The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-08-31

quire only primary teacher at q
salary of say $l5 per month. con-
sequently they would receive six
months school. Here both schools
had the same number Of children in
the distri ct. and receive the same APP
portionment. but one had a three
months school and the other six
months school. The new law dis
regards the number OF children IN
the district in making the aPportion-
ment to a school, and considers only
the average attendance, the grade
of work required, the advance ment
of the pupils, ETC., and gives all the
schools the same length OF time.
NAME OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
You should name and keep arecord
of each school house in your town
ship, both white and colored. Some
thing like this: School No. /, white
race, township; School No. l,
colored race, township. When
appointment is made the Secretary
should record amount apportioned
to School No. /, white race,
township, and to No. /, colored race,
township, etc.
SMALL ATTENDANCE.
| call upon you and all others who
are interested in public education,
which means every true North Caro-
linian, to urge your people to send
their children to school. Poor as our
public schools are, | assert that there
is not now any necessity for any
child in the State to grow up into
manhood or womanhoOd and not be
able to read and write, if they are
sent to these schools.
We must have an increase in at
tendance upon our public schools.
Careless, Indifferent parents must be
aroused for the sake of their chill
dren. The strong arm of the State
cannot much longer refuse its aid to
the thousands of helpless boys and
girls who are veritable slaves in the
mills and shops, and even on the
farms of this Commonwealth.
CONCLUSION.
| hope to have your hearty cO-ope-
ration in this great work. Would
| that | had the power to make you
realize how great it is and how awful
the responsibilities of those who dare
to trit1e with the future welfare Of
our boys and girls will be. Let me
| beg you to allow merit to win, let
nothing partisan or narrow, selfish,
enter into your consideration as
schools officials.
Encourage the School Committees
under your care to employ the very
best teachers that can be secured for
their respective schools. Strive to
make public sentiment for public
education. In order to make others
believe in your work, you must first
believe in it yourself. Speak word
in season and out Of season for public
schools; if the best people your town
ship do not respect your public
schools, something is wrong; see tc
it that this wrong is made right.
Tell these people to join in with us
to come 90 with us in the work and
we will do them good and their neigh.
bors good, and their neighbors' chill,
dren good by making them intelli,
1
often worthless men and women.
hear you say l am asking much OF
you, and especially so since you re-
ceive no compensation. This is true
but, my friends, much, very much
must be done, even at a sacrifice, in
order to give the great army of chill
dren in our State the benefit of a
good practical English education, in
order to make intelligent citizens OF
these children.
Let us have chance, an oppor,
tunity for all our children, and then
let us have equal opportunity and
equal responsibility for all oul
citizens. Until this condition is
brought about we must labor and
make sacrifice.
Yours in the work,
&. II. MEBANE,
Superintendent Public Instruction
Tulv 36 1900