Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-01
EVENT marks MILESTONE
IN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
Cornerstone Is Laid OF James Bar
bOur School. in
Orange.
FOR DISTINGUISHED MAN
One Hundred Years Ago Governor
Barbour Laid Foundation OF State
Literary Fund, From Which Loans
Are Made for Erection OF Schools.

Comparatively unnoticcd by pub
lie absorbed with the news of war and
politics. there occurred in Orange
County few days ago an event
which marked milestone in the
history OF Virginia's public school
system In itself the event was
of purely local Significance. 1t was
nothing more than the laying of the
cornerstone Of the James Barbour
High School. which took place with
Masonic ceremonies At Barboursvillo
on September -.
The Significance of the event in its
broad aspect lies in the fact the new
high school will be built on land for
merly owned by Governor james Bar
bour, the Father of the Literary
Fund" and two-thirds Of the cost Of
tn: building will be met from the pro-
ceeds of loan from that fund. While
the Literary Fund was established by
an act passed February 2. 1910. il did
not begin to bear fruit in the form
OF actual appropriations Of money until
1916. and the cornerstone laying in
Orange County few days ago of n
new school made possible by this fund
was Il genuine celebration of the con-
'cnarv Of its establishment
LOAN CAPITAL AT INTEREST
FOR ERECTION OF SCHOOLS
For century this permanent en-
dowment has aided vitality tho cause
Of popular education III Virginia. Ten
years ago the state began TO use the
capital of this fund for the purpose
Of making loans for the erection of
school houses.
On July Is. 1916. Second Auditor
Roosevelt Page wrote to Emmett Ram
Kim clerk of the Luray Corporation
District School Board, as follows:
In acknowledging the receipt of the
ma, ,-,,1nt f,f Nc. LAG Il I,I,
district to the Literary Fund for the
loan made August 90. 1906. l take
pleasure in referring to the fact that
this is the final payment upon the first
loan made to any school district in
the Commonwealth under the wonder
full school loan act under which near
~ Sl,51o.00o has been thus lent and
which represent, therefore. about s3.-
1oo,oou. which has been applied to
school buildings OF the Commonwealth
since 1906 the date OF this act"
EGGLEsTON WRITES OF
GROWTH OF SCHOOLS
Mr.. Page sent me a copy of this
letter because he thought IL would
interest me" said Superintendent of
Public Instruction Stcarncs yesterday.
- was greatly Interested, and sent n
copy OF the letter to former Supcrin-
tcndcnt j. D. Eggleston, who would,
thought. also be greatly interested.
My rcward\for sending thisN cominun
cation To my distinguished predeces-
sor was delightful letter. from -hich
/ quote as follows:
THE copy Of your letter of July
20 TO MIR. Page is most interesting. 7
can but repeat your statement that
when one thinks what that act has
meant To the public schools of Nir-
ginia a kind Of wonder and amaze
mcnt fills ones soul.
Your further statement that the
value Of school property in Virginia
since 1906 has Increased from S4.297,-
CPS To Si5,035,G00," is calculated to have
the same effect This is a sufficient
answer 10 the question, whether the
people Of Virginia are Interested in
the education of their children. II
am not mistaken. the revenues for the
support Of the schools have increased
in like proportion.
"four letter and Mr. Pages have
brought back flood Of memories.
This is not the time 10 write n de-
tailed account Of the movement that
led TO the tapping OF the literary fund.