Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-24
EDUCATORS BEGIN
STATE CONFER
Bourland Addresses Directors on
the Advantages of Community
School for Rural Districts.
REPORT STRIKES KEYNOTE
Virginia Teachers Will Indorse
Minimum Salary Law and
Longer School Term.

SchOol that VIII be at once the Social
educational and Industrial center OF the
community in which IT is situatcd-is
likely to come I'm for :, large share Of
tho attention of the Virginia Educa-
tional Conference. which meets here to-
day in tenth annual session. Already
the question has hccn discussed at some
length by the board OF directors of tho
conference, which held a session yes
tcrday afternoon at Murphy's Hotel
and by a number of district nupcrin-
tendents, school trustees. officers Of tn.
Co-Opcrative Educational Associations
and their invited guests who met the
board OF directors at an Informal
luncheon just before the committees
regular session.
y. T.. Bourland, of Washington. sec
'-tAry OF the Southern Educational
Conference. was the principal srcakcr
at the luncheon. and delivered a force.
full address on the many advantages
that would. Of necessity, accrue To thc
rural district with tho community
school. Mr.. Bourland drew his lessons
from the system which is in vogue in
Germany. where all farm life aud com
munity activity Is centcrcd around tho
village school. which even serves as
banking institution To its rural patrons.
COMMUNITY sCHooILIoUsE
AS RURAL SOCIAL CENTER
Throughout n large portion of Nir-
ginia, especially in the undcvelopcd
mountain sectionsS the one-roo.n school
house. a relic of a less progressive time,
is stu the one fountain OF Knowledge.
Mr.. Bourland, in common with great
majority oi prcsent-day educators.
would have these little rcd school
houses on the hill" wherever prac-
ticable. give way 10 a nodcrn!yr COZ
structcd four-room building--a place
suitable to serve as the meeting mouse
Of the entire community. come together
In social intercourse or I" discuss prob
icms relative to It's industrial l.tc.
AS an addition to the school prop
erty, MIR. Bourland would hav. the
State purchase n tract of land OF from
I've to nifty acres, which would serve
the triple purpose OF home ,or the
principal. a school demonstration farm
and community experiment station
\ banking fcature--a system by which
the school would receive savings de-
posts and transfer them TO tho custody
OF local bank-would he thinks.
materially encourage n spirit OF thrift
both among ,hc pupils and the com
munity at large.
Recommendations ia the annual re-
port OF the board OF directors OF the
Virginia Educational Conference. adopt
ed yesterday in executive session, will
constitute the keynote OF the convcn-
tion's deliberations. and are Of more
than passing interest TO the public at
large. This report will be submitted
TO the educators toward the latter part
OF the week. and. unless custom is
broken. will hc adopted in its en-
iirety.
FOR LOCAL OPTION CLAUSE
As TO COMPULSORY EDUCATION
Tho board puts itself on record as
favorinE the present method of local
option in the matter OF compulsory
education suggesting. however, that
the law he SO changed or amended as
TO compel the attendance at school
OF children between the ages of eight
and twelve years for the entire school
session. instead of lat least twelve
weeks" as the statute now provides
Any school division I'm the State un-
der the Virginia statute. may at any
time adopt by election of the qualified
voters the compulsory education pro-
vision.
The board also favors an increase of
tho state school tax real estate
and tangible personal property from 10
cents on the 800 to 20 cents the pro-
ceeds to be apportioncd on the basis
Of school population. and suggests a
local tax of so cents on the 500 i'm
every county and district in tie State
y general appropriation OF at least
S1.5O0O00 from the State treasury to
be used for general educational pur-
poses Is also recommended.
The board will ask that the con-
ference importunc the next General
Assembly for an Increased appropria-
tion for the Teachers Retirement
Fund. this year having found deflc;
in that fund so largo rs to threaten
reduction in the sum paid over
yearly to those teachers who, through
disabilities and intirmities of age. have
been retired from active duty This
fund was created by an act of the
Legislature in 1908, which provides
that each teacher shall contribute
per cent of his or her yearly salary
toward It's maintenance, the state help
ing WIN an annua, appropriation Of
$4,000 Though the number of retired
teachers has increased from nftv-nyc
to 400 during the seven :ears thar
have elapsed, the State has given no
additional help. The next Lerislature
will be asked to make an annual an
preparation Of $4,000.
WILL ASK FOR LAW
FINING MINIMUM SALARY
An increase in teachers salaries Is
also urged by the board OF directors.
Efforts Will probably bo made to have
the Legislature enact n minimum sal
airy law, fixing $40 rs the lowest sal
ary to be paid holder Of a first-gradc
certificate. The Importance OF n school
torn OF at least seven months In every
Continued on Fifth Page)
s11.Bo New York and Return.