The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-02
Georgin,s Public schools.


There are many things in the report OF
the committee of twelve on rural schools
in the United States. appointed at the
convention of the National Educational
Association in July. 1S95-a synopsis OF
which report was published in Mondays
issue of the Morning News-which are
worthy Of the careful consideration OF our
educators, and particularly the members
of our legislature. The part Of the report
to which we desire TO direct special at
tention is that which states that every
community should be required TO raise
certain sum for the support of its schools
as a prerequisite to receiving its share of
the public money.
We have always contended that In the
communities in which the people do not
tax themselves to assist in the support of
the public schools there is comparatively
little interest in the schools. that there is
a vast amount of illiteracy and that the
spirit of progress is practically dead. We
are confident that an Investigation of the
public schools in the various counties of
this state would sustain this view. OF
the 100000 children in Georgia of a school
able age not more than $4,000 are in the
public schools, and a very large percen-
tage Of those who are not in the schools
are residents of counties in which nothing
is spent for education, except the small
amount received from the state. In these
counties-and the number of them is large
the school houses. as a rule are not tit
for occupation, particularly in the winter
months when the children can attend
school, and, as a general thing, the teach
ers are incompetent. because competent
teachers cannot be secured for the small
salaries which are paid. AS a matter of
fact, if 1t were not for the state school
tax collected in Chatham, Fulton and
few other of the richer counties, In ex-
cess of what these counties receive from
the state, some of the poorer counties
would not have their public schools open
more than a month or two each year. 1t
is a hardship on the richer counties to be
compelled not only to support their own
schools by local taxation, but also to con-
tribute to the support of the public schools
in the poorer counties. The richer coun-
ties would not complain, however, If the
money they contribute to the support of
the schools of the poorer counties were
not practically wasted, and if the poorer
counties were required to help support
their own schools.
There is a disposition on the part of some
to condemn Georgia for not contributing
more TO the support of the public schools.
Those who take this position do so with
out fully understanding the situation. The
only way a larger school fund can be
raised is by an increase of the tax for
school purposes. In the counties of Chat
ham, Fulton and some Others taxation is
now about as burdensome as can be borne.
An increase in the state school tax is
therefore not to be thought Of. What
then is the remedy?
The remedy, it seems to us, is that mem
toned by the committee appointed by
the National Educational Association.
Let the legislature provide that no county
shall have any part of the state school
fund unless 1t raises for school purposes
twice as much, or at least as much, as it
would be entitled to from the state. If
law of that kind were enacted Georgia
would soon take a much higher stand
among the states in point of intelligence.
The time would quickly come when it
could not be said, as it is now, that only
three states rank lower than Georgia in
initeracy Then the farmer as soon as he
had accumulated a little money, would
not move TO a town in order that his
children might have educational advan-
tages He would stay on his farm, be-
cause he would have a good school close to
his home The people would take an in
terest in their schools. They would feel
a pride in them. Costing them something
they would see to 1t that their children
attensed them and enjoyed their benefits.
OF course the effort to adopt this plan
would meet with great opposition, and
the politicians OF the legislature might
be afraid to support il, but there ought
TO be enough true men in that body to en-
act such legislation as is for the best in
terest of the state