The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-23

or 5J,OUU- SHOulu De dppoTLIOueu hIuohS
the districts in the county per capita
the remaining $4,000 was given 20 the
weak districts in addition to their per
capita part of the $4,000. From this
;llustr Sion, it is clearly seen, that I'M
der a system where there are no weak
districts per capita, and where they for
merry have had three months school,
with the weak districts eliminated, the
same school fund would have given
four and one half months school term.
The new law, making the township the
unit, practically eliminates the weak dis
tricts and provides for the money to be
apportioned by County Boards of Educa-
ton, per capita, upon the basis of the
school population, white and colored, in
the township district as reported by the
committee in their annual census report.
The abolition of the district commit
tee is the one feature of the new law,
that has caused the greatest dissatisfac-
ton among a certain class, especially
those who are ambitious to serve the
public i'm that capacity. The number
of committeeman has been too large and
the result has been incompetency and
confusion.
Il
men, are chosen to manage the finances
of county, and why four hundred and
fifty school committeeman should be
required for one county to manage its
schools is not easily understood, and
many counties have a greater number
than this. In 1896 there were 6,94S
licensed public school teachers in North
Carolina. There were 22,6S0 public
school committeeman to supervise the
work of these teachers and this large
number does not include the County
Boards OF Education, and the County
superintendent. This gives a ratio
of about three and 0ne-third Supervisors
to ever teacher and yet the schools have
suffered from want of supervision. Five
carefully chosen committeeman in each
township district with the assistance of
the County Board of Education and the
County Supervisor, will be sufficiently
ample to protect and promote the school
interest of the county. A greater num-
Der thar~thi would destroy the unity,
harmony and autonomy of the system.
From this hurried review of our new
law and the experience of our sister
States, operating under similar plan.
township system as follows: % All chill
dren of township will receive equal
educa tional advantages at equal rates.
(2) Fewer and larger schools, better
wages and better teachers. t3) 1t will
add dignity and usefulness to the County
Supervisor. giving him less anxiety over
petty details, and enable him to super
wise schools more Systematically and in
diligently. ~ 1t affords facilities for
grading the country schools and estab-
fishing a uniform and satisfactory course
of study, having in view the entire
school population of the township I'm
der that section of the new law allowing
the school funds of two or more districts
to be combined, if they shall so desire,
central high school could be establish
ed at a convenient point where every
pupil in the township of requisite edu-
cational advancement would have the
right to attend. The primary schools
in the township would be feeders of the
central high school, and the central high
schools would be feeders to the colleges
and the University; each graduation being
"A component part of a perfected bar
monious and efficient system, instes'
struggling and struggling nonentities !.
is the case now with the average public
school 90 Greater dignity would at
tach to public education in the common
school of the State; public opinion will
have greater respect for it, and public
pride will be aroused. l6) The question
of district boundaries, and the constant
petitioning for the transfer of children
from one school to another will no longer
vex County Boards of Education and
County Supervisors. The matter will
be entirely under the control Of the town
ship committee. @ 1t puts the school
interest OF the township into the hands
OF fewer and more efficient directors. (S)
1t prevents the constant formation of
weak districts, combines those already
weak into strong ones with an increased
school term co. 1t provides for the
school fund to be appOrtioned to the
township per capita, but TO eacn school
according to its grade, thereby prevent
ing unjust discrimination against the
higher grade schools. (10) 1t provides
for uniform term. I'D 1t will give the
schools a longer term with the same
rate of taxation. 02) 1t win give more
permanency in the teaching force in
the State, firm step toward making the
teaching profession permanent. Q3) 1t
will effect a general uplifting of educa-
tional sentiment throughout the State.
With the township system, and con-
sequently better school houses, better
schools, and better teachers and longer
terms, an enforceable compulsory educa-
ton law, and provisions for the profess
sional training of teachers, our educa-
tional system would be placed twenty
five years in advance at one bound.
"The Local Taxation Feature of the
New School Law" was discussed by
Prof. J. Y. Joyner, of the Normal and
Industrial College. A synopsis of his adj
| dress has already been published in the
News and Observer, but it is but proper
that / should say that his presentation
of the subject was especially happy. The
paper was prepared in such way as to
show careful study and thoughtful
earnest search after truth, while its
delivery claimed the sympathetic interest
OF every nearer.
There was considerable interest on
| thine question aroused by~Sfhis paper