The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-11
LOCaL TdX AND FEE BILLS.
How tho State School Fund Should be
Supplemented.

1Ao" tho ctbtc SChOOl EunU Should b0
| Supplemented.
tFrom tho so. Educational Monthly.J {.
The necessity for supplcmenting tho
State school tax III some way is gen-
| orally recognized; but opinions differ
rs to the best method Of eflccting tho
desired result. Tho different theories
advanced may he arranged under two
hcads--local taxation, and private
contributions or fee bills. Each of
these has its advantages and its draw
backs, and much depends upon the con-
dition of the locality in which aid is
sought. Where parents arc all wealthy,
or arc, at least, able to pay tuition,
rs it tends to cqualizc the burden be-
But when the community is
is composed, to largo cxtc mt, of
persons in straitencd circumstances,
who are unable, Of themselves, to de-
fray the expense Of educating their
children, a system of local taxation is
much to be preferred. 1t is needless
to add that, if the distinction drawn
above bc correct, local taxation is
what we need in poor South Carolina.
In former article 1 cndcavorcd to
show the advantages of adopting q
local tax law. l have now only time
to point out some Of the difficulties in
the way of inaugurating satisfactory
system of fee bills, or of establishing
private schools, stimulated by State
aid.
Tho first difficulty is, that not half
the parents in South Carolina arc able,
in their reduced circumstances, to paw
tuition fees. When the State thus re-
qlires the payment Of q sum Of money,
to secure the benefit Of public nstruc-
tlon, it practically excludes the very
class of children to whom its aid is Of
most importance. 1t has been said
that parents will pay tuition. My ex-
pcricncc is, that some who can, will
pay, others who can, will not; others
would, but can not; and q few can not,
and would uot if they could. Are the
children Of unfortunate or undutiful
parents to be dcbarrcd of education?
Yet such would be the practical work.
ing Of the fee bill system.
If the State intends to give only par
tial aid, it would be much better to re-
viVc the old system in vogue before
the war-ofdevoting the public fund
exclusively to tho education Of the
INDECENT. The "half-and-half'' system
would give to tho rich who do not
need it, while burying tho poor chill
drcn's talents in tho ground.
Tho second difficulty is included
partly in the first. Tho State could
not enforce the collection of the fee
bill. We hear q great deal of the Prus-
sian system, al admirable one in its
way. There the parent is compelled
to scnd his child to school, and COM
PEELED also to pay part tuition. No
bismarck lives in South Carolina to
enforce this payment, and the Prus-
sian system is not applicable here.
Icachers private schools arc much
moro annoyed by parcuts wlG Promise
to pay tuition, aud d5 not, than par
ems. Wit honestly remove their chill
drcn when they cannot raise the tut
ton fec. a teacher is willing to
maintain q small school OH small
salary that lie knows will be paid but
when number of non-payilg pupils
press upon him, his labors arc imcreas-
cd, and ho never knows what COM,
pcnsation to expect. a teacher of
ono of these "half-and-half schools
would be in tho same state of blissful
uncertainty. Much better give him a
smaller salary that will be certain.
a third difficulty is that, in the opin-.
ion of tho State Superintendent, and
of able lawyers, the Constitution pre-
scri5cs that all public schools must be
free. If this be the case, tho adoption
of tho fee bill system is out Of the qucs-
ton.
The objections mentiono5 above re-
late to the system proposed by which
State aid and fec bills arc contcmpora-
ncous in their operation; combining
together to make the full salary each
month. A modification Of this plan is
in vogue in some States, which though
objectionable, is much better than the
mixed system. BY it the State fund
is kept distinct, and fec bills are used
only after the State appropriation is
exhausted. While this appropriation
lasts, the school is absolutely free, and
all can attend. Then private school
is opened and kept in operation for an
additional period, each scholar paying
a fixed rate. This private school, be-
ing kept in the public school-housc,
and being under tho control Of tho
trustees, is quasi public affair, in
these points alone differing from or
dinary private schools.
This plan, has, also, its weak points,
as cam bo shown. The school is open
cd under public auspices, and all THO
children in the ncighborhood, rich or
poor, attend. They arc classified, and
pursue their studies during torn. At
its expiration, tho fee bill school is
opened. Some scholars enter, others
whose parents arc poor or parsimoni-
Gus drop off. When the next year
begins with free instruction, these de-
scrters como back. The question is,
how arc they to be classIticd? The
pay-school pupils cannot be turned
back, or their extra instruction will
have bcen for naught. The abscntces
cannot begin ahead Of where they left
Off; neither can they be put back in q
lower class, for these classes, in the
country especially, arc moro than u
year apart. New classes must be or
ganizcd, to vcX tho ovcrworkcd
teacher, or else confusion reigns SUI
prcme: This argument applies to poor
localities. Whorever people arc rich,
many Of these difficulties arc removed.
But the probability is, that they would