The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-03-17
C0mMON SCHOOLS.

General Assembly Of the State an act was
passed which, among other provisions, re-
peals the part of the Common School Law
which requires the proceeds of the School
Fund, in each County, to be divided equal
ly among the Districts.
As you are all aware, it was found i'm
practicable generally to enforce this Law;
and instead of this provision another was
passed, which think will meet the aPPro-
baton of every experienced and intelligent
officer of our system.
The mode of division is now left to the
direction of the board of county superin-
tendents in each county; and the only legal
restriction on their discretion 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 possible, equality in facilities for educa-
ton, among all the white children of the
county.
The great end to be obtained is thus
clearly defined by the law. to wit equality
in facilities for education: and it is left to
the county boards, familiar with the char
acter of the counties, knowing their geo.
graphical features, the manner in which
they are peopled, &c, to decide how this
end is best to be attained.
1t is my duty to advise with you in re-
gard to this important subject; and l desire,
in the discharge of this duty, to call your
especial attention to certain general prin-
ciplcs applicable to 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 d.
vision of the fund.- large districts, intended
for several schools, are an evil; and there
is an express provision of the law requiring
all districts to be of a size not too large nor
too small for one school. This provision
was inserted two years ago when the school
laws were all ro-enacted for the new revs-
cd code; and while there may possibly be
cases where it cannot be Immediately car
ried out, it is to be enforced as far as the
nature of the things will permit.
rule TO keep a constant eye to this subject,
and, as circumstances will permit make
continual efforts to render the districts 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, among dis
tricts or among children, is not always
equality in facilities for education.
1t is not just to divide equally among the
Districts or equally among the children
To give TO each school the same amount of
money operates unfairly to the larger Dis
tricts and 20 divide the fund according to
the number of children is unjust to the
smaller uIstrIctS.
For example: 1t may be necessary, on
account of some natural obstacle as a river,
mountain. or swamp, TO lay off a very small
district with, say 20 children. Now, where
there are fifty children in district, not
more than 50 will generally attend school,
and the average attendance will not, per-
hapS, exceed twenty five. Where there are
twenty children not more than twelve or
fifteen will regularly attend. One teacher
can instruct twenty five or thirty scholars
as well Us twelve or fifteen; and therefore
where twenty five or thirty scholars attend
a school, only one teacher is needed, and
where only twelve or fifteen attend one
teacher still is needed. But if the fund
were divided equally among the children. or
according to the number of children, the
school could be kept open twice as long in
the larger districts as in the smaller, and
the facilities for education to the children
in the former be twice as great as to the
children in the latter.
The proper course, therefore, is as fol-
lows: Let all the districts be laid off as
nearly equal as circumstances will permit,
and never too large for one school. Then.
when it is necessary, as it frequently will
be, to have few very small districts, let
the children in these be considered as
amounting TO some given number, say thir-
ty. thirty-ive or forty.
That is to say, allow each district to be
considered as containing a certain number
Of children, whether it actually has that
many or not. The board in each county
can fix its own number: I suggest that it
be not less than thirty nor more than forty
or forty five.
If, for instance, the number be thirty
five, then, if there be two districts contain
ing less than thirty five, each one would.
in the division of the fund, count thirty-fve;
and then let the fund be divided according
to the number of children. In this case
the districts containing less than thrty-fve
children would each draw the amount due |
to thirty-fve children-and all containing
over this number would draw according to !
the number of children.
| urged this method of division on the |
boards of county superintendent several |
years ago; and wherever it was adopted it |
gave satisfaction, and. in one instance. put |
an end to disputes which had lasted for a |
long time and caused a GOOD deal of ininrv