The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-03

nue. to the extent OF Sf5T.649.05. Yet
the regular state school and capita
ton taxes which Increase year by year
aggregate a sufficient sum to bring
the total amount OF state school and
capitation taxes for session 1917-1S
10 within sa2,532.69 of the total
amount for session 1861; besides
the schools will be entitled to the
proceeds of omitted taxes between Oc-
tober l, 1917, and March I, 1918. not
yet reported, which will probably
make up the deficiency. 1t seems
therefore, that the ncreasedN-returns
from the regular state school and cap
ltation taxes from inheritance taxes
Ca new source of revenue) will coun-
tcrbalance the diminished returns
from omitted taxes and that the in
creased revenue of session 19I6-l7
will be maintained. Our largest In
ca pitation taxes have been derived
from real esate and intangible per-
sonal property.
Resolutions of Virginia Educational
Conference.
AT the meeting of the Virginia
Educational conference held in Roa-
noke during Thanksgiving week the
following resolutions were adopted by
NiA1 AFNhAV Ite~AIGlS oGScNtAhtbh'
" Resolved, That in view of the In
creased cost of living and the grow
Ing demand for professionally trained
teachers, the present salary scale is
wholly inadequate; that. therefore,
this association urges such increase in
the salary of teachers as is demand
ed by the exigencies Of the situation.
Resolved, That this associs ton
approves and urges the passage by the
legislature of a minimum salary law
for teachers and bill providing
tenure OF Office.
The Educational conference as a
whole approved the following report
of its legislative committee:
Resolved, That this committee
commit itself to the principle OF state
support OF the public school system in
proper ratio of state and local sup
port. and to the principle of the Sc
gregation OF definite proportion of
the total states revenues for the sup
port of the schools
The immediate and pressing
needs of the schools for the next year
demand an increase of approximately
one million dollars. We therefore re-
quest the general assembly to make
an appropriation OF 100000 per an
mum in addition to the present d.
rect appropriation and to set aside
forty cents on 500 of intangibles, and
to re-enact the omitted tax law segre-
eating all funds from this course for
the benefit of the primary and gram
mar schools
THE Virginia Educational confer
ence is composed Of the Association
OF Division Superintendents. the State
Teachers association, the Corpora
tive Education association and Asso-
citation OF School Trustees
Urgent Need OF Increasing Teachers
w. Salaries.
"I recommend that some provision
he made for increasing the salaries OF
teachers. The demand is so urgent
that the teachers have taken the mat
ter In their own hands in two or three
OF our largest cities and managed with
great success campaigns for more
adequate return for the high Services
they are rendering both state and ma
ton at this critical period. All of our
leading publicists. including President
Wilson, have urged that the schools
be maintained and strengthened at all
hazards and under all circumstances.
1t is their opinion that in rnobtiizing
our resources no more fatal step could
DO taken than to neglect the training
VI INV yOAHS4 anu Llb IiEn SALARIES
which are being paid men and women
n the civic. military and industrial
life OF the present day will strip the
schools of the best teaching talent
unless provision Is made to enable the
teachers to meet the higher cost oil
! living. Their salaries are only toe
meager under normal conditions, but
| under the stress and strain OF the war
| period they cannot live on the wages
we have been accustomed to pay
them.
Providing the sinews of War.
| ITO the great cost, confusion anG
surprise of some OF our allies, II was
! left to the enemy to give the mos
vivid demonstration of the fact thai
adequate educational facilities lie al
| the very foundation of civic power
and prowess under modern conditions
and while we all realize that the
strictest economy must be our watch.
word at every turn in the present crt.
sis, yet 1t would seem that parsimoni,
ous economy Is almost as dangerous
In education as in war itself.
Minimum Salary Law for Teachers.
| 'In my opinion the time has ar,
rived TO enact minimum salary Law
| for Virginia teachers. That Law
should provide that a minimum wag,
of $50 per month, with a minimum
term of seven months. he given al
teachers hslding a first grade or high
school certificate or one of highe,
grade IN the counties: while In tn,
cities the minimum wage should b.
| $50 per month for a term of nin'
months. In order that funds may bt
provided TO pay the minimum salariei
+, thus determined upon, these step;
should be made obligatory, The re.
spective counties and cities should
provide the funds entirely. II 1t Il
possible TO do SO, by 1evytng ioca
school taxes aggregating not more
than fifty cents on the hundred dol
lars This will work fairly we'll where
the assessed value of land is equal Il
one-half OF it's real value. II an ag
gregate levy of fifty cents on the pres.
ent assessed values will not raise tn,
necessary funds. then the state ta1
board should be called upon to say
whether the assessed value of land 1,
so per cent of its real value; if not
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