The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-05
VIRGINIA SCHOOLS
SHOWING PROGRESS
Both Revenue and Number Of
1 Scholars Are Increasing
Rapidly.
STEARNEs MAKES R.
REPORT
Among Important Recommends
tons Is One for Coordinate
College for Women.

STEADY growth in both school rove
nues and the number OF scholars in
Virginia last year Is shown In the an
nual report Of State Superintendent of
Public Instruction r. c. Stearnes for
the scholastic year of 1911-1912 The
public school income for the year was
S5.616964.16. an increase Of s446,3SO.52
over the preceding year. The total
school enrolment was 409,397 an in
crease of 1900. Paradoxically, the
number of schoolhouses In the state
has been decreased by 557 since 1906,
ana at the same time. the number Of
schooirooms has grown by 1902.
School Revenues. :.
The report shows that the States
public school income during 1e11-1e12
was s561696416. Il net gain of SAG
3So.52 for the year. and q net annual
gain Of s3.1s4.S61.71, as compared with
1906. In 1905 Vireinia's total revenue
for schools was s2.4321O245. In 1912
that amount was spent and s75941O64
besides on teachers salaries alone. In
addition there was spent s1.142,s92.11
on good school buildings. compared
with s2s2,030.55 in 1905.
The State now spends 80 per capita
IN preparing our boys and girls for
lie" Washington and California
spent s32 and s27 respectively.
or the entire revenue for 1912. ST.
oo',o' 20 WAS derived from state funcS,
and s3,74T.2G71O from local funds
In 1912 the State spent .s2O.7s5.s2 in
architects fees, mainly for large build
ings, as the department furnished
plans for two. three. four. six and
eight-room school houses free of cost
Ind System OF Accounting.
Exonerating the officers. Superin-
tendent Stearnes criticises the loose
and complex system Of settling local
school accounts The department. can
not Interfere In the matter under the
law. yet 1t Is often blamed for errors
made. In 1912 the county treasurers
received s1o3o56.74 and the city treas
school funds. From local county
funds, division superintendent received
only $50, 0.91-one- third of what the
treasurers received.
More than 30 per cent OF the division
superintendent are now classed as ex-
pcrts in supervision.
School Houses.
In 1906 there were In use 1890 school
houses. with o.22S rooms: In 1912. s.
T43 school-houses. with 10.730 rooms
57f less houses, with 5O2 more rooms
During the same period the enrolment
Increased 3s.es7. and the average daily
attendance 35.79T. There are SOFA
one-room schools in Virginia
Virginia is now spending $1,000, 600
annually on school-houses. as COM
pared with only about s250,0O00O in
1905.
School age in the State is from sew
en- to twenty years.
The school population in 1910 was
616,l6s; tho enrolment 409,3s7. In
1913 there was an increase In both
enrolment and attendance Of 1900.
There are $1,000 white persons above
ten years Of age and $4,000 colored
persons who can neither read nor write.
During the seven years preceding
July. 1912. Virginia had established 800
new high schools and the enrolment
had Increased from about $500 to H.
. $50.
In 1911-1912 the State supported de-
partments of agriculture. manual train
Ing, and domestic science in ten high
! schools and departments OF normal
training In twerty-three high schools.
Normal Training.
Normal training department fur
nished the State SOC teachers. Two
hundred and sevcnty-eight pupils pur-
sued normal training courses in 1911
II. The cost to the State was only
100000.
The State of Virginia contributes