The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-01-01
'STfARnES TELLS HOW
EDUCATION HAS GROWN
lDuose1ntendents' Requirements De-
Nnod BY Law, and Provisions
Made for Adequate Salaries.
COLLEGE MEN SUPERVISE
Many New Courses Instituted in
schools During Recent Years,
Whereby Child 1t Fitted to Take
On station in Life.

Just what Virginians are doing for
the education of their children. and
what prospects the new year holds
In store for the further development
OF tho school system In this State.
has been told by r. c. Stearnes, SUI
psrintendent of public instruction.
Mr.. Etearnes deals in a reminiscent
way with the situation of education
facilities In the Old Dominion, giving
q word Of deserved praise to the forces
which are working with him to bring
education to it's highest efficiency
throughout the Commonwealth.
II can never resist the temptation
to tell virginians what they are doing
or have DONE" said Mr.. Stearnes, be
cause that is the one sure way of
getting them to do greater things
A judicious word of praise Justly be-
slowed opens the door of progress
here, a. elsewhere. while an injudi-
cious word of criticism closes every
avenue Of approach to the hearts of
our people.
AT the present moment my mind
10 dwelling on the work of our edu-
catlonal forces. particularly on that OF
division superintendents. The time
= fast approaching when the superin-
tondents must give quadriennial ac-
count OF their stewardship under { n =
fair to them and sometimes merci-
fai rto them and sometimes merci-
lossly cruel.
Requirements of SupcrintcndentsA
First of all, permit me to speak
OF the minimum requirements for the
position of division superintendent.
The recent regulations prescribing
such requirements have created some
INTERPRETATION as to the purpose
OF this new movement in education.
EFT has been soberly asserted that
the object OF the regulations was to
render many of the superintendent
now in ONCE ineligible TO succeed
themselves. Aside from the fact that
the regulations state explicitly that
satisfactory service on the part of In
cumbents in itself renders them ell
gible to reappointment without re-
card to our new rules. the State would
hardly stultify itself by declaring, in
effect. that the men who have been
making history which We are con-
tinualiy boasting of are TO large
extent or in large measure unfit for
the positions they occupy.
Indeed" said Superintendent
Stearnes. "the new regulations to Sc
cure more effective supervision are
but the outcome of twenty-three years
of effort on the part OF the division
DupefinteuueNtS tHSulscifes. anu ef0AS
step In the approach to adequate pro-
fe&sional supervision has been sug-
gested either by division supvrtn-
tendent or by an ex-division superin-
I tendent.
Nearly a quarter Of century ago
the division superintendent drew up
q petition addressed to the Legisla-
ture asking that they be required TO
devote their entire time to the duties
OF their Office and to qualify them
selves professionally for the positions
they occupied. This was done Mt a
time when modern school administra-
ton was absolutely in It's infancy as
affecting State or county school sys-
TENS. At the time this petition was
presented one of the highest educa-
tional authorities In the State--a man
whose support was necessary TO the
snccess OF the plans reported 10