Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-03-11


Schools for lie several Connties in the State.
GENTI.EMEN: At the late session Of the General
Assembly OF the State an act was passed when,
among other provisions repeats the part Of the Com
mon School Law which requires the proceeds OF the
School Fund. in each County, to be divided equally
among the Districts.
AS you are all aware it was found mpracticable
generally to enforce this Law; and instead of this
provision another was passed, which / think will
meet the appreciation Of every experienced and in
telligent officer of our system.
The mode of division is now left to the discretion
of the board of county superintendent in each
county; and the only legal restriction their dis
erection in this matter is that they shall act under
the advice of the general superintendent, and divide
the fund in such way as to secure as far as posi-.
BILE, equality in facilities for education, among all
the white children of the county.
The great end to be obtained is thus clearly de-
fined by the law to wit equality in facilities for ed
ucation and it is left TO the county boards, familiar
with the character of the counties, knowing their
geographical features, the manner in which they
peoped, &c. to decide how this end is best to be at
tanned.
1t is my duty to advise with you in regard to this
important subject; and desire, in the discharge Of
this duty, to call your especial attention to certain
general principles applicable every section Of the
State.
In the first place it must be remembered that it is
still necessary. and will always be necessary, to be
careful in the arrangement of the districts. Under
any system of division of the fund.- large districts,
intended for several schools evil; and there
is an express provision Of the law requiring all dis
trcts to he OF size not too large nor too small for
one school. This provision was inserted two years
ago when the school laws were all reenacted for the
new revised code; and while there may possibly be
cases where it canno. be Immediately carried out, it
is to be enforced far as the nature of things will
permit.
Let each board therefore make it fixed rule tokeep
a nf fN rs.
will permit, make continual efforts to render the dis
tricts of the county more compact more convenient
and more uniform in size
In the second place it must be borne in mind that
equality in money, amo,.g districts or among chill
dren is not always equality in facilities for education
1t is not just to divide equally among the Districts
or equally among the children 10 give to each
school the same amount of money operates unfairly
to the larger DISTRICTS and to divide the fund ac-
cording to the number Of children is unjust to the
smaller districts.
For example: 1t may be necessary, on account of
some natural obstacle, river, mountain, or
swamp to lay off very small district WITH say 20
children Now, where there are fifty children in a
district, not more than 80 will generally attend
school, and the average attendance will not per-
haps exceed twenty five. Where there arc twenty
children not more Than twelve fifteen will regu-
lary attend. One teacher can instruct twenty-five
or thirty scholars as well as twelve or fifteen and
therefore where twenty five thirty scholars at
tend school, only one teacher is needed, and where
only twelve fifteen attend one teacher still is
needed. But if the fund divided equally
among the children, or according to the number Of
children the school could be kept optn twice rs
long in the larger district in the smaller and the
facilities for education to the children in the former
be twice great to the children in the latter.
The proper course, therefore, is as follows: Let
all the districts be laid of as nearly equal as circu
stances will permit, and never too large for one
school. Then, when it is necessary, it frequent
ly will be- to have few very small districts let the
children in these be considered amounting to some
given number, say thirty, thirty five or forty.
That is to say allow each district to be considered
it actually has that many not. The board in each
county can fix its own number: suggest that it be
not less than thirty more than forty forty
five.
If for instance, the number be thirty five, then,
il there be two districts containing less than thirty
five, each would, in the division of the fund,
count thrty-fve; and then let the fund be divided
according to the number of children. In this
the districts containing less than thirtyve children
would each draw the amount due to thirty chill
dren-and all containing over this number would
draw according to the number Of chdreu.
l urged this method Of division on the boards of
county superintendent several years ago; and
wherever it adopted it gave satisfaction and, in
one instance, put end to disputes which had last
cd for long time and caused good deal Of injury.
Finally, by the act of the last session of the Gen
era Assembly, changing the method of dividing
the school fund in the counties the several county
boards were authorized to empower their chairmcn
to visit ALL part of the schools in the county, and
to pay them reasonable compensation for time and
expense.
Each board can do this not, at its discretion;
and it will be we'll, in every county, to send out
the chairman on such tour, once in every two
three years at least, to inspect the condition of
the schoolhouse its location the position of the dis
trct and the difficulties which the children have to
encounter in going to and from school.
lie could also make such visits the occasion of OBJ
serving the conduct of the teachers and of seeing
how far the regulations of the system are carried
out.
Every chairman making such visits must report
the result of his observations to the general super
intendent: and here take occasion respectfully to
solicit from each chairman, a map of the school dis
tricts of his county, with the numbers names and
sizes of the Districts. Every board ought to have
such map, and copy Of it ought to be sent to the
general superintendent.
One chairman has presented to me a complete
map of this sort, and as others get time will be
greatly obliged to them for similar avors. wish,
far possible, to have before me the exact posi-
ton of every county.
also avail myself tho occasion to tender to the
superintendent of each county my friendly regards
and my cordial sympathies in their labors.
That they might not be called on to assume an
undue share OF the public burdens, have had them
exempted from certain other duties, will be seen
in the Acts of the last Assemby-but would re-
spectfuy suggest that their position is an honora-
BILE one, of some advantage to the persons holding
it as citizens of the county, and aordng wide field
of usefulness.
These considerations. it is to be hoped, are in
themselves sufficient to insure cheerful discharge of
the duties imposed by regulations necessary to the
preservation of the inesimable privileges enjoyed
by the citizens of this Heaven-favored country.
Twas authorized by the last Assembly to have print
ed new pamphlet edition ofthe school laws, with q