The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-07-29

| ~. ", July IA, J-
Prof.. Rhoden Mitchell,
DEAR S,R:-Will you please star<
your opinion, showing in what re-
spect the people Of BERTHE county,
would be benefited by the local ia,
issue for the public schools in Ber-
tie county, il the same is car,isd In
the August election 1897.
Very truly yours,
| THOMAS PEBBLES.
PETER PRITcHARD,
| P. c. COOPER,
| ELoUNT PUGu,
| RICHARD RASCOE.
will here give frst the statemen,
OF Senator George e. Butler, the an.
thor OF the measure, as to the pres.
ent educational condition of North
carolina, before the North Carolina
Teachers Assembly OF white persons,
which received their unanimous en-.
dorsement and resolution of sup
port.
| SENATOR BUTLER 8 STATEMENT.
"Since 1888 our tax has increase
over 5O per cent, yet our school term
has positively decreased, and in 1896
was two days shorter than in 1888,
The statistics shown above were suf
ficlently interesting to warrant in.
veshgation.
A serious problem confronted MS,
The necessity for a change in ou,
school machinery and the adoption
OF new system was too patent to
be questioned.
| Our first observation is that the
number of school districts in the
State has increased more rapid,
than has the school population, fol
strange to say, the average attend
ance in our public schools in the
State has not increased since 1888
but on the contrary notwith stan dine
the increase in population, ther,
were 1000 fewer children in the
public schools in 1896. than in 1888
This being true, the number o1
school districts during this perioc
should not have increased but w
find the number of school district.
in 1888 to be 6 755 and in 1897. tn,
numbrr was 7 .249, and this increas.
in the number Of districts without 1
corresponding increase of the aver
age attendance m cans that the new
districts were ut cessarlly weak, Al
we'll as to make weaker the old dis
tricts from which they were formed.
This constant division of old dis
tricts has been a steady drain upo,
our school fund aud this cause to-
gether with our former methods O
apportioning the school fund ha
been the secret of our failure to in
crease our school term in proportion
to our increase in taxation.
1t can not be that it is due to in
creased salaries of teachers durine
this period, for the reports show 3
contrary statement. In 1886 tn,
average salaries Of white male teach
ers was twenty-six dollars and TWEEN
ty-thr cents per month, and il
1896 the average was twenty-fou
dollars and seventy-fve cents. Their,
was similar reduction in the sal
aries of the white female teachers
The salaries of the colored teacher
during this period remained abou
the same.
THE RESOLUTION OF THE WHIT
TEACHERS ASSEMBLY.
"Resolved, that we the member
of Teachers Assembly Of North Car
olina give our hearty support to tn
local taxation act and will use on
best efforts to carry into effect tn
local taxation act and will use ou
best efforts to carry into effect tn
provisions Of this act in our respec
tive counties"
In the local tax issue, the Stat,
will give to every township $500 90
that raises $4,000 making ST., 900 t.
a township. In Bertio county Their
are nine townships, conse quentl,
the State will give 81 500; added t
81 500 making SO 900, or the proper
tional part of this amount, as tn
State will give as much as any town
ship raises not to exceed five hundre
dollars. The amount of schoo
money for Windsor township las
year in round sum was two thousan,
dollars. The local tax will give |
three thousand dollars for next year
We shall lose by the abolition of tn
liqnor tax twenty one hundred an
thirty seven dollars and fifty cent
to the school fund of the county
which will be two hundred and thir
ty-ssven dollars and fifty cents t.
a township. But with the local ia
We shall get minus two hundred an
thirty seven dollars and fifty cent
which we lose on liquor seven hur
dred and sixty-two dollars NOR
than we have ever had before. Th
! new school law provides that school
, in district shall avera6e 65 pupil!
, which shows that the school none
,, is intended for the instruction of pu
! pills rather than the mere fact {
having a school building without pr
pills.
The law also provides that ther
a shall be equal privileges and a.
q vantages to white and colered p,
= pills alike in the public school,
which all good men call commo
a justice. The law has further pr
9 vided that five good business me
4 shall be a committee in a township
5 This plan will bring white and co
: ored men together to inspect tt
8 white schools, and the amount e:
pended, also white and colored m<
to inspect colored schools and Il
amount expended, for them. A
:; tax payers should bs- pleased WI
this plan as the Interchange of opir
IONS must result to good to bo
races. All voters should consid
deeply the worthiness of this ta
and that it is for the children of Be
:, tie county, which are our childr,
e and that our children will be as 9
=, ger to pay this tax out of the amour
= which they earn this fall in the ct
- IS ton and pea fields as we ourselve