Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-01-24
THE SCHOOL TRUSTEES.

The meeting Of the School Trustees
association, mentioned in Wednesdays
ENQUIRER as having been held in the
office of School Commissioner Shurley
OIL Tuesday, pursuant to recent call
was success, not only in point OF
attendance; but also in point of the
intelligent interest that was manifested.
The meeting was called to order by Mr..
]. L. Moore, chairman, and Mr.. j. +
Lowry was selected as secretary. The
completion of the roll showed the
following trustees in attendance: j. l..
McGill, r. NJ. Anderson, JOS. A. Smith,
]. P. Blair, J. L. Moss, j. E. Lowry,
j. B. Hambright, VIM. Ross, DIR. j. H.
Saye, T. n. Thomasson, w. NJ. Faulkner,
]. T. Summerford, J. L. Moore, j. w.
Simril, H. B. Fewell, J. ]. Gaulden. In
addition to those present, the school
commissioner had letters from several
other trustees expressing regret at ina
bility to attend, and several gentlemen,
not trustees, were present as interested
spectators.
School Commissioner Shurley explained
as one of the objects of the meeting, the
discussion of the school book depository
idea that was fully set forth in his recently
published interview. Mr.. Joseph A.
Smith made strong talk in favor of the
idea, and several others present were
equally outspoken in advocacy of it. AS
the result of the discussion, the following
was adopted by unanimous vote:
Whereas, in our opinion, the prevailing
practice of allowing each and every pub
lie school teacher to prescribe the text
books in use in his or her school, is neces-
sarily source of continued and useless
expense to parents and guardians and
whereas there is no doubt Of the fact
that this same practice greatly increases
the cost to the customer OF certain books
that are of less common use, Therefore,
be it
Resolved, /. That all schools drawing
money from the constitutional fund, be
required to adopt and use the text books
that have been agreed upon and prescrib-
ed by the State board of education.
2. That in our opinion, school books
can be most economically sold and dis
tributed through the establishment OF a
county depository under the supervision
and control of the school commissioner,
and our representatives in the legislature,
are hereby requested to use their efforts to
secure authority for the establishment OF
such depository without delay.
In the discussion of the matter, it was
suggested that no capital would be re-
quired; that the companies furnishing
the books adopted by the State board,
would, no doubt, be glad to consign to the
school commissioner, sufficient stock to
supply the demand, and the commissioner
could probably afford to sell them at
much lower price than could be expected
of a regular dealer, though of course any
body who sees tit to engage in the business,
will be permitted to do so without hinder
ance.
The subject of square school districts,
provided for in the new constitution,
was brought up. 1t was explained that
the districts must not be less than 8, or
more than 40 square miles. \ school
house in the center of a district, contain
ing square miles, would not be more
than mile and a half from the turthest
pupil. Mr. Faulkner did not like the
idea of change. He said good deal OF
progress bad already been made in the
work of laying Off districts and building
school houses, and with the adoption of
the new plan, all this would be lost.
Mr.. Blair suggested that unless two sets
of districts were laid off, the white and
Negro schools would be thrown together.
This suggestion was followed by dis
cussion between Messrs. Smith and
Summerford as to the division of monies
between whites and blacks. 1t developed
that the proposition was dangerously
loaded, and the meeting, by common
consent, decided not to attempt solution
Of the problems involved.
Mr.. Shurlcy asked for the sense OF the
meeting in regard to the regulation OF
attendance at line schools, as to whether