Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-05-29
MASS MEETING
FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS
Citizens Gather to Dis
cuss COngested Conditions-Move-
ment to Remedy Matters

A large number of patrons and
other citizens vitality interested in
the educational interests of Wood
stock, gathered in the Court House
last night Thursday to hear plans
for the betterment of the local
school system.
The Pythian Band gave a concert
on the Court House pavement pre-
cedent to the meeting and there were
enough music lovers interested in
schools to fill the Court House COM
fortably after the concert was over
Conrad T. Logan of Harrisonburg,
in an interesting and understandable
way explained to the audience the
purposes and results of the May day
campaign, put on for the purpose of
raising Virginia's standing among
the states in the fight against illit-l
eracy. By comparison with most
states, Virginians have no cause to
be proud of its rating, while with
others the showing was good. Shen-I
andoah County is above the aver
age standing of the state in scholas-
tic work.
Local Conditions
Principal M. C. Hollingsworth. of
the Woodstock High School, followed
with detailed information relative to
the local school and the conditions
are neither flattering nor an evil
dence of proper zeal on the part
of the patrons to meet the situation
for the veal of the children. Schools
are scattered over the town. Two
rooms in the Court House yard in
small offices, and one over an auto
mobile sales room, where gasoline
and oil might at any time start
serious fire. With this disjointed
system there is, of necessity, a lack
of proper supervision, as it is phys
ical impossibility for the principal
to teach an overcrowded high school
and look after the welfare of the
grades, especially when they are To-
Gated remote from the main school
building. The overcrowding of the
High School is evidenced by 81 fail
ares in this years class.
Frank S. Tavenner, Jr, briefly and
pointedly called the attention of the
audience to the many defects in the
Woodstock school plan, and stressed
the necessity for the patrons to get
together for the betterment of con-
ditions, with the ultimate hope of
having such a school building as
the conditions warrant, and one
which will meet the necessities of
the town.
petition to the School Board
was signed by those present, asking
Tor an additional teacher in the High
School.
Survival of Fittest
In this age of the survival of the
fittest in the professional, industrial
and commercial world, certainly
every child should have an equal
chance to acquire such education as
is essential to success The selfish
and threadbare argument against
school betterment, which is born
usually in ignorance and thrives on
apathy, that Jim Jones "ain't had
no education and jus look what he
had did," must be combatted fire.
quently, but it is a winning gamble
that Jim Jones worked hard in ma
turer years for that which his par
ents robbed him of in his youth.
We folks who have been denied
educational privileges should be the
first to appreciate the necessity for
education, for we have suffered the
handicaps incident to such lack. Ger
tainly, then, there should be whole
hearted and unselfish support in the
part of parents of any movement
which means better school facilities
for Woodstock
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