The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-02-26
Suggestions to the DELEGATES of
the Constitutional Conven-
ton.

ton.
The result of the coming Consti.
tutional Convention is, in our opin.
ion, of grave importance to all
South Carolinians who are inter.
ested in the progress of civilization
and success of our State. The
delegates 10 that convention will
possess the power of altering or
amending III State Constitution,
which is the foundation of the'laws
under which we live and by which
we are to be governed. There will
probably be many questions of more
or less Importance to be considered,
but we think one Of the most i'm
portant will be concerning the
school law.
The future prosperity Of GU i
State depends chiefly upon the ed.
ucation of the rising generation
Therefore, if we would expect our
State to continue to rank in the
high position that she now occupies
the boys and girls must be cduca-
ted. But how this is to be done is
Il question which confronts us, and
which will confront the delegates
to that convention.
We realize the fact that there are
thousands of children in our State
who are anxiously striving for an
education. Some Of these are so
fortunate as to have parents who
are both able and willing to edu
cate them. Others have parents
who, for various reasons, are not
willing to apply their money to-
wards the education Of their chill
drcn as they should. While hun
dreds of others still have parents
who arc wholly unable to give them
an education. Now, the State
should be proud that her ~constitu-
ton has provided a plan whereby
this latter class has had the advan-
tage of a free education from two
to four months during the year.
But this is not enough. No State
should be content in seeing such a
large per cent. of bright boys and
girls growing up in ignorance with.
out using her utmost power to bet
ter their condition.
Taking this vi me matter
we ss1sN7evc lat the delegates to the
Constitutional Convention should,
at the least calculation, double the
school fund Of South Carolina.
TO some this might seem to be a
high tax. But low tuition would
be a better name. AS it stands
now we are paying the pltiful sum
Of a two mills tax and Il one.dollar
poll tax for educational purposes
This amounts to $3.3S per pupil for
the total expense Of the public
schools. From this amount is to
be deducted the expenses for sites,
buildings, furniture, salaries of
School Commissioners, Supcrinten-
dents, etc. How much remains for
the schools after this deduction we
do not know. But we do know
that there is not enough public
funds to run the schools nc.balf as
long as they should be run. But to
double the school tax would be to
run the schools more than twice as
long as they run now, as it would
not necessarily increase any Of the
above mentioned expenses.
Let us notice some statistics taken
from the report of the Commissioner
of Education. This report shows
that South Carolina is the extreme
hindmost State in the promotion of
public schools. The following is
the average yearly expenditure per
pupil for public school purposes in
each State, beginning with the
highest and ending with the low
est:
Colorado, $43.43;A Arizona, $3S.6S;
California $35.3S; Montana, $34.36;
Minnesota. $1,000; Wyoming, $3s.-
IS; Dist. of Columbia, $3s.I4; Neva.
da, $3I.SS, North Dakota, 5000;
Massachusetts, $3o.26; New York,
$27.2S; Rhode Island, $26,Io;
Washington, $25.o3; Connecticut,
$3.50; South Dakota, $24.S2; New
jersey, $23.So; Nebraska, $23.1o;
Illinois, $2I.o3; Iowa, $2o.S4; Kan
sas, $2o.44; New Hampshire, $40.
80; Ohio, 5000; Michigan, $tS.o7,
Wisconsin. $500; Pennsylvania
1888; Utah, 1883; Maryland,
$IS.o7 Oregon, $500; Idaho,
$l7.7o; Vermont, $3.50; Indiana,
1888; Missouri, $I4.I3; Maine,
$3.50; Delaware, $II.6o; Texas,
$Io.So; West Virginia, $o.S5 Ken
lucky, $o.7S; Louisiana, 500; Vir-
GINA, $50; Florida, $7.o7; New
Mexico, $7.25; Arkansas, 1854;
Mississippi, 1852 Alabama, $4.SS;
Tennessee, $4.72; Georgia, $4.I7;
North Carolina, 1852; South Caro-.
lima, 1898.
Examine the above carefully
Read and Inst thInl; of