The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-05-22
Graded Schools.

Mr.. EDITOR: You have on two or three
occasions recently called the attention of
the people of this city to the consideration
of the question of Graded Schools. This
is practical matter which concerns every
parent in the city who has children to
send to school, and now that the city is on
a boom, aud the eyes of strangers looking
out for locations are being turned in this
direction, We ought to look into this mat
ter from business standpoint, as we'll as
from standpoint of self.interest. Our
sister cities all over the State are taking
hold of this matter, and in every instance,
so far as is known to the writer, the practical
workings of the system have given entire
satisfaction, both as regards cheapness and
efficiency. Spartanburg has had them for
two or three years, and last week at the
meeting of the taxpayers of the city, it was
unanimously voted to continue the sup.
port of the schools, and the tax was levied
without a dissenting vote, and it was
stated in the report of the Trustees that
the system had given universal satisfac-
ton. But the most striking facts and hg-
ures are found in the report of the Trus-
tees of the Greenville Graded Schools,
published in the Greenville NeWS of the
18th inst. The total income for the year
Just closed from Constitutional two-mill
tax, special tax (two-mills more) and
polls was S6,52600. With this amount the
Trustees have paid the salaries OF the city
superintendent and twenty-five teachers
and all incidental expenses. During the
four years that the system has been in use
the enrolment has gone up to ,755, and
the average attendance from SAL in the
year lSS6-87 to 1923 in the year 18S9-90.
The amount drawn from the free school
funds by reason of this increased attend
ance has grown from $3.50 in 1867 to
S1,636 in -90-nearly double in each
instance. These are surprising figures
themselves, but, perhaps, the most sur
prising are those which show that the
average cost per pupil during session Of
eight and half months on the basis of
enrolment was only S3.l5, and taking
the average attendance as basis, II tvas
only $6.38. There is, perhaps, no parent
in this city whose tuition this current
ear has not cost him twice that amount,
and to verify it let each one get his tut
ton bills and see for himself. Economy
is the watchword Of the hour, and why
not save money on our tuition bllls as
well as our coal aud provision bills? The
school fund of the County for the current
year the sum of 81, ,G1600. OF this amount
she receives back upon her present aver
ago attendance the sum Of S562, just $24
more thua, one.thrtl Of avhat she pays IN.
Think of that taxpayers. Greenville was
in the same condition that we are In until
her Graded Schools threw their doors
wide open and invited all the children
within her limits to come to school and
thus swell her average attendance, and if
it does as we'll for US it will double our
average attendance, and thus keep within
the city limits nearly all the two-mill tax
that we pay.
But this Is not all. It will induce pop.
ulation to flow here. and OF very deslr-
able kind, as the writer believes from obser-
yation in other places. This same issue
Of the Nclcs has this item in it which we
clip: na.,o,a o.,o,.su g. .,o c;t
leo Lumber Company, Of Fort Wayne,
Ind, has moved here with his family.
Mr.. Daniels has established a branch of
the Citico Company's business in Oconee
County, on the Tugalo River, but he will
make bis home in this city, being attract
ed here by the excellent educational
advantages offered by the public Graded
Schools and the two Colleges:
Who knows but that this family and
others like them might have been attract
ed here If We could have offered them the
excellent advantages of Graded Schools.
We know that it has boen said that only
poor people will be attracted hither to reap
the benefits of the Graded Schools, but
sufficient answer to that is the well
known fact, which is within the range of
eyerybody's observation, that mon with
out means are not the Kind of men who
move to town to educate their children,
and even if they did would it be any dis
advantage to the city If, in the next two
years, five thousand of that sort of popu-
lation could be added to her numbers?
Houses and employment would have to
be furnished for them, and the city would
be built up by this means. Now, Mr.:
Editor, we want light OH this subject, and
let us andeayor to get it by 6 calm discus.
sion. Vory many Of the good citizens OF
the city have already expressed tlem-
selves as being in favor of the scheme,
and now that the spirit ct progress is
abroad in our midst, let us look into the
matter, and if it is good thing let us have
it. TO this end would it not be we'll to
hold public meeting some night soon to
consider the propriety ofit. a