Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-11-30
SCHOOL EXPERTS
HOLD CONFERENCE
Educators From All Parts of
Virginia Take Part in
Meeting.
REPORTS SHOW PROGRESS
Distinguished Speakers on Pro-
gram at City Auditorium
Tonight.
REPORTS SHOW PROGRESS

O-lNlRnt.
With registration Yesterday totaling
1000. or 300 ahead Of the second day
last year. tho clcvcntli annual meeting
of the Nirc inia Educational Confer
"nce now going on in Richmond bids
fair to outstrip all its predecessors IN
attendance. just as it's program has al
ready given promise Of being the best
ever presented At AN annual educa
tional gathering in this State Com
'pletc registration figures last year
showed 2,30o in attendance.
Conference directors are confident
that that figure viii be passed to-day
and placed far behind by tho time the
conference closes tomorrow night. j.
T. fcntress, chairman OF the commit
Toe on registration. estimated last
night tina, at least 1000 delegates had
been registered Yesterday. Three
clerks were busy all day Yesterday en-
. rolling visitors and supplying them
with conference badges and informa-
'ion.
After several Simultaneous depart
mental meetings this morning and a
light program this afternoon. the prize
attraction OF the whole meeting viii he
presented at Sis o'clock this evening
In tho City Auditorium. Governor
Henry Carter stuart will preside;
President Charles G.. Maphis. Of the
State Teachers Association. viii make
his annual address. and John Ken
drck Bangs. OF New York. viii deliver
his lecture. we. Us and co" \ quarter
n' Richmond singers and the Phi!har-
monic Association will give a concert.
BINFOHD ADVOCATES
m q
Yesterdays program included the
meeting AZ $50 o'clock in the audi
torium Of John Marshall High school.
AZ which Dr. Douglas :. Freeman and
j H. Rinford spoke; the twelve de-
partmontal meetings held Simuitane-
ously from . until 3:4o o'clock ycster-
day afternoon: tho meeting Al o'clock
yesterday afternoon. at which Mayor
George Aiuslic welcomed the vittors
to the city. and Professor Edwin NJ.
Hopkins. OF the University OF Kansas.
and Associate Professor Thomas II.
Briggs. of Columbia University. spoke:
and the meeting at s:l5 o'clock las,
night. AT which State Superintendent
r. &. Stcarncs and pr. George II
benny. president OF he University of
Alabama. made addresses
Mr.. Hinford Assistant Superin,cn-
dent OF tn" Richmond Public schools,
speaking yesterday morning on THE
Next Step in Public E!ucation." ad-
vocatcd a minimum school term OF
seven months throughout the state tho
passage OF AN effective compulsory
education law by til next Leg islaturc.
and the making OF "a thorough survey
OF the entire public school system OF
Virginia Dr Douglas :. Freeman
spok. on The Relation Of Public
Schools to Good Citizcnship"
HIGH SCHOOi. CADETS
GIVE: ENHiBITI0N DRILi
The trustees and supcrintcndcnts de-
carcd at their meeting Yesterday
morning that they would rccomm end
that all teachers in tho State be given
holiday annually on tho Wednesday
' of conference week. in order that they
might attend the meeting. The meas
urc was proposed Tuesday at the meet
ing OF the executive committee OF the
state Teachers Association
The John Marshall High School
F.. cadet Corps. 215 strong. gave an OK
hibtion drill in complet" rcEalis at
1875 o'clock yesterday morning in the
Grays Armory.
All school officers. teachers. prin-
cipais and delegates to the conference
were entertained at luncheon at 1880
o'clock yesterday in tho Blues Armory
by tho merchants of Richmond. \
total Of 900 attended the luncheon st
similar entertainments given during
the conference last year. 500 were
present. The Virginia School Supply
Company entertained the visiting su-
pcrintendcnts. trustees and supervisors
, Al the same hour Yesterday with n
luncheon at their building. Meadow and
Marshall Streets. More than 400 were
present.
MAYOR NINSIlf;
EXTENDS WELCOME
Mayor George Ainslic yesterday af-
ternoon extended a cordial welcome to
the state Teachers Association and
members of allied organizations
Richmond welcomes the associa-
lion" nc said because we have como
TO realize the enormous Importance of
the association to the present and the
future welfare of the State IT has
not been 90 long ago when teaching
was considered to hc just respectable
duty for women who had to make a
living. without any special thought be-
ing given to training. aptitude and
adaptability. 1t la different now We
spend on those who enter the teach
ing profession Il great dcal of time
and labor in preparing them for n
work than which there is none more
important. In Richmond the time has
come when We are putting forth
:, greater effort and more money in pro-
y vidinG teaching staffs and modern
equipment for our schools. In the last
budget more than % per cent OF the
funds. after tho fixed charges had been
provided for. was devoted to the
schools. Four years ago tho amount
spent was only 13 per cent of the
budget"
USE OF SCHOOLS As
COMMUNITY CESTERS
The Mayor advocated the use of tho
school buildings as community ccntcrs.
at Ia fo,