The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-12-29
The Mrssenger.
THE COMMON SCHOOL SYSTEM.

PeRAAS @AAA 1AAC PlC2[AA1 L III puD-
lie schools needs mending. 1t requires
the helping and of discretion and ex-
perience. The schools have been used
latterly by demagogues for low parti-
san purposes. In the passed they were
abused and lowered by being tinkered
with. Teachers were said to nave been
selected because of color and previous
condition Of s~ervitude," or because of
partisan bias, and with no reference to
the good Gf the whole, with no purposes
of bettertnent and elevating, but with
an eye single to bread and butter and
reward OF ~henchmen. Such things have
been lone heretofore, ii was charged,
in this state, The schools were not
what they might nave been, and since
the advent of the political bushwhack-
ers in places of public power, they did
not improve. They went from bad to
worse during the radical control.
When ever among the colored teach
ers there have been those who were
worthy and s~elf-respecting, and really
anxious to use their responsible places
in the best way possible for the bene-
fit of the pupils, n showed a spirit of
independence as to political action,
they were dealt with. and some per-
haps in a summary We used
to hear that some were dismissed and
others had resigned because of this
political pressure and dictatorship.
Then again in some of the counties
the public schools in townships were
put under control of negroes, and white
men nave refused to allow their child
rem to be bossed by such fellows. Great
evils and offences grew out of this ne
gro bossism over white schools.
The average term of the common or
country schools has been always too
short. This is owing to insufficient
money. The chool houses are not
what they should be as to comfort,
and the average qualification of teach
ers is too low, as the Messenger has
often insisted upon.
1t has been urged by intelligent white
teachers that the remedy to some eX-
tent is to have large school districts,
and thus secure fewer schools but bet
ter schools. We are not so sure that
this course would answer only as to
certain neighborhoods. The result, 1t
strikes US, would be to lessen the ac-
tual number of attendants by reason
of long distances to walk. This should
not be overlooked in the experiment.
No child can well walk more than two
miles to and from the school. More
than that will be wearrying and con-
sumo much time, and in bad weather
will probably exclude pupils from the
privilege Of going weeks IN a snort
session. We do not know how small
the school districts averaged, nor do
we know what would be the size of the
larger districts. 1t was suggested
some wears ago that they be four or
W. NNrth 10 rn1inQ
Journal Of Education says that the
schools are taught in houses of an aver
age value of less than 5000, counting
house, lot, and equipment. The average
length of term is about six-five days.
Less hi two-fifths of the white school
population attend school about one
fifth of the year. This gives an aver
age of twenty-five days a year for the
total white school population. n
schools are unclassified, and most OF
them are taught by unframed IN
experienced teachers. n
At the present low standard only
about half of them hold first grade
certificates. They receive annually Tor
teaching an average of $75. The pic
ture for the colored schools would only
be darker"
This is not encouraging. 1t is PLAIN
that better schools, must be had. 1t is
equally plain that unless the parents
take more interest in the education of
their children, that they will remain
in ignorance and the state will continue
to be filled with white and black 1nit-
crates. The Messenger has not been
able to favor compulsory education,
because of the interference with the
rights of parents and HON govern
ment. In fact, compulsory education
has a severe smack of autocracy n
strong government ideas. In he Sec
tons where it is generally favored you
will find sad and dangerous departures
from the great fundamentals of local
saIf-goyernment and a democratic re-
publican government of limitation n
law. But we do not consider that here.
We are free to say that to have a
broader. deeper, more efficient school
system there must be some changes
made and improvements ~roduc
The children can not be taught unless
they attend with regularity. Thls
teaching to be efficient must be extend
ed through longer terms. To reacn
this standard of efficiency there must
be higher qualifications for teachers.
To secure these qualifications there
must be better remuneration for equip
ment and faithful toll.
The Journal of Education gave an
object lesson in Guilford county that
well for public schools and attend
ance. What are the results? 1t SAID
that not including Greensboro and
Hig Point, both of which have their
own school systems, supported largely
by local taxation, this county has about
10000 for it's white schools. There are
ninety-siX schools with an average
school population of fifty, an average
enrolment of thirty-five, and an aver
age attendance of twenty. Each
school has about 500 for all expenses,
and the school term is nearly sixteen
weeks.
1t is proper to say that this was the
condition some time 6 Later re-
DortS would make the showing