The sun., 1896-10-04
SOME SOUTHERN SCHOOLS.
An Educational Controversy Disple nAin@ ts
Georgin Men Proud of Their State.

An Educational Controversy Disple nsing to
Georgia Men Proud of Their State.
The ratio of illteracy Is highest, 44.5 per
cent. in New Mexico. n Territory. and lowest
81 per cent. in Nebraska. The disburse-
mcnts in all the States for educational ex-
pcnses amount to nearly S2O0,0Oo,0OO a year.
Toward this total New York State contributes
$4,000. 900. and of this the city of New York
SoO0O,O0O. The appropriations of other States
for school purposes vary considerably, being
Sl90oO.O00 in PENNSYLVANIA. S16,00o,O00 in
Illinois. Sl2.5OO.OOU in Ohio. and SlO,oO0,0OO
in Massachusetts North Carolina spends In
year On education less than Ss00,00o. and
South Carolina only S55o.Ooo. Georgia's ex-
renditures for school purposes are by no means
liberal and the sparseness OF the appropriation
has given rise. latterly, to considerable local
conflict In the Cracker State.
BY the census of 1890 the population Of
Georgia was. in round figures, 1000, 900, and
the population of West Virginia by the same
census was 770.O00 or considerably less than
half. But while West Virginia e1pends in q
year 81, 900. 900 on education. Georgia expends
only $1.6S5. 900 for the same purpose with the
result that the ratio of illiteracy In Georgia 10
very much higher and the school accommoda-
tions are very much inferior. There 7O0.-
900 children Of school age in the State of
Georgia, and the average school attend
ance Is less than 100000. The country
schoolhouses are SO poorly built as to be
uninhabitable In winter. when the farmers do
not need the assistance of their children and
when they would be at liberty TO attend school.
as much money as Is needed and the School
Commissioners will ask the Legislature to levy
school tax in each county. He estimates that q
tax OF one-quarter OF one per cent would enable
the authorities in all of the rural counties to
build good schoolhouscs, employ competent
tpnC ri n schools a mi n ha
in the year. Several counties have already
voluntarily tried the system of levying such a
special tax as the Commissioner demands.
The publication of these facts is displeasing
to many patriotic Georgia men. who are not
commodations is BY no means limited to their
State some OF them going so far rs 10 add that
they have read the same charge against tho
city OF New York. the opulent condition of the
finances Of which, they declare ought to be a
guarantee against such lack OF accommod alton.
the school year in Georgia is 10 days. against
81 In Florida 81 In Tennessee. So in South
Carolina-the lowest OF all the States The
ratio OF illiteracy in North Carolina is AZ per
cent. OF the whole population over the age of
of New Mexico, There are $500 school
teachers In North Carolina, larger number
than in any New England State with the single
exception of Massachusetts; but for some reason.
which does not appear to be entirely plain,
$500 of the schoo! teachers Of North Carolina
country. and notably SO in New England and
the West the great mnjority Of school teachers
are women. The salaries paid TO male teachers
are usually larger than those paid to female
teachers, and 1t may be due to this fact that
school instruction. $3.50. 900 OF the school fund
going for teachers salaries and only S150.000
for all other expenses. In Pennsylvania, for in
stance. the salaries of teachers of schools
amount col lectively to less than one-half Of the
total school expenditures. Georgia Is another
State in which, though in a smaller ratio. male
teachers preponderaLe. Nearly the entire school
fund OF Georgia goes for teachers salaries;
there is very little left for anything else.