Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-15
Fenr Holds Virginia Back.

To the Editor ~ The Times Dispatch
Sir,-NirSinia is exceptionally
favored in Its natural re-
sources. II has valuable conl and
iron mines: its water power IL az
such excellence and in such ahund.
ancc ias might. II wisely put 10 use.
usher In new era In industry and
carry power and light TO thousands
OF rural homes: II has an unusual
number OF nav!gable rivers opening
into harEor which. by its size. loca-
ton and natural excc!lenci4s en-.
tit!e II 10 become the greatest world
port: and It's soil is unsurpassed in
natural productiveness The grea,
possibilities OF its agriculture alone
are sufficient to elevate Virginia To a
leading position among the forty
eight states Of the Union II directed
by intelligent. active progresslve-
ness
Why. then. is Il that we are not
Keeping pace in agriculture and cdu-
cation even with states to the south
OF us? Our fears. more than any
other one thing, holds us back Coca
movements cannot get under way
because we fear rival personal inter-
ests Will profit by them. Glass y viii
not push with vigor a progressive
project In tho interest OF III. whole
state because II fears that Glass Y
VIII thereby obtain large advan-
tagcs. Tho city of y fears the
progress the city OF r may make IA
result OF an otherwise desirable
movement. The "ins" in politics
fear THAI the outs" will get in un-
less they build high political fences
ana mako them as rigid as the Chi
nesc wall. Tho whites fear that n
comprehensive and efficient educa-
tional system that will give their
children the kind and amount Of
education demanded BY the age will
also educate tho negro children OF
the state and advance their status.
Fear keeps us unproSressive. in
active. while other States go for
ward by leaps and hounds. We over
emphasize tho wrong side OF each
great problem. and our fear makes
us even more cautious, timid and
undecided until, at last our weak
ness actually makes II possible for
tho other fellows to secure the ad
vantascs conjurc6 up by our fears.
In education Virginia ranks near
tho bottom in the list OF forty ght
states y plain statement of facts
regarding our rural schools would
hardly he fit TO print. The condi-
ton OF many school buildings Is
simply unspeakablc. Only a very
small percentage of tho children Of
rural districts obtain anything like
"A fair elementary education. and n
much smaller number obtain any
high school training whatever. The
ajority OF children In country dis
tricts barely learn to read. write
and make the simplest compute ttons,
and thus hundreds OF thousands OF
the future citizens OF the state are
doomed To live their lives In II state
of arrested mental development, a
state corresponding TO that OF chill
dren under 10 years OF age. Thou
sands OF other children do not Mt
tend school at all and remain hit
crates throughout life. 4 state can
not progress beyond the intelligence
or It's citizens any more than can
river rise above IT'S source. Unless
radical Improvement is made in
the educational work OF the state
what chance is there that Virginia
Will rise In rank among the States to
that level TO which her history, her
natural resources and her other ad-
vantagcs ontitle her?
o. ]. SCHUSTER.
Spring Grove. Va. April Z. 1929.