] also recommend that the
Department OF Public Instruction be
relieved of the duty Of conducting
| summer schools at the State normal
schools and the University of Virginia.
TT is an anomaly to require the board
Of visitors of a State institution to
conduct Its affairs for ten mcnths and
the to introduce a new management
for what is essentially a summer ses-
| sion Of the same school, with many OF
the same professors. etc"
Recommendations.
In his report, Superintendent Stcarnes
makes the following recommendations:
That the state school funds should
be made equal In amount to the local
school funds, as intended by the State
Constitution.
That the present loose. complex sys-
tenn of settling local school accounts
be changed and slmpllficd.
| That school funds be relieved of the
charge OF treasurers' commissions.
That more supervision be secured
That school age should be from six
TO twenty instead OF from seven to
twenty.
That more money should be appro-
priated for onc-room rural schools.
That the State high school fund
should be increased.
That dormitories should be built for
agricultural high schools. and that the
teachers In these schools should do
extension work
That better salaries should BIO paid
eachcrs.
That the Virginia Journal of Educa-
tion should receive the cordial sup
port of the teachers Of tho state.
That the State should pay the entire