Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-12-16
TELL aims FOR
EDUCATION IN
this STATE
State Supt. Harris Hart and
Prof. C. G. Maphis
Speakers
HART TELLS OF FACTOR
Compulsory Attendance Law Prof.
Maphis Says Will Provide for all
Children Between and l6 years

Harris Hart, state superintendent
of public instruction, last night de-
livered an address before an audience
of school teachers memners OF the
school board and others interested IN
school work at the rooms Of the
chamber of commerce. Prior to his
speech there was an address by Prof,
Charles G. Maphis, of the University
cf Virginia. Edward S. Leadbeater,
member of the city school board, pre-
sided. Both spoke on educational
work in Virginia. !.
Mr.. Hart said. in part: 81 take 1t
for granted that you are now becom-
ing interested in as fine educational
opportunities that can be furnished.
OF course, we are near the Dlstrics
of Columbia and there are some ap-
parent handicaps. However, | think
the schools here can be put on high
plane.
We are interested to ascertain how
much fund is necessary to provide the
required amount for education. The
financial factors include the salary
of the teachers. 1t seems that the
quality of instruction may be meas
ured by the pay. 1t the teachers were
interested in the financial aspect they
would take up something else. An
other factor is the percentage put up
by the locality per capita and the
total per capita; the academic side
percentage Of teachers and the en-
rollment in the high school; the per-
centage of enrolment in the seventh
grade. This is the educational index
we find from study that the total,
fund for school purposes is but 63'
per. .eent-ef the efundeneces ssary for
academic training.
Alexandria city, he declared, did
not rank as high as it should and
there is one city that ranks we'll and
that is Winchester, Va, because of
the enormous fund left it for educa-
tional purposes.
Last year Virginia spent $3.50 per
capita for education and Montana
spent S7620. The state of Montana
ranks high. The rank of the cities
is due to the low attendance rate.
There are too many children not go
ing to school anywhere. IF the COM
pulsory attendance law is passed it
will solve the problem. am afraid
we are trying to give smattering
of so many things that we do not
learn anything.
If the high school proper is func-
tioning in the community it must have
community interests. In this city the
high school ought to offer vocational
and academic branches.
Education is now on wholesale
basis. There are 550,000 attending
he schools in Virginia and there are
100000 teachers. The salary of the
teachers is S9,S0O,0OO. The only
hing we need IS thoroughness.
Each year financial call is made.
he people hardly realize its magni-
vide. No nation in the world ever
attempted such stupendous pro-
gfam. You cannot get better schools
and good roads and unless the people
pay more taxes. He expressed hope
that the legislature next year would
put up the necessary fund for educa-
ton.
At the conclusion OF his address DR..
Kate Waller Barrett asked Mr.. Hart
regarding the standing of Alexandria
schools as compared with other places.
The city, he asserted, was about 18th
in 1920 but he was unable to say how
it stood for the following year.
Mr.. Hart also said that IS per cent.
of the children are enrolled and only
about SO per cent. attend every day.
Poor attendance, he said, is the prime
cause of the low rating of the schools.
DR.. Barrett asked il there was
something elese besides compulsory
education to help along the cause,
and Mr.. Hart said that city has
classes on half time, besides which
they need more teachers.
Mrs. NJ. L. Horner questioned Mr..
Hart regarding the time limit in the
compulsory attendance law providing
for adequate schooling facilities.
Mr.. Leadbeater urged the people
to get together and back up the
school board in their demands for
school improvements and he predict
ed things would improve.
Prof. Charles G. Maphis, of the
University of Virginia, told his hear
ers that the proposed compulsory at
tendance law will ge presented at the
next meeting Of the legislature There
is, he said. no other justification fol-
the expenditure of public funds more
helpful than the preparation Of chill
dren for better citizenship and h
added that on that theory clone w
arc taxed for it. II is. he declares
not an individusl matter. He salt
you are raising better class o
citizens and that justifics the ta'
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