The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-10-06
TEE FA1RPxHLu HEHA Lu.

"a AM - AA n q "A ~ AZ
ting Committed y Along, Tong to iifiivostigate
his conduct.
i The joy of the public at the resig
nation Of Delano will be oderated
somewhat by uncertainty as to his sue
cessor. They may rest assured that
the new appointment cannot be
worse, than the old one, We trust
we shall never be compelled to
chronicle the rc-appearance of Mr..
Delano into. public life. ,Lethim. end
his days, as q book peddler or light
ming yrod agent ! Farewell Delano. 1 ,
DEFECTS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM
&fiA , THE REMEDY. .rErs..
Having shown in former issues
some of the disadvantages under
which the free schools are laboring
in Fairfield, we will now present II
few of the causes operating against
them, showing that the blame rests
not upon the people nor the local
officials, but upon extrinsic facts.
We will also offor few suggestions
as to the remedy. ' - ~" n
The chief difficulty all along has
been the uncertainty of pay, and
until it bo definitely known each
year whnt will be the amount dis
bursod, tho schools cannot prosper.
Competent teachers will not give
their services to education without
certainty of compensation. There
are many persons to-day in Fairfield
having a collegiate education. who
would gladly teach if. they were as
sured of remunerationd ntirnt taji .
AS before said, the county has
never L coi,e1 her full quota of the
State fund. Under the administra-
tion of Niles G. Parkor very little
school money ever reached the coun-
ty. In 1873, under the new regime,
the people took hope. The county
paper warmly advocated free educa-
ton, and the people generally ap-
proved it, That year, every district
in the county except one, voted a
handsome local tux for 1874, one
district meeting composed of achite
conservatives votiaeg three mills.
Reliable trustees werecappointcd
and they Interested themselves in
their duties. Before tho schools
were fairly under way the defalcation
OF the county treasurer caused either
n total loss, OF else locking up in
tho court of almost the cntire state
and local fund. Taxpayers became
dlsgusted ; and in consequence only
threo districts levied tax. Then,
to add to other embarrassments, the
State apportionment WAS only $4,000
This was heavy blow to the system.
The greatest economy had been prac
ticod and yet balance of certificates
remained unpaid. Notwithstanding
these fearful blows, the people of all
classes favor tho system. And this
year there have been voted liberal
ocal t,txes. r.,. .
We must show another grievous
obstacle in the way of success OF
schools in Fairfield, This is the
basis of apportionment of the State
itmd. 1t was injurious enough to
Fairfield when the basis was the
entire scholastic population, for in
this county the number of children
is not proportioned to it's wealth.
The sum raised has always exceeded
the sum returned. But the method
of division according to school at.
tendance is still more unjust. Tho
loss in 1874 occurred before all
tho schools were opened. This
made the attendance much smaller
than in other counties--only 1,70(
children in a scholastic population OF
5000. Then this loss of tie loca
tax for 1874 prevented q levy 70,
1875. While other counties had ar
abundance Fairfield had comparative
ly nothing, and both the number o.
schools and tho length of their ses
sions were cut short. The trustees
might have opened schools all over
the county by rocklossly incurine
dobt, and thus swelled the attond
ance so as to receive large appor
I tionmcnt for 1876. But they re
fused to do this. Tn consequence
} Fairfield will probably receive only
, % small percentage of f,her' two mil
! tax, possibly smaller than that re
ceived this year. Then if tho trus
tcoa poOfpo i1,oncoIunc x,,;@l .: