The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1888-04-19
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
School Matters Before The War and
Now.

School Matters Before The War and
| Now.
No. 5.
In 1860 the public schools showed
their highest development before the
war. According to Superintendent
Wileys report, during that year the
disbursements were $278, 900, and the
whole number of children between 6
and 21 years of age was 221, ,45O. The
per capita expenditure was, therefore,
S1.25 on the number of .Stite chill
dren.
This money was in part furnished
from the interest on the permanent
fund of about 100000, and in part
by county taxation, the counties being
required to tax themselves. This re-
qulrement was perhaps the strongest
factor in the establishment and i'm
provement of the public schools before
the war. In fact, the wise founders
OF our public schools in 1910 started
with this requirement and did not al
low any apportionment from the State
fund to counties that did not vote in
favor of and levy a tax to supplement
| it.
This principle of helping those who
help themselves has had wide appli-
cation in the establishment and devel-
opment of school systems in other
States and countries.
1t will be seen that while last year
we spent $653, ,037 .33 on school CEN
sus of $50, ,270, the average per capita
expenditure was only $1.16-Iess than
in 1860 by 9 cents on each child of
school age.
Besides having less money now for
each child than was applied in 1860,
We labor under the'additional disadvan
tage of having TWO RACES to instruct
in separate schools. The separation
of the races is necessity, but it is
| somewhat more expensive to educate
two races in this way than it would be
to educate ONE RACE having the same
number of children.
Having this race disadvantages and
less money per capita, our school terms
will of course be somewhat shorter
than were the terms in 1860. Then
the salaries of teachers averaged about
the same as we now pay our teachers,
perhaps little mora.
The machinery Of our system is very
much the same now as it was before
the war. 1t recognizes LOCAL man.
agement, and the necessity of making
Boards of Education, County Super.
intendents and committees specially
responsible for such management
Then the County Court selected
five men to act as Board of Superin-
tendents now the Justices of the
Peace and the County Commissioners
select three men to act as a Board of
Education The duties of the Board
of Superintendents was almost exactly
what are now the duties of the Board
of Education, viz the general man.
agement of school matters for the
county-fxing boundaries of districts,
appointing committees on petition,
apportioning the money in such way
as to equalixe school facilities as far as
practicable.
| The average cost Of the Boards Of
Education noaO Is just about one per
cent of the funds-one dollar out of one
hundred dollars. Under the old sys-
| tenn the Chairman was County Super
intendent, gave bond and handled all
the money, and was paid two and one
half per cent. of the funds, and if he
visited the schools the board paid him
extra now we have County Super
intendent who examines teachers, is
Secretary of the Board, visits the
schools, gives the Board such informa-
tion as they must have to enable them
to perform their duties intelligently
has a general oversight of the detail.
Of the school matters of his county
and makes reports to the State Super
intendent. He is paid by the day fol
the work done, from So to SO as the
Board may determine. The average
cost of the Superintendent last yeal
was only about 3 per cent. of th'
funds Total cost of Boards and Su
perintendents about 4 per cent. of the
funds.
The system before the war had t.
bear the expense of an examining
committee and of secretary. Boil
| LilSoc uuIlCo oIO ~" PCiAol hO0 oy eh'
County Superintendent.
The cost of the school management
is about the same per cent. now as be
fore the war. The system then did
however, save the treasurer's commits
sions which we now pay, because
did make the County Superintendent
treasurer, and these commissions wen
far toward paying the cost of superin
tendence.
It may be we'll to call attention t
the fact that good County Boards an
] efficient and active superintendent
are perhaps more of necessities no1
than when we had but one race to pre-
r vide for. This thought would lik
to emphasize.
And further, about oNE-THIRD o
$ all the money raised in the State b
E taxation for all purposes goes into th
r schools. Some local authorities mu-
! be paid to manage it, and it is foil
: not to pay enough to have it efficieutl
t managed. What we pay now to th
o Boards of Education and the superir
tendents would lengthen the averag
school term only about two days pe
annum. S. M. FINGER,
e Supt. Public Instructions.