University of Virginia Library

APPOINTMENT OF PUPILS.

The District School Trustees of the respective districts of
the county of Albemarle, select and designate the children of
the county who come under the requirements of Mr. Miller's
will for admission into the school. From this list, made and
revised by the School Trustees every six months, the Court
appoints the pupils of the school. It is to be noted that
only children who are residents of the county of Albemarle
can be appointed to the school. Moreover, they must be selected
as coming under the requirements of Mr. Miller's will
by the School Board of the district in which they reside
before the Court can appoint them to the school. These
pupils when appointed to the school are clothed, fed, taught
and cared for wholly at the expense of the school. In October,
1878, the first pupils were admitted into the school. The
school began with twenty pupils. It was then quite difficult
to find children whose friends were willing to have them appointed
to the school.

In July, 1884, a paper in reference to the rights of girls to
the benefits of Mr. Miller's gift was submitted by Prof. Francis
H. Smith to the Visitors, and by them to the Court. After
getting the opinion of some of the leading lawyers of the
Albemarle bar, the Court at the August term, 1884, entered
the following order—viz: "It appearing to the Court that the
provision made in the twenty-fifth clause of Mr. Miller's will
for the `education and support of as many poor orphan and
other white children of Albemarle county as the profits and
income of the fund therein devised will admit of or compass,'

can be more effectually carried into operation by forming the
school into two separate and distinct departments, and by the
admission of children of both sexes; therefore it is ordered
that the District School Trustees of the county, from and
after this date, shall make the selections for appointments to
the school from both sexes having the required qualifications,
regard being had to the numbers to be admitted each year of
each sex, and for whom separate and necessary accommodations
have been previously prepared." In accordance with this
order a department for the instruction of girls was organized
under the authority and control of the Superintendent. Under
this order the first girls were admitted in November, 1884.
The following is a summary of the enrollment of pupils since
the organization of the school—viz:

                             

Session.	Entered.		Discharged.		Increase.	Total on Rolls during session.
	Boys.	Girls.	Boys.	Girls.
First, 1878-'79	33	0	0	0	33	33
Second, 1879-'80	42	0	1	0	41	74
Third, 1880-'81	29	0	4	0	25	99
Fourth, 1881-'82	22	0	20	0	2	101
Fifth, 1882-'83	64	0	19	0	45	146
Sixth, 1883-'84	44	0	26	0	18	164
Seventh, 1884-'85	21	28	25	1	24	188
Eighth, 1885-'86	25	23	28	0	19	208
Ninth, 1886-'87	31	0	31	0	0	207
Tenth, 1887-'89	54	23	17	0	60	267
Total	365	74	171	1
		365		171
Total boys and girls		439		172

From the 267 enrolled during the term we deduct 22 boys
and 3 girls withdrawn before the close of the session, which
leaves our largest enrollment at any one time—242 pupils,
July 1, 1888.