The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-06-13
Schools.

Thompson will prove blessing to
our entire county. We regret that
so few of our toachels were present
and so few Of our Taxpayers to hear
the wise recommendation Of our State
Superintendent. Under the present
condition of our people the school
tax of two mills never can be made
to meet the demands of our county.
The low value OF property in every
section, even the most favored, eau
not be made to produce at two mills,
n sum sufficient to run the schools
longer than three or four months of
the year. This limited time does not
afford opportunities sufficient to give
our children barely more than an i'm
perfect knowledge of the rudiincnts !;
and the large majority Of our citizens
cannot afford, by reason of their ex-
treme needy circumstances, to patron
ize private schools but must content
| themselves with the limited adran-
tnges Of free common schools. Ii we
therefore, wish to educate our chill
drcn and prepare them for the rcspon-
siblc duties Of life we must look
about for cbange-a change that
will increase our facilities and enable
us the better TO discharge the obliga-
tions due our children. 10 do this
Maj. Thompson recommends that a
law be passed to allow each town to
tax the property of her citizens and
that the amount Of such levy be ap-
propriatcd to educational purposes.
AS the system now works a large
number Of our citizens find it moro TO
their advantage to pay the school tax
and send their children 10 private
schools besides. This is evidently
hard for n people who find it difficult
to support their families in comlorta-
bic circumstances.
Every man should reap in some
way the benefits o his school tax, but
to many this is impossible because
OF the short public school term and
the very meagre salary paid public
teachers. The plan suggested by
Maj. Thompson is feasible in every
respect. A tax may be levied which
will produce sufficient money 10 run
The school at least nine months in the
year and at the same time afford a
living salary to the teachers. One
school in Orangeburg may he made
to meet the demands of the commu.
nifty without expending but small
sum more than is necessary to keep
the present number Of schools run.
ming. The first step will be to build
school room or rooms of sufficient
capacity to accommodate all The
white children, male and female, in
the town.. This is indispensable and
must be done before we can ever
hope to maintain permanent school
of high grade. Afterward sum
of $4,000 will command the services
of the best teachers the in country. If
one hundred pupils can DC enrolled
and an average attendance OF eighty
five per cent. of that number can be
obtained, an appropriation from the
Peabody Fund to supplement the
public school tax can be easily Sc
cured. Thus with small tax
above that paid now, school of
high grade may DC established and
supported for the education Of every
white child in the community.
Such is Maj. Thompson's plan.
Will our people act upon it? Will
they build the house and thus remove
the rcrroach that rests upon the
town, and will they do it Immediate
ly? We trust there is sufficient en-
terprise and public spirit among our
people TO act in this matter and to
act ut once.