Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-03-23

Most Of our readers probably do
n t know that such a thing as a
''school-hou5e fund" exists under
the present srhool law. TO sush
the following circular will be a
matter Of interest. This fund, how
ever, is too small to be Of practical
benefit unless 1t is supplemented in
some way:
DEPARTMENT OF EDUcArIoN,
Jackson, Miss. January, 1889.
Dear Cir:
In December, 1883, the State dis
.ributed, for building and repairing
school-houses, the sum of $40, 600, in
accordance with an act of the Legisla-
ture approved March 9th, 1882, and an
amendment thereto approved March
10Th, 1884. Your county received its
proporlionate share through the Aud
itor's warrant drawn in favor OF the
President Of the Board Of Supervisors.
The act Of 1882 provides that the
Board of Supervisors ''shall apply this
fund to the building Of good school,
houses and repairing the same" the
distribution Of the mouey to the
various districts being left to their
discretion.
The object of this circular is to call
your attention to the fund, and TO
suggest q plan Of distribution. Being
familiar with the condition Of your
houses and the necessities Of your dis.
tricts, your suggestions and advice will
be OF valuable assistance in securing
the most advantageous application to
the fund. The fund is too small to
accomplish huch good if distributed
equally to the districts. Many districts
already have comfortable and we'll
equipped housea. and the public
welfare demands that the fund be used
to erect houses and make repairs where
they ar g most needed. The fund is
insufficient, even for this, and must, in
some way, be supplemented to prevent
its being frittcrod away in small
amounts.
Two plans have occurred TO mo, by
either or both Of which the fund may
be increased:
/. The Supervisors may appropriate
to building school-houses any surplus
Of the common school fund carried
over at the end of the scholastic year
Many counties have such a surplus, I
portion or oil Of which can be added Il
the "School,house fund.-" lately dis
tributed by the State. 1 have con-
suited the A~ttorney-G eneraI and fine
that it would be legal to appropriate
the surplus for this purpose.
2. Another means of supplcmentinl
this ecbool-house fund is for Supervi
Sors to propose to districts needing
houses or repairs that the county viii
bear part Of the expense il the distric
viii meet tho rest. Many districts cal
easily raise 500, and in order to havt
u first class schoo l-house would b
willing to do SO, if the county woul,
appropriate III equal ,,,m eliie o.le
districts coald contribute fu1lelisl, ,G,
labor OF the same conditions. La
lew districts, through lie iiberality U
progressive patrons, good houses hav
already been built, though many o
these are poorly equipped viii furni
tnre, ~blackEoards and other necessar'
appliances. In such cases it would b
but fair that tho county should pro
pose to assist in furnishing the houses
This plan is upon the prilciple o
helping those who help themselves
and in my judgment will be foun,
practicable and eminently advantageou
10 our common schools, for if we Gu
[ induce our people to invest their none.
+, in school buildings they will at one
begin to take a l%ivelier interest in tn,
schools.
l request, therefore, that yon pre-
sent 10 the Supervisors these and sue
other suggestions az your Judgment an,
experience may dictate. A quick an,
permanent impulse to the ~educaticns
interests of q district will follow til
erection of q comfortable aud attractiv
schoOl-house. Many of our towns hav
taxed their property for buildings an
: equipments. They help themselves
| and our country districts. if the matte
, is properly urged. will be no less eage
, or determ ined to give similar blessing
to their children.
What we need are good, attractive
comfortable country school houses, an
D let us begin to secure them by the MOI
: jadicious expenditure of this "schoo
' house fund"
: Yours truly.
]. II. PRESTON.