The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-27
School Districts and Trustees.

awe demand that the school districts
in the varions counties of the State be
as nearely square as practicable, and Of
an area to allow only one white and
one colored free school in each district !;
and that the school trustees be elected
instead of appointed" Sixth Article
in the platform of the March Conven-
ton.
To the first part of the demand
school district), am not so much op-
posed, am even in favor of its being
tried. Should it prove failure, we
can return to the township system.
There are a great many, however,
who have studied the system carefully,
believe that the township system is the
better.
There are few objections to the dis
trlct system that should be noticed.
First: The school fund is apportioned
according to the average attendance of
pupils in the different districts.
Suppose that certain district has
an average of one hundred and fifty
pupils, and an adjoiring district has
only fifty. The first district then
would receive three times as much
money as the second, could run its
| schools three times as long. The schools
of one district would run six months
perhaps, those of the other only two
months Under the old system this is
not the case. All the schools in one
township run the same length of time.
Second It would necessitate the
| building of great many new school
now in existence would be in
the proper places were the districts
changed. In consequence of this, there
fore, there would necessarily be con-
siderable outlay of money before the
| new system could be carried into effect.
Third 1t would create q great many
more office-holders than we now have,
and as consequence some, if not many,
would be incompetent. Not every
man is qualified to discharge the duties
| of school trustee.
Fourth: The lines bounding the
new districts. would have to be run,
and at good deal of expense. In diff
ferent localities this would cause much
dissatisfaction, because certain parties
would wish to be in particular districts.
AS to disafection, however, this would
| be nothing unusual, for there are al
ways chronic grumblers in every CON-
munity. Notwithstanding the foregoing
objections let US make the experiment..
Should the school district plan be
adopted it would settle the matter as
to the location of school houses. There
| could be no changing of school house
sites on account of prejudice, or for
! convenience ofindividuals.
There would be only two schools for
each board Of trustees to attend to, and
and they would attend to them much
better than they do when they often
have ten or fifteen.
The trustees would be anxious to
have large attendance and would see
to it that every child in the district
went to school.
The legislature, however, would
make fatal blunder should it pass
law to leave the selection of trustees to
the people. But why, some one will
ask. Because as soon az this is done
| the trustee becomes politician. All
Offices filed by the people have, very
wrongly and injuriously, been made
more or less political. The best men
would not always be selected, for party
strife and prejudice would often run
| high-we have all noticed this, even
| quite recently-and the most incom-
| petent might be chosen. Yes, let the
trustees be elected by the people, and
we would soon find that very few hon.
est, faithful and competent men would
permit their names to so before the
| people.
Trustees would often he selected,
were you t. leave their selection to the
people, simply because they were in
favor Of some particular teacher, or of
some special measure. Their fitness
| would not be called into question, only
| their position on certain measures.
I object to the election Of trustees,
again because nearly every trustee III
fact, every one, that have spoken to
about the proposed change thinks that
| it would be unwise and a great mis-
take.
The last and greatest objection, is
that the Intelligent and ruling race
can, by the old system run the schools.
| Let the trustee be elected and We
would soon find party holding Office
who have not done so for the past
fourteen years. This is sufficient OBJ
lection itself to condemn the last clause
in the Sixth Article of the Platform.
Let US have the new district system
made a law, "let the other parts of tie
existing school law be changed so as
to conform to it," but let us consider
our own safety and have school trus-
tees appointed as heretofore.
ARLHUR KIBLER