The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-06-08
WV. EDWARDS CHOSEN
TERRELL'S SUCCESSOR
Vacant State School Inspcctorship
Goes TO Man Who Made Good In
Sussex and Southampton.
ovERoAME GREAT OBSTACLES
Met Situation At HopeweIi and City
Point In q Manner Which Indicated
He Had the Qualities Necessary TO
Go Up Higher.

! The division school superintendents,
who concluded three days confer
ence in Richmond yesterday after
moon. were greatly pleased just De-
fore their adjournment when state
Superintendent r, c. Stearnes an
nounced that he had decided to pro-
mote one of their number to the State
school inspectorship recently made va
cant BY the death of Mr.. John B. Ter
rell
This honor. Mr.. stearnes said would
be bestowed upon Supt. W. W. Ed
wards, the present head of the di-
vision composed Of Prince George and
Sussex Counties. The nomination of
Mr.. Edwards is subject to the con-
frmation of the State Board Of Edu-
cation, which will meet shortly to act
upon the matter. Mr.. Edwards Will
assume charge Of his new duties as
soon as he can conveniently arrange
his affairs In the district from which
he retires.
The new school inspector, though
only forty-flve years old, Is what may
be called a veteran educator. Aside
from four years experience as
teacher in Sussex and Southampton
division superintendent The work in
his division has grown rapidly under
the administration of Mr.. Edwards.
In Sussex each district now has
splendid high school, and although
one-room schools reigned supreme
I eight years ago in Prince George,
when that county was made part
of the division, there was not at that
time single high school in the coun-
| ty. 1t now has four of these insti-
tutions and one six-room graded
school, which, according to its pa
irons, is "as good as the best"
Met Difficult Obstacles.
Mr.. Edwards has shown his ability
tn meet difficult situations by the mas
terly work recently done by him at
Hopewell and City Point. When the
powder manufacturing town sprang
up almost in day 1t had only single
| one-room school with but a single
teacher and seventeen pupils. Mr..
Edwards funds at that time were
about commensurate with the school
attendance OF that particular terri
tory. He was able. however. to de-
wise means by which Hopewell might
be furnished with two commodious
school buildings that now offer edu-
cational facilities to eight hundred pu-
pills The training OF these youngsters
is in the hands of twenty experienced
teachers and the school system In the
new municipality is moving like clock
work. This gratifying result Mr.. Ed
wards was able to achieve in large
measure through the cordial support
accorded him by the officials OF the
Dupont Powder Company. There
were times. however, last fall when
all of his ingenu' y was taxed to meet
the situation.
While MIR. Edwards is familiar with
all branches of educational work he
has made a notable success of the
high schools In his division; more
over. he has kept thoroughly abreast
tof modern educational thought.
The new inspector was educated at
Richmond College, from which insti-
tuition he was graduated with the de-
gress Of p. "A. in 1898. Not content
with the scholarship thus acquired, he
has for seven summers attended the
| lectures given at the University of
Virginia
Mr., Edwards work In preparing
courses OF study for his division has
elected special commentator In the
past. year ago his predecessor. the
lamented Mr. Terrell reported after
visit to Prince George and Sussex
| that those two counties had the best
systematized work he had found in
! the State.