EWP 2-5-1 Yr 1945 Denny Commission.pdf

Title

EWP_2-5-1_Yr_1945_Denny_Commission.pdf

Identifier

198e4085c459770330f2fee63aec7db6

b03409ef2d6c38477b1c964705742061

Is Version Of

EWP_2-5-1_Yr_1945_Denny_Commission.pdf

Is Part Of

Petitions

Date Created

2021-11-21 20:35:03 +0000

12/28/03

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pdf

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/Volumes/Elements/EWP Files/source/Ingest One/2 Petitions Plans School Board and Districts/2-5-1_Commissions_and_Studies

/Volumes/T7 Shield/EWP/Elements/EWP Files/OCR/Petitions/2-5-1_Commissions_and_Studies/EWP_2-5-1_Yr_1945_Denny_Commission_ocr.pdf

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Digitized by: Edwin Washington Project

extracted text

For Loudoun Times-Mirror
January 4, 1945
The report and recommendations of the Denny School Commission
reveal very clearly that a creaful study has been made of Virginia's
public schools by a group of men and women who appreciate fully the
value of education to the children of the State. The members of
this commission deserve the thanks of the people of this Commonwealth
for their gratuitous services so excellently performed.
The commission made many specific recommendations. Nearly all
of them will add to the cost of the school system. These are mostly
as follows:
1. Establishment of a minimum salary schedule for teachers much
higher than the present State minimum but not higher than
the Loudoun schedule.
2. Enforcement of Compulsory Attendance law through employment
of visiting teachers.
3. Improvement in teacher training institutions.
4. More emphasis on tool subjects or so-called 3 R's and expansion from an eleven to twelve grade system in order to further
this aim.
5. Development of a guidance program.
6. Expansion of vocational training.
7. Improvement and expansion of physical education program.
8. Free textbooks, two-thirds cost to be borne by the State.
9. Better provision for adequate school plants and maintenance
thereof. To aid in this an assistant to the superintendent
is suggested.

Page 2 - January 4, 1945 - Loudoun Times-Mirror
10. Supervision for white and colored schools in all localities.
11. Better school library facilities with a greater proportion of
the cost borne by the State.
12. Abandonment of more small and poorly equipped elementary schools
but adherence to the phan of having elementary schools serve
relatively small areas. Further consolidation of high schools
so that the offering may be improved.
13. Improvements of facilities for negro education.
These proposals consitute a constructive program for advancement
and improvement in education. In some cases Loudoun County has entirely
or nearly reached the goal suggested. In our educational circles and
conferences we have given serious discussion to all of these suggested
improvements that apply locally. In most instances progress has
slowed through lack of funds.
The commission has proposed certain changes in the organization of
the State Board of Education. They seem sound but would probably have
little effect on our schools.
Appointment of county school board members from the county at large
by the board of supervisors is recommended. As a concession to those
who advocate a change it would seem wise to follow this suggestion.
The plan is comparable to that in operation by general law in cities
in Virginia. This change alonge would effect our school system very
little.
A recommendation of the commission that will receive careful
scrutiny is the proposal to fix a minimum tax tate or appropriation

Page 2 - January 4%1945 - Loudoun Times-Mirror

for schools in each county equal to 55 cents on each $100 of the
true or full value of all property taxable for local purposes.
Under the plan the State Department of Taxation would fix the true
or full value of all property in each county. The question will
arise whether the Department of Taxation would make the exhaustive
study necessary to determine the true value accurately and we might
become involved in many controversies over the matter. The State
might also be in the position in many counties of fixing the local
school levy: For example, 1f our present assessions of $19,000,000
represents 40 per cent of the true value, 55 cents on a true value
02 $47,500,000 would yield $861,250 compared to our current appropriation
and district school taxes amounting to approximately $171,000, an
increase by state directive of $90,000. Our schools could very well
use this additional sun of money and it is doubtful if the tax
burden would then be nearly so great here as that now levied in many
of the poorer counties of Virginia. However, this does not seem to
preserve the proper proportion of local governmental authority.

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OCR

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