Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-11-25
Number Reaches Half-Mil-
lion for the First Time
in History.
SOL PER CENT OF YOUTHS
ARE RECEIVING EDUCATION
Superintendent Hart Commends
Work Accomplished by
Governor Davis.
HELPED IN BOOSTING FUNDS
Chief Executive Declares These In
stitutions Best Weapon to
Fight Radicalism.

Although this year. for the .r.t
time in the annals of Virginia his.
tory, more than 500. 600 children hav,.
been enrolled in the schools. but 5c1
per cent fthe total number of white
children in the Commonwealth are
actually in attendance. Harris ulrt.
Superintendent of Public Iast-uct.r,..
declared last night at q general mest-
Ing of the educational conference nc
John Marshall High School I,aiir
attendance in the schools ave -
but $4,000.
superintendent. Hart made .Gts
point in speaiSing o; the need OF /.
compulsory education law in N.r-
Sinia. He said that, with the prc.-
eat constitutional amendment making
1t possible. such a statute would he
asked at the next session of the Gaa-
eral Assembly. In his address he
brought out that but 80 per cent of
colored children Of the state actually
attend school. White children ot
school age number $4,000, he de-
not even enrolled
Bfg lncrcnsc In Funds.
School funds have been Increased in
Virginia from s+.so0,000 in 1910, -
Sla.'0o.0o0 last session. the speaker
stated. In 1915 this fund had -
creased to $7,s0o,O0U.
Despite the fact that teachers .a!.
aries have Increased 90 per cent in
the past ten years. Superintendent
Hart asserted that at the prescr.
time the average pay OF the school
teacher in Virginia Is hut, $3.50 per
annum. He said that, $500. 900 waa
spent last year for school buildings
in Virginia.
The increase in the State fund .3r
schools of ll9 per cent in the pas
five years was attributed by the spcat-
er to the interest which Goveri.or.
WestInoreland Davis. who was pres
ent at tho meeting to welcome i;,,
educators. has had in educationa.
work. He also revealed that. nj.
though the school population in Tie
State is practically the same as ten.
years ago. the number OF teach,,.
employed has risen from 1o.4oo 70
1920.
Ratification Of tho nineteensA
amendment has placed the profes
sional woman on new basis, NJ.
Hart told his hearers. No lonec,,
need the woman educator feel ;hat
she Is pens in by an impenetrab..
wall. which has for 30 long. ken, her
from progress.
School Session In Longer.
Inc increase in the average ses-
sion In Virginia in the past year. he
declared. is one week.
Governor Westmoreiand Davis spo..,,
briefly to the educators, welcun !n.'
'hem 10 Richmond and TO the exec.
tive mansion, where n recention ror
them was given last night. He safi
that if no was ever compelled 10 rEl
rad:ca!tsm he would use as his woo
pom the public school.
Touching on the recent reorr,r,-
tion OF tho State Prison Board. Coz
crnor Davis urged his hearers To pl,i
h.hi IN MS work of improving con
ditions
DR.. $. G. Mitchell. Of the Univers!t?
nt richmond, was also 4 speaker c.t
the program. but confined himself III.
most entirely TO favorable. comment
on the addresses OF those who pre-
ceeded him.
yesterday afternoon the eleven die
trict sections and the sections repre-
senting the teachers OF various SUB
Jccts, such as history. geography, etc,
held their annual meetings.
Probably the most important OF
these was tho meeting of the histor,
section. AZ this meeting It was ~,
vocated that committee DO appo!ni
ed to investigate the present modera
and mcdiaval textbooks on history
taught in the public schools, and Wit.
which there Is much dissatisfaction.
with the purpose of reporting sor,u
change 30 be recommended by tile
section. y committee OF five will nc
appointed to take up this suggestion.
William i. Gilbert presided.
Wants Maury's Geography.
Request that Maury's geography D.
replaced in tho schools was made b.
Mrs. l.. Il. Momtt. president OF I'll,
Matthew Foataine Maury Association
who appeared befIre the association
~ representative was appointed u
carry this request 10 the GEOGRAPHY
acction at its next meeting.
Suggestion that pageant he ha!t
in each local school annually in tho
interest OF history. and reprasertlns
historical scenes In the history OF -
country was made. Morgan 3. ROB
inson spoke on tho new archiyua
building of the State now being erect
ed. and said that moro than 100000
manuscripts Will be housed In II. ana
that many counties Will send their
old. precious and historic papers hers
on Its completion.
Individual promotion OF students on
their relative merits should be uai-
versafly introduced In tho educational
system. +. q. Clark. OF Winchester