The news & observer., 1897-02-18

tendents under the old system. This
supervisor is to be paid a per diem Of So
or So day, in the discretion of the County
board, and no travelling expense. He
could visit the schools of an ordinary
county in $50 days. Add to this fifty
days for other work, and according to
Mr.. Butler, the salary Of the supervisor
amounts to about 5000 or $500 year.
As to county institutes, Mr.. Butler said
they would cost nothing additional to the
county. The bin provides that the county
Board of Eeducation may ar
range a county institute for each
race of at least one weeks duration an
nually, to be conducted by the county
supervisor, or some practical educator
well qualified to give instruction ON
branches taught in the public schools
and the best methods of teaching the
same, and on the history and theory Of
education.
The bill would require no material tear.
ing up of school districts, Mr.. Butler
thought, it being provided that the district
shall have 65 pupils in it, just as under
the old law. The larger the number OF
school districts the shorter the school
term. Many of our districts, said Mr..
Butler, are entirely too small; the money
has to be divided into too many parts.
Teachers are to be employed by the
township committee
Superintendent Howell of the Raleigh
Graded Schools, desired to emphasize
this view Of the question. He said there
had been entirely too much cutting up
OF the counties into small districts. He
gave statistics to prove his assertion that
there was enough money raised in the
State to run the schools four months in
the year, were it not frittered away in
small districts. 1t had been the policy for
the past few years, he said, to increase
the number of districts as the money
increases.
If all the districts in Wake county were
OF the same size. he said, the schools
would run four and half months, and
the pay of the teacher would be raised
| from $3.50 to $50. Some counties in
| the State have districts with only ~
school children in them. There are some
other districts that have 200 school pop
ulation-
| Mr.. John C. Scarborough ex-State Su.
perintendent of Public Instruction, told
the committee that they would find diff
culties with the qpestion of districts in
any kind of bill that Eay he drawn
| To provide for school districts having
/ about 65 pupils, he thought, was about
/ right This would give about 40 scholars
| in regular attendance. The township
| system of the bill, Mr.. Scarborough
thought an excellent one. 1t was in oper-
| ton when he came into office. There
were he said. many excellent features in
| the bill There were also defects and
i some provisions that were not practical
! BILE, but these were not for him to point
out
| President Alderman. Of the State Uni
yersity, spoke in regard to the appearance
Of his name in the bill. He simply want
cd to say that his name was allowed to
| be placed there to give what assistance
he could in building up the public schools
without extra cost to the State. His time
was pretty well filled up, but he was will
| ing to do all he could in 50 important a
matter If there was anything in this bill
to precipitate fight on the question Of
/ the adoption of the text books, he would
have nothing to do with such contest.
Senator Butler, the author of the bill,
disclaimed any intention Of having the
| school book question Interfere with his
| bill, and said he was ready to have that
| section stricken out
Lee person, the negro Senator from
| Edgeeombe county, found several objec-
tons to the bill. He wanted the law made
obligatory on those into whose hands the
matter is committed TO give equal school
terms to both races He said the white
people Of Edgecombe had six months
schools n year, while the colored people
had only three months Then, he said,
he wanted the bill so framed as to make
| the employers of teachers forced to en-
ploy negro teachers of good character.
In his county he said it didn't matter
| what the character of q negro teacher
was. If he was a convict, so much the
better for the committee, as they would
not employ anybody who eyer attended a
| political convention.
/ This closed the discussion, and 1t Wag
decided, against Senator Buffers protest,
| to appoint the above named sub-commit-
tee to consult with the State Superintcnd-
| ent and frame a school bin, ant report
back to the full joint committee.
THE A. AND NJ. COLLEGE.
| Upon the adjournment Of the joint com
mittee the House committee met to con-
| slider a bill introduced yesterday by Par
ker, of Perquimans, supplementary TO
| the bin already passed in the House
touching the Agricultural and Mechani-
cal College.
1t is entitled "An Act Providing for the
Separate Control and Management Of the
North Carolina College OF Agriculture
| and Mechanic Arts" It puts this in
stitution under the coutrol Of a board OF
trustees separate from the Department Of
Agriculture; this board Of trustees te
consist of Is persons, of whom the pres
ldent of the college is ex-offfcio one, the
other Ia TO be divided into three classes
to be appointed by the Governor and cosl-
firmed by the Senate-their terms to De
as follows: for two years, for four
| years, and 5 for six years. All yacan-
cies are to be filed by the Governor. The
appointment of these trustees is to be
made Immediately on the ratifcation Of
/ this act and the trustees selected are to
meet and organize at the college on March
9th, 1897.
/ Prof Irby of the college, appeared In