28 BULLETIN 393, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.. 
The figures given for the school term 1909-10 represent the per- 
centage of attendance before the roads were improved and for 
1913-14, since the roads were improved. The percentage of increase 
ranges from 9 to 72, and averages 38. The average attendance before 
the roads were improved was 57 per cent and in 1913-14, 77 per cent. 
A consolidated school has also been established at Spotsylvania 
Court House, to take the place of the old schoal building located at 
that place (see Pl. VI). In 1912 there was a consolidation of several 
small one-room schools into one graded school on the Finchyville road. 
It is evident that the improved roads have largely influenced the 
increased school attendance and the better educational facilities now 
offered to the country boys and girls of Spotsylvania County. 
_ DINWIDDIE COUNTY. 
Road improvement was begun in Dinwiddie County in 1908-9 
through the construction of 9? miles of gravel road under the direc- 
tion of the State highway department. On this road the county 
spent $12,606.76 and the State furnished convicts to the extent of 
7,919 convict days at an actual cost to the State of 72 cents per 
convict day. This improvement caused the people to realize the vast 
difference between a good road and a bad road, and as a result an 
election was held in 1909 and the four districts of the county were 
bonded to the amount of $105,000. 
In order to trace the results obtained through the expenditure of — 
the bond issue, our economic investigations were begun in March, 
1910, and beso studies were made in March, 1911, March, 1912, 
April, 1913, and February, 1914. 
Dinwiddie County, it might be mentioned, is situated at the head - 
of tidewater between the Appomattox and Meee Rivers, 22 miles 
south of Richmond, and has an area of 521 square miles, with a sur- 
face varying from gently rolling to level. Of the total area 79.8 per 
cent was in farms in 1910, but only 37.6 per cent of the farm area was 
improved. The principal crops are tobacco, peanuts, hay, grain, and 
vegetables. There are several large tracts of first and second growth 
ae and several sawmills are in operation. 
HOW THE IMPROVEMENT WAS FINANCED. 
Of the $105,000 of bonds voted, $30,000 was charged to Namozine 
District, $22,500 to Rowanty District, $27,500 to Darvills District, 
and $25,000 to Sapony District, and these amounts were expended 
accordingly in the respective districts. The bonds all run 30 years, 
but are redeemable in 20 years. Of the first bonds sold in June,1909, 
$10,000 bear 5 per cent interest and $30,000. 6 per cent interest, the 
latter selling at a premitim of $3 on the hundred. The remaining 
$65,000 were disposed of in 1910 and bear 6 per cent interest. If the 
