The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-18

claimed from the board and faculty
Now II would seem that the opposg-
ton of the board and faculty ought
70 end their campaign, but they con-
tinue TO press the measure, entirely
ignoring the opposition OF the au-
thorities Of the university.
So far as the Co coordinate college
is concerned, 1T was decided by the
board Of visitors, as shown by reso-
luton adopted in December, that this
/ proposition ought not 10 be pressed
at this time in the face OF all the
burdens the state has to carry The
| Farmers union, by a formal resolu-
ton adopted in 1916 went on record
against this measure, and in their
! legislative program for 1917 they
made Ii one Of the issues, and they
are against it now This may account
for the changed form in which the
proposition comes up this session. hut
the same reasons which caused the
Farmers union TO oppose the original
proposition will he found to cause
them to oppose this new scheme.
The main bill has just bee< de-
scrfhed. There Is another providing
for co-education at the university
which has only one patron and which
has not been discussed, and still a
third providing for co.. education in
the graduate and professional schools.
fourth differs from the first only
IN not empowering the board of visi-
tors TO erect new buildings and In
requiring that men and women do
not meet in the same class room dur
ing the general session. Not one of
them on it's face carries an appro-
priation. but all are Objectionable,
I'D II any one of them be adopted.
and there is the promised large at
tendance Of women. the expense to
the state for buildings and annual
support will be indefinite. and when
the step is once taken it will be too
late to retreat
Whatever money the state can
SPARE for education should go to
building up the primary schools. In
his recent inaugural address. Cover
nor Davis stated that our educational
system should be built from the bot
tom up. Evidently he feels what
many people have frequently said.
that ii Is now top heavy" The
records OF the department of edu-
cation show that in twenty-four coun-
ties of the state there la only APP
proximately $1,000 per year per head
spent upon educating the children.
The counties are as follows:
Bland, Buchanan. buckingham.
Carroll. Craig. Cumberland, Essex.
Floyd, Gloucester, Grayson. Greene.
Highland, King and Queen. King
George, Lancaster. Madison, Math-
Patrick Powhatan. Rsprahannock,
Richmond, Westmorelard
The average for the forty eight
states two years aTo was $50.
An official publication or the same
department shows that in the session
l915-16. twenty -four counties had
less than q. six months term foE-the
one and two room schools which
offer the only chance for education
that thousands of children ever have.
These counties are as follows:
Amherst, Bland. Rotetourt Buch-
anan. Buckingham, Carroll, Dicken-
son, Rockingham. FLOYD, Franklin.
Grayson, Greene, Halifax. Hanover,
Montgomery. Orange, Page, Patrick,
Pittsylvania, Stafford.
1t was stated at the hearing before
the committee in Richmond that
school superintendent In one of our
counties recently said that he could !
not undertake certain work because
his schools close In February. This
shows where the money should be
spent.
we trust fhat you viii consider
carefully the enclosures and use your.l
paper and your personal efforts to
disseminate Information on this SUBJ
ject apd to influence your representa- !
tives An the house and senate to vote
against these bills and to care for
the primary schools. /
Very truly yours,
MRS. JOHN SKELETON WILLIAMS, |
Chairman.
MRS. FRANK n. WILLIAMS, /
MRS. ". f. LANDERKIN,
MRS, RAMON ID. GARCTN,
MRS LANDON r. DASEIIEIlIs,
Secretary.
Central COMMITTEES OF the Associs-