The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-07-16

enap puplls VINO nave oeen helu
back for one reason 81 another 10 go
forward BY reason Of the last
school, nine pupils were able to gradu-
ate from the high school and num-
Der of others made sufficient num-
Der OF subjects to enable them TO
graduate the following February in
stead of the following June, thus saw
ing a half year.
The standard Of professional train
ing for teachers in the Richmond
schools for given years is shown as
follows:
1917. 1915
Collegiate certificates 80. 2h1 1T
Normal certificates ..... 4as 5f2
First grade certificates. 81 4s
Training class certificates 241 229
Vocational work was considerably
enlarged and expanded by acceptance
Of the provisions and meeting the re
aufrements of the act Of congress
known as the Smith Hughes act I'M
der which the federal government
makes direct appropriation OF funds
In support of such work. and also on
account of war activities. Glasses
were held both day and night. and
were classified as:
tao h-Hughes classes.
tb) Non-Smith- Hughes classes,
War activities: 4.s
IA Night classes
tb) occupational card.
Co Training OF enlisted men.
Glasses conducted under the Smith
Hughes act embraced instruction In
cabinet work, machinery. radio opera
ton. drawing, electrical work. boiler
making. gas engines. diatetics. sew
ing. cooking nursing and salesman
ship. One Of the requirements of the
law Ia that the work OF the day vo-
cational classes must be productive
Under this requirement the pupils
produced desks. tables. stands. kin
dergarten boxes, Jumping -Stands-all
OF which is used in the schools. re-
pairs to school buildings and machin-
cry therein. and various forms OF
metal work.
In the Smith Hughes classes 1.e45
pupils received instruction. In the
vocational night school, in both sub
sidized and ncn-subsidized classes.
there were als pupils. Under war ac-
tivities were emil raced classes of
draft men In radio-operation. and gas
engine work. filling out occupational
cards Of draft men in answer 10 cues
tfonnaires. in which work 400 teach
ers filed on: 5000 cards and the
Richmond schools training detach-
men. at the fair grounds under con-
tract with the war department two
months intensive course in technical
work was made up and classes. COM
posed entirely OF draffmen, com
menced on May 18th. The men were
given instruction in auto mechanics
and driving, carpantry. radfo-onera-
ting. bench making machinery. black
smithing and electrical work In this
work the schools had the helpful CO.
operation OF the Virginia Mechanics
Institute. which loaned Its classrooms
for instruction. and from the auto
mobile dealers and auto repair ten.
who loaned their foremen and other
expert mechanics a. Instructors. and
furnished practical repair work for
the pupils. Two detachments OF 500
men each were trained here to the
satisfaction OF the war department
and the increased reputation of our
schools. As result Of the classes in
craftsmanship composed of workers In
the stores, several OF the larger
stores have employed educational d.
rectors who give their whole time to
instruction OF employees.
The report OF tbs Medical Director
shows that a.l54 children were ex-
amined: 42,34s inspected. 2.3as re-
ferred to family physician. 3.225 re-
ferred to dentist. 1915 escorted to
dispensary by nurses, 6.5S6 received
treatment from physician or dentist.
The nurses treated In all 1868 cases
OF mild skin and scalp diseases,
wounds and abrasions. They made
talks on hygiene before 1,746 classes.
and made S.375 home visits In the an
tercst of the health Of the pupils. The
dental division gave 1874 treatments
to 400 pupils at cost of $1,000.
The report of the director of music
modestly mentions the service rem
dered by the school chorus. and him.
self as director at the various pa
triotic meetings and Sunday sings. 1t
Ia not too much to say that Director
Mercer and his chorus have become
an institution In the life of the city,
and it would be hard to exaggerate
their contribution to the success Of
our large public gatherings In ad-
dition to this. the value to the pupil
in the years to come OF the cultiva-
ton OF q taste for musIc will be Of the
greatest. by making possible an un-
Outstanding and appreciation OF the
beauties of the art.
school building was brought to a
standstill by the ban OF the federal
government on all buildings not abso-
lutely essential. With this ban re-
moved, the board has taken up the
completion Of work that was stopped.
and proposals for the erection OF
other new buildings.
Fire Department.
The report OF the board OF fire COM
naissioners shows that our fre loss
amounted TO 33S7.eslls, made up Of
slse.s7s.ss on building and :24s,-A
80 ei13. 1e1. k6 II excess 81 that 81
TN year t9eee, and WIN the sxcup-
ttos N et IN ana tslt it