Jasper Hawse was born in Hardy County (now West Virginia) on November 15, 1835. He came to Rockingham County in 1862 and married Mary Beery of Edom. Mr. and Mrs. Hawse had a large family of fourteen children: eight sons and six daughters. Mr. Hawse served as principal for the North Main Street School in Harrisonburg for four years and was appointed to be the Superintendent of Rockingham County Schools on July 10, 1885, succeeding Rev. Joseph S. Loose.

Jasper Hawse had two main goals for his superintendency: First, he enlisted the help of the local newspapers to focus attention on the developing school system and to build important public support for the public schools. Second, he strived to bring increased order to the school system. At a school board meeting on October 16, 1876, the new "Rules for Public Schools of Rockingham County" were adopted by the school board (see below). Jasper Hawse served two full terms as superintendent and apparently wished to continue, but due to political forces operating in the Commonwealth at the time, was not reappointed even though the Rockingham County School Board recommended his reappointment.

After completing his second term, Jasper Hawse utilized his surveying skills and rendered extensive service to the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. In 1887 he was appointed to the office of County Surveyor and served until his death on November 30, 1905.

1. Pupils are expected to enter promptly at the beginning of the session and attend regularly and punctually at the hour of opening. At the closing of school each day, they are required to leave the premises immediately and proceed directly to their homes without loitering by the way.

2. Any pupil bringing to the premises a dangerous weapon or spiritous liquor shall be instantly suspended by the teacher.

3. Truant-playing will not be tolerated and any pupils guilty of the offense shall be suspended.

4. Pupils in whose families contagious or infectious diseases may exist cannot attend the school until all danger is over.

5. The names of all pupils who shall have been absent from school five or more days in one month shall be dropped from the roll unless the teacher shall ascertain the absence to have been necessitated by sickness of other sufficient cause. Parents must expect to have their children excluded from school if they are kept home for frivolous causes. When the pupil is detained the parent is expected the communicate the excuse to the teacher in writing.

6. Vulgar or profane language acts or writing will not be tolerated. Propriety of deportment must be enforced by teachers and pupils and teachers are expected to be clean in person and dress and to keep their book and desks in good order and their school rooms neat and clean.

7. Male and female pupils whenever practicable shall have separate seats and playgrounds and the sexes shall not be allowed to communicate in play, except in the presence of the teacher and under his personal supervision.

8. Pupils who habitually violate the rules of the school or who persistently refuse or neglect to study with diligence shall be suspended.

9. Teachers shall investigate promptly all cases of absence or repeated tardiness and report from time to time to parents the standing deportment and attendance of pupils.

10. The schools shall be carefully classed and whenever practicable graded. Teachers who are unable to effect an organization of their schools into classes in every branch taught shall resign. In ungraded schools in which 25 or more pupils are enrolled no extra branches shall be taught without special permission of the county Superintendent.

11. Extra compensation to teachers must be voluntary on the part of patrons. The schools must be free and teachers cannot make attendance depend on the payment of tuition fees.

12. Teachers who admit pupils who are over 21 years of age at the commencement of the school year, without prepayment of one dollar per month to the clerk of the Board and a permit from him, will have the amount deducted from their monthly salary.

13. Teachers are expected to arrange their daily schedule of exercises so that each class shall not only have an appointed time to recite, but each pupil an allotted period of each study: and all pupils, except primary scholars shall have lessons assigned to study at home.

14. The name of a pupil specially distinguished for diligence, propriety of deportment, punctuality and regularity, shall be reported to the county Superintendent at the close of each month for publication in the county papers.

15. All suspension of pupils with the facts of the case shall at once be reported in writing to the clerk of the Board of Trustees.

16. Teachers are required to report to the County Superintendent any obstacles to the successful working of their schools: to attend the Teacher's Institute of the county when held, and are earnestly advised to subscribe for and read the State Educational Journal and to study standard works on the theory and practice of teaching.

17. No teacher shall teach less than six hours per day exclusive of recesses and intermissions. The holidays allowed are Christmas, New Year, 22 February and election days.

Return to the History of Rockingham County Public Schools or the Rockingham County Public Schools home page .