University of Virginia Library

OBSERVATION, DIRECTED TEACHING AND RESEARCH
STUDIES.

Laboratory facilities are made available through the coöperation of the
school systems of the County of Albemarle and the City of Winchester, the
local school boards in each case having approved such coöperation. This
arrangement gives to students in the Department of Education a splendid
opportunity to study the problems of both city and county school organization
and administration.

The school system of Albemarle County is now organized on the county
unit basis. It consists of the following schools for white pupils: seven
accredited four-year high schools, four junior high schools, five four-room
schools, four three-room schools, fourteen two-room schools and twenty-one
one-room schools. A number of the small schools are recognized by
the State Department of Education as standard in their respective grades.
During the session of 1922-23 there are 4500 white pupils enrolled. These
are taught by 130 elementary school teachers and 36 high school teachers.
The supervision of the county schools is under the direction of the county
superintendent and four full time supervisors.

The total value of sites, buildings and equipment is $435,000. This includes
several new buildings of modern construction.

The school system of the city of Winchester is open for observation,
research and experiment by students of the Department of Education. This
school system is divided into four departments: Primary, consisting of
kindergarten and Grades 1, 2 and 3; Elementary, consisting of Grades 4, 5
and 6; Junior High School, consisting of Grades 7, 8 and 9; and Senior High
School consisting of Grades 10, 11 and 12. Each department is in charge of
a supervisor who gives all of his or her time to supervision except in the case
of the supervisor of the junior high school, who does part time teaching
temporarily. There are twelve teachers in the primary department, ten in
the elementary department, and seventeen in the junior and senior high
school departments.

At present the Winchester schools are housed in temporary quarters
awaiting the completion of a new school plant which is under contract to
be ready for occupancy by September, 1923.

The new plant when completed will provide many features in addition

to the regular classrooms. For the elementary school division there will be
a covered play court with fresh air ventilation for year-round use; a nature
study court; out-door classrooms for convalescent and anemic children; and
facilities for hot lunch provided in the high school cafeteria. In the junior
and senior high school division, besides the regular classrooms equipped
with movable desks, there will be a business department with special equipment;
science laboratories and science lecture rooms; sewing and cooking
laboratories with special equipment; art studios; music studios; industrial
shops for woodworking, metal working, electrical working and agriculture;
library study and reference room; gymnasium and swimming pool; teachers'
work room and library. For recreation and community service there will
be provided an art gallery exhibit and history museum, auditorium seating
twelve hundred, an athletic stadium, tennis courts, golf course, arboretum,
and public park.