The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-12-23

| DOaTu. dS lOllO"S. ouOCiSOAS ~,
special tax none; Barnwell, IL, special
tax 10; Berkeley, 1, special tax none
Chesterfield, 3, special tax none; Clar-
endon, 1 special tax none; Colleton,
2, special tax none; Fairfield, 1, spec
ial tax 1; Greenyille, S, special tax Q;
Marlboro, 1. special tax 1 Oconee, 2,
special tax Q; Orangeburg, 1, special
tax 1; York. 1, special tax none; max
ing a total of 81, with II levying
special tax.
Previous to this year special school
districts had been established by the
County Boards, aud a special tax
levied, under the general law author
lizing the jurisdiction of the State
Board, as follows: Anderson, 8,
special tax none; Barnwell, 20. special
tax 9; Berkeley, 2 special tax Q; Ches'
ter, 1, special tax none; Chesterfield,
10, special tax z; Clan endon, Q, special
tax Q; Colleton IL, special tax none
Darlington, 8 special tax none; Edge
field, 10, special tax 1; Fairfield, 16,
special tax 10; Florence, z, special tax
none; Greenville. 1, special tax 1;
Hampton, 8, special tax 1; Kershaw,
IL, special tax 7; Lancaster, 1, special
tax 1; Marion, 4, special tax Q; Marl-
boro, 1, special tax 1 ;Newberry, 7,spec'
ial tax z; Orangeburg, II, special. tax
IL; Pickens, 3, special tax Q; Sumter,
i, special tax 1; Union, 1, special tax
IL; York, 4, special tax 1 making to-
tai of 137 districts, with 66 levying a
special tax.
In addition to the foregoing the
Legislature has created, by special
legislation, 80 special school districts,
most of which are still in existence
and levy a special tax, which di,tricts
are not under the jurisdiction Of the
State Board.
There are eighty mine public schools
in the State, as shown by the School
Commissioners reports, in which the
public funds are supplemented by
private subscriptions. In some Of the
counties, reports not included in the
above, the School Commissioners say
many" NEARLY all" " ''one-fourth to
one.third," etc.
The School Commissioners reports
show eighty-fve academies and high
schools in operation this year.
The State colleges, male and female
have had a posperous year. Refer.
ence is here directed to their several
special reports and to their separate
mention in the body of this report,
that you may have full and clear
Iconception Of the condition of each of
them. All the private colleges, male
and female, have been well attended
and appear to be in most prosperous
condition.
It is indeed gratifying to note that
all the institutions of higher learning,
State and private, as well as the pub
lie and graded schools, have been well
patronized and that the educational
spirit in the State seems to increase
year by year. But the contention
over free tuition in the State colleges
still continues.
The boards of trustees of the State
institutions of higher learning in this
State are too large, thereby entailing
q greater expense than is necessary to
secure their proper supervision. AT
least two meetings of each board is
necessary every year and to secure the
same involves a heavy cost on the in
stitution.
The vexed question of free tuition
| in State colleges should be settled and
put to rest. For many years it has
been a subject OF dissatisfaction and
complaint on the part of the friends
of the other colleges in the States, and
thus has worked injury to all the in
terests of education. That such dis
satisfaction should exist is not sur
prising, in the absence of all uniform
law or practice on the subject, in the
several State colleges. The private
and UNCONVENTIONAL colleges are de
pendent largely upon their tuition
fees, and their friends complain OF
what they consider want of due re-
gard for their interests and rights.
Under such circumstances, and foG
sake of all the interests concerned, il
is very desirable that some equitable
and permanent settlement of the ques.
ton should be reached, which would
be uniform in its application to all the
State colleges, and just alike to the in
terests of the State and of the private
colleges. So long as the question re
mains open, the agitation and tn:
harm resulting from it will continue,
and the failure of each successive Leg
lislature to settle it only increases thu
Irritation and danger. In the hopt
of reaching such settlement, and o
thus harmonizing so far as possible al
the interests of higher education ir
the State, I recommend that at ar
early day in the session the Commit
tee on Education invite conference
of the presidents or superintendents o1
all the colleges of the State, and ot
the State Board of education, with the
view of agreeing upon a genera
scheme which may then be enacted
Into law, and henceforth enforced In
all the State colleges. I feel sure thai
isuch a conference would meet in ths
spirit of compromise and with an in
ltelligent desire to advance all the In
|terests of education in the State. o.
lcourse the special scholarships, fol
normal or other purposes, should bs
protected, but the general question o.
tuition fees might be settled upon {
Ijust and uniform plan, with which
plan the private colleges would doubt
less cooperate. I beg leave to com
mend this suggestion to early consid
eration. w. D. MAYFIELD,
i Superintendent of Education.
Could Not Catch the FIllbuster.