The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-13
.PRESCRIDES ELECTION
OF SUPtRhTtkDtkTS
school Heads From July
to March.
INCUMBENTs APPLICANTS
VIII Place Oficials Closer tn the Poo
pie, L. tho Opinion of senator Byrd
ON subject.

/ The Legislature has passed bill
which completely changes the method
and time for the election Of division
superintendent OF schools The hill
passed the Senate late in the after
noon. and after il had passed there
was an effort 10 have II reconslderei,
but this failed in the wild rush to got
through pet measures.
Tho bill came from the house, Mr.
Valentine patron, and there was an
explanation OF the measure. which
members did not appear to realize
till after 1t had been passed Then
the members became concerned and
began to move for a reconsideration
Senator Jeffreys led the hght, but in
the scramble to get the financial
measure and the appropriation bill
through and approved the recousid-
Grafton was lost
School superinteudents are to be
chosen i'm March OF each year instead
OF in July, as has been the custom.
The present members or officers are
d u W. fbiiSlNttttt On apIk4NSFAtN, huk
when new men offer they are To pro-
duce records Of service as school
teachers and having had experience
in dealing with the schools
one provision OF the bill Is that
when the board shall be unable to
elect man at the time designated
hat the county or division affected
shall forthwith he attached to some
other division in which there is q
superintendent.
Senator Byrd Is OF the opinion that
the effect of the bill will be to place
tne superintendents closer TO the peo-
Pile that the Superintendent of Public
Instruction will be held responsible
for the selection of proper men, he
being the man who generally makes
ever. that the board has to elect, and
the superintendent has only one vote
In making q selection Of division sup
/ erintendent The bill in fun is az fol-
lows
BE it enacted by the General Assem-
! bly, OF Virginia. that section 1887 of
| the Code be amended and re-enacted
/ SO as TO read as follows.
! Section 1897. within thirty days he
| fore April J, 1917, and every four years
/ thereafter. the State Board OF Educa-
zion shall, subject 10 the confirmation
% the. Senate. appoint one division
superintendent Of schools for each
81 hooi division that the State board
may, in Its discre ton, establish aC-
+ rnrding to law. provided that no Fed
al officer, except "A fourth class post
master, no supervisor, or county or
state officer. except a notary public
/ 81 any deputy OF said officers shall be
+ chosen OF allowed to act as division
/ 81 nj o. pF In, Et
! that the state BOARD OF Education fails
/ to elect division superintendent for
each division on or before April of tho
! wear in which said election is due to
take place, the division superintendent
of schools then in office for each al
vision in which the board fails 10 elect
according to law shall be declared
elected for the succeeding four years
from July OF said year, provid sd
/ he is an applicant. In the event the
! board fails TO make in the time speci-
J fled an election In any school division
/ where the former superintendent is
rot an applicant. either because of a
deadlock or the lack OF duly quail.
fed applicant. the board is instructed
10 attach said division to some ono
OF the adjacent school decisions. The
board shall not consider for division
i superintendent of schools any man who
teachers license the equivalent Of a
I FIRST grade certificate, or who has al
ready held the Office of division SUI
I irr-r-tfrt~frdrfrt1- or who has NOT been i
teacher for such number OF years as
the board may designate and In ordrr
that an applicant for tho position OF
diNj sion superintendent max know
! what qualifications are required of
him. tho state Board OF Education is
/. ; ,,II at &C..
Gay OF February Of the year in which
SAID election is to take place, a state
mcnt showing the minimum Qual|fI-
cations for the position OF division
/ superintendent OF schools, hich state
mcnt shall be furnished 10 all appl
cants on request.
Tho term OF ofiice Of said division
superintendent shall be -four years
FROM the first day Of July following
4 hjs appointment.
Tho office of any division supcrin-
tendent shall be deemed vacant upur
the refusal of the senate TO confirm
his nomination. his removal from thu
division for which he WAS appointed,
his engaging in any other business OK
I employment during his Term OF office
ns such superintendent, unless such SUI
perinteudent shall have been accepte !
under the provisions of subsection J.
OF section 1898 on the Nbut % tEiHisA
! as amended. his resignation or his re-
lnoval from ONCE by the state Board
, Of Education. Every division supsrin-
tendent. before entering upon the dis
charge OF the duties OF his office. shall,
take and subscribe the oath prescribed
/ for all officers OF the State, which
/ oath shall be made and subscribed be-
! fore circuit or corporation court
having jurisdiction In his division. or
L.
z! vacation Az soon the oath shall
I have been taken, subscribed and Ger
tihed a minute of the fact shall So
/ entered IN the records OF said courr,
and certificate OF the clerk settinE
+ nth the qualification and it's record
shall be furnished the superintendent
! % public instruction for record In
I, his office.