Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-23
VIRGINIA TO PARTICIPATE
IN VOCATIONAL FUND
Committee Recommends Bin Con.
forming to Federal Smith
Hughes Act.
HART OUTLINES HIS PLANS
School Superintendent-Elcc Fayors
Minimum Salary for Teachers.
Conduct Of State Farm Is Sharply
Scored by Delegate Beattic.

In advocacy OF the bill designed TO
make Virginia eligible for participation
in the Federal fund created by the
Smith Hughes act for vocational train
ing. Harris Hart. Superintcndent-E elect
Of Public Instruction. and DR.. ]. 4. G.
Chandler, head OF tho Richmond city
schools. yesterday appeared before the
House Committee on Appropriations
While before the committee Mr. Hart
presented his tentative budget for
state school appropriations for the en-
suing two years.
The h-Hughes act as cxplained
by the two educators. makes available
to Virginia from the Federal govern
mcnt $4,000 this year. $4,000 in 1919.
$4,000 in 1920. and increased sums an
nually until 1929 This sum shall be
used only for training in domestic arts
and in fitting instructors to teach those
acts. For these sums to become avail
able TO Virginia. the bill now under
consideration must become law during
this term OF the Legislature The bin
provides that the State appropriate
amounts equal to those given by the
Federal government. II was reported
favorably.
HART PROPOSES MANY
CHANGES IN DEPARTMENT
Mr. Harris plans for the conduct of
his Office include many changes from
the present system. These he had not
sufficient time to outline to the COM
mittee. He advocates. however, in
creased salaries for teachers In small
schools. and asked the committee to
consider appropriations sufficient to
provide minimum salary OF $50 a
month for the eight months term.
The bill providing for the payment
or the Whitehurst account of nearly
$4,000 charged against the University
of Virginia for material furnished
twenty years ago, was referred to
subcommittee for investigation. There
was a disposition on the part OF tho
committeeman to report the bill ia
vorably, but they hesitate to recon-
ment payment OF the account before IL
is learned whether such action will
affect the great number of other old
claims held against the State
Delegate Beattie, member OF tho
commission appointed to report on the
advisability OF co-ordinating the penal
and reform institutions OF the State,
addressed the committee in the inter
est OF the recommendation made by
his commission concerning the State
Farm. Mr.. Beattie believes the farm
can be made one of the most profi.abl
OF state institutions, from both a moral
and financial viewpoint. But he is
all out OF sympathy with methods en-
ploycd in conducting that institution
at present.
STATE FARM WITHOUT
EXPERT DIRECTION
Mr. Bcattie alleges that until the
present board OF directors wa. formed
tho farm had practically no direction.
Even now, according to him, IL has
superintendent who doesn't superin-
tend. He charges that the negro con-
victs there, in many cases. know
great deal more about farming than
those who are put there to direct them.
one OF the negroes, he says. serves as
bookkcepcr. The bookkeeping is ono
OF the principal sources of complaint,
for the reason that the board OF dircc-
tors is unable to tell Just where III.
institution stands.
Mr. Beattie says there arc seventy
Holstein cows on the farm. The dairy
department sold about $4,000 worth of
milk last year: yet, he says. that de-
partmcnt shows a deficit of several
hundred dollars. He says. too that the