Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-11-25
INCREASE IN ENROLMENT
Is MOST PHENOMENAL.

Aftcr touching briefly on 4 method
by which he hopes TO sec the State
70 school funds increased 81. 500. 600 Within
4 the next year. Mr. S,earnes said:
In loi2-ls our increase in enroll
men; was lS.ll2; in 1885. 1929. and
last year - was over $4,000 This
makes total Increase in three ycars
of more than Gl 300 pupils our en-
rcllment now Is about so. coo; in lsll-l2
> II was ioo.S25. II the difference be
\ tween these TWO numbers. which IS
our increas" for three years. be sub
tracted from the smaller number. the
result viii be 3iS.S25, which does not
differ materially from 34s.i7i. the en-
! rolimcnt for session 1929.
i II; appears, therefore, that the public
school system Of Virginia has Increased
its enrolment as much in The past
three years as during the preceding
! nineteen years.
What additional revenue is needed
TO take care OF this Increase in enroll =
Iuent' Let us see how much additions
I revenue was required for the same in
crease In enrolment between lss2-s3
and lgll-Io The total school revenue
OF 1928 was si.7eS.l57.sO: thar OF
l3Il-l2 was S5.GlG.964l6; tho increase
was $3.slS,sO6.3G. The increase from
4 Igll-l2 10 l9l+-l5 was only sl,2OG,
| +S"l3 It thus appears that our in
crease in revenue has not kept pace
with the increase in enrolment. TO 81 y
nothing OF providing for increased If
Gciency In the schools and broader
fields OF effort;
4 SURPASSED All.
PREVIOUS RECORDS
attendance. in the development of the
teaching force. OF the content OF the
4 curriculum. of the co ordinated activi-
ties OF teachers and patrons and in
every other respect save increase OF
revenue Virginia has surpassed all
previous records during this eventtul
session OF lal4-lJ.
Our annual school revenue in 1905
was so.43o.lO2.i5; in 1907. s3.473.o4s.41;
in 1909, si.3S5.7S4.50: in 1911, s5.170.-
5s364: in 1918. s6.0oi,s Sl.io: in 1915.
s6S2345l.29. The respective increases
in the order named are: s1.o40.945.46;
selo73oo9; s7s4.799.l4; 1921. c97.S5;
s7Sl,569.So. The last OF these five in
creascs is gratifying, of course. hut
YOU will observe that il is the small
est biennial enlargement since 1905.
The truth about the matter is that
/ local levies have almost reached their
limit and the State must come to the
rescue"
After expressing his qualification at
the passage of the statute OF 1914.
| which admits children OF six years to
school under certain conditions, Mr..
Stearnes mentioned by name certain
counties which have increased their
school enrolment.
PROGRESS IN EMBODIMENT
OF ILIITERACY IN STATE.
II WAS when he came to the subject
Of illiteracy-or rather of Virginia. 3
great work In reducing illiteracy-that
the State Superintendent waXcd most
enthusiastic. After cordially commend
| ling the efforts of those who have done
much to help remove this blot from the
name OF the Commonwealth, MIR.
lStearnes said:
1--WE know that the white illitcracy
Hin this State. between ten and twenty
Ilyears OF age, has been reduced from
24,52l 20 less than 10000, and the col
ored iliiteracy between ten and twenty
4 years of age from 1928 to less than
n 5000.
4 ",There is no reasonable doubt Of our
! bringing the State to the New Eng
Estates census OF 1920 is taken. In Vir-
Ginia there are many districts in
which not a single youth is unable to
read and write.
II have said something about Virginia
/ IillIteracy as compared with the New
England rate OF illiteracy. ! make a
statement now that will tax your faith
In our ability to compute averages to
tho very utmost.
MANY COUNTIES COMPARE
WITH BEST IN NORTH
IF one chooses ten counties In the
d creat State OF Massachusetts having
Tho lowest rate OF illiteracy. according
Ito tho 1910 census, namely, Barnstable,
berkshire, Dukes, Franklin. Hamp-