The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-25

tne tnouSAnOS ana tens Oh tiiouooH"S,
and I am quite sure that our average
attendance of $4,000 last year would
have been 100000 II the school plant
had been large enough to provide
comfortable seating and hygienic
breathing
But someone will ask: Did not
the Legislature OF 1914 greatly in
crease your revenue? The Legis!n-
ture OF 1914 thought 1t was giving
the public schools additional funds
to the extent of 100000, but In the
actual experiences OF last year we
found that our State revenue was in
creased only $173.922.25. This, with
an increase in local revenues amount
ing to sl?1.5os.s6. gave us a total
increase in revenue of $365,420.6i.
our revenue for l91A-f5 being So
S23.451.29 as compared with s6.458.-
02O.6S for 1913-l4. But in the mean
time what was happening In the
schools?
Enrolment Breaks All Records
1.-THE enrolment of session 1871 S."
continued the State superintendent
/ will long remain as o landmark In our
educational history The increase was
more than $4,000. and the very best
record of any former years since 1872
was surpassed by a gain which was
80 per cent greater than the gain of
that previous best year. The increase
In enrolment in 18S3-4--the largest
increase prior to 1a14-15-was 49,
G7o, the increase for 1914-15, as above
stated was more than $4,000. / re-
greet that we cannot give the exact
figures, as two or three Of the local
reports are unavoidably delayed on
account OF Illness"
Marked Increase In Enrolment.
After touching briefly on a method
by which he hopes to see the State
school funds increased $500. 900
within the next year. AIR. Stearnes
said
I'm 1eI2-1s our increase in en-
rollment was 1919; In I913-14. f5,-
o29. and last year ii was over $4,000.
This makes total increase in three
years OF more than $1,000 pupils. Our
enrolment now is about 100000; in
f9I1-i2 II was 40eS25. II the DIFF
ference between these two numbers.
which is our increase for three years.
he subtracted from the smaller NUM-
her. the result will be 34s,S25. which
does not differ materially from 34s,-
All. the enrolment for session 1892
90
1T appears. therefore, that the pub
lie school system OF Virginia has in
creased its enrolment as much In the
past IITff Years a. uuTtir tisG VAN~
ceeiing nineteen years.
additional Revenue Required.
what additional revenue rs needed
10 take care of this increase In en-
rollment? Let us@ see how much ad-
dit:onal revenue was required for the
same increase in enrolment between
sNa-a3 and tstl-l2 The total school
revenue OF 1928 was sl.T9s.l5T. 30.
that Of, lstlI2' was s5.sI6.ss4 I 8. the
increase was sass. s06.2s. The in
crease from 'a11-t2 To 1al4-f5 was
only t1,2o6, 4sa.l3. 1t thus appears
that our increase I'm revenue has not
rolIment. 10 say nothing of provid
ing for increased efficiency in the
schools and broader fields Of effort.
Facts sbout school Revenues.
Not only in enrolment" continued
Mr.. Stesrnes, bat also in attendance,
IN the development Of the teaching
force. OF the content OF the curfica
lun1, ~ the co-ordinated activities of
teachers and patrons. and in every
other respect save increase of revenue.
Virginia has surpassed all previous
records during this eventful session
Of 19ts-t5." And then. \ moment
iater, ne explained the pressing need
Of additional funds by saying:
"0ur annual school revenue in 1906
was se432.f02 in 1905. s3.4T3,-
o4stt. In 1909, s4.3S5.7S45a. in 1911.
Ss,17o.5s3 in 1913. ss,0ai ssl. 40:
in 1915. ss.s2s.45i.2a. The respective
increase in the order named are ST.
0400454s; sai273s.os; s7s47es.1i:
ss2l,297.s5. s73i.6sas0 The las, Of
these five increases IL gratifying. Of
course bat YOU will observe that 1t
is the smallest biennial enlargement
since 1905. The truth about the mat
ter is, that local ievies have almost
reached their limit, and the State
must come TO the rescue"
After expressing his qualification at
the passa sc Of the statute of 1914,
which admits children or six years
to school under certain conditions,
Mr.. Stearnes mentioned by name cer
tain counties which have increased
their schoo, enrolment.
Illiteracy Wonderfully Reduced.
II was when he came to the sub
ject of illiteracy--or rather OF Eir-
ginia's great work in reducing her IL
literacy--~that the State superinten2-
ent waxed most enthusiastic. After
cordially commencing the efforts of
those who have done so much TO help
remove this blot from the fair name
of the. Commonwealth. Mr.. Siearnes
said:
we know that the Whitc tlitcracy
I'm this State, between ten and twenty
years of age, has been reduced from
24.52f to less than $4,000, and the
colorcd illiteracy between ten and
twenty years Of age. from 1924 to
less than 10000.
IT here is no reasonable doubt of
our bringing the State TO the New
England basis of illiteracy before the
United States census of 1920 is taken.
In Virginia there are many districts
in which not a single youth is unable
to read and write,
II have said something about Vir-
ginia illitcracy az compared with the
New England rate of illiteracy. I
make statement now that will tax
your faith in our ability to compute
averages to the very utmost. If one
chooses ten counties in the great State
of Massa chusetts having the lowest
rate OF illiteracy. according to the
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