Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-10
20 VIRGINIA COUNTIES
HAVE VACATION SCHOOLS
Operate One to Three Months.
Average Term, Seven
Weeks.
TEACHING FORCE NUMBERS 70
$500 Tioys md Girls Enroll In Day In
stifutiops In Pnst Sunmer--Sight
Sessions I'm Eleven Counties-Buch-
nnon Makes Record.

fourth OF the counties OF Vir-
Einia last summer maintained vaca-
tipn schools, according to returns
compiled at the state Department of
Education. These schools ran one
month 10 three months, with an aver
ago term of seven weeks.
Altogether ninety different schools
were maintained In the twenty five
counties with teaching force OF 100.
the report shows. These schools op-
Grated during the day and a number
Of them held night sessions.
in the day schools last summer 3.a02
toys and girls We're enrolled. III
eleven counties night sessions were
hclG. with an enrolment OF 6Sl adults
and Cas- children. according To the re-
port.
buchanan County maintained the
greatest number OF vacation schools
last summer. tlveuty-two altogether:
scott county operated sixteen. and
Floyd county fourteen" Harris Hart.
state Superintendent OF Public In
s,ructlon. said. lin several counties
only one school vas conducted.
Paid From State Funds.
''Two-thirds Of the salaries Of
teachers in vacation schools are paid
from state funds, the other one-third
being paid from local funds.
This type OF work which has been
conducted for several years has
reached a point In its development
where encouraging results are being
seen.
II am very DESTROYS OF seeing the
financial resources OF the schools so
materially Increased that the public
school system may operate on the
year-rourd basis with an arranG-
ment whereby every student will he
Guaranteed nine full months of in
structiou and every teacher have a
minimum OF nine months of work. The
Development OF vacation schools in
the state has already indicated the
practicability OF such an arrange
ment. IT would mean that the s32.-
100000 public sNIool plant would he
IN some fashion or other serviccnhle
TO the people during the entire year.
This plan wuuld.makc possible the
enrolment Of very small children in
the summon months and their releas"
from school attendance during mid
winter. By restricting all students to
nine months attendance and by appro-
pirate division OF enrolment between
GUNNER and winter terms the capacity
of the present school facilities with
out added buildings could be increased
approximately % per cent.
Reduction Of lIlitcrncy.
"The reduction OF illitcracy among
any people depends chiefly upon two
procedures. the enforcement OF an
adequate compulsory attendance law
y hich will provide the rising genera
: on with At least the fundamental
elements Of elementary education and
upon providing opportunit schools for
those VINO have grown To adulthood
Without awaiting themselves of educa-
tiou;l advantages. BY expanding our
present system Of vacation schools IL
litcratc adults can be reached mt rca-
scnahlc cNpeusc. and by enforcing our
compulsory attendance law the rising
generation can be guaranteed an elc-
mcntary education.
"'th. ( cent state tax for public
school purposes is now being dis
burs,d by the Auditor OF Public Ac-
counts {. Lee MooSc. TO the treasurcrs
OF the various counties and cities OF
the stat" on the bass OF the school
population
"This tax this year yields .s76SS
cents pcr capita Of the school popu-
lation or a grand total of '666.5S6.9i,
or SS,S35.O2 more than that year