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74 very rare,) the lest system must prove a failure. It is absolutely true, for Schools, that, " For forms of government let fools contest That -which is best administered is best." Do give us a Normal School. I aril &c., &c., &c., yours, WM. H. FARQUHAR. P. S.—To give a more definite answer to your query about the condition of our School-Houses, I would say that among the 45 there are (in round numbers,) 10 miserably bad, Furniture ditto, 10 bad, 10 indifferent " " 15 pretty fair, "considering," furniture ditto. PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY. Your letter, December 1, embracing several interrogatories with regard to the condition of our Schools was received, and responded to immediately, in a general way, with a promise to furnish a inure concise statement; i, afterwards; . I regret still my inability to give a detailed and satisfactory statement as intended. 1st. The condition of the Schools under the old local School Laws, has always been lamentably deficient. The School-Houses are generally uncum- fortable and present a dilapidted aspect. Very few have any architectural proportions. Furniture of the most primitive character. Seats without backs, and desks correspondingly rude Many of the Teachers are competent unit intelligent gentlemen, Some, I regret to say, are so palpably deficient as to justify their immediate removal. The mode of supervising the Schools, hereto) lure, has been by Trustees, who were elected by the patrons and tax payers residing in their respective dis- tricts. 2. Schools have been supported by fluids obtained by taxation, The sys- tem, according to my experience; and observation; has been very inefficient. 3. The opulent classes constitute a large proportion of the people of' this County, and among them there is much intelligence. Among the poorer classe, thero is muchl ignorance. If I were to say that one-half of the latter could neither read nor write, I would not be accused of milking an exaggerated statement. 4. I have seen, oil many occasions, much hostility manifested to the adop- tion of the new system in this County. But the prejiudices in every in- stance, may be attributed to the almost complete failure of the old system. There is also, I think, a corresponding indisposition upon the part of' the tax payers, tortile same reason, to erect; and furnish School-Houses. 5. Our Board at its!; last meeting fixed the minimum salary of' Teachers at $350 per annum, with the, graduated scale, as directed in the By-Laws, Art. 9, See. 4. The number of boys and girls who attended School during the term ending November 15, 18 (65, amounted to a little upwards of one thousand. The aggregate amount of sallaries paid to Teachers was, I think, about four thou- sand dollars; . The precise amount of incidental expenses was less than one hundred dollars. |
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Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1866
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