The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-01-09
PROGRESS Of GRADED SCHOOLS!
Twenty Public Schools With Terms of Eight
to Ten Months: Let Others Follow:

to Ten Months,
We take pleasure in giving space be
low 10 condensed reports of the public
schools Of twenty North Carolina cities
and towns. With scarcely more than
one or two exceptions. these schools are
supported by IL special tax on property
and poll TO supplement rhe public school
fund. The people in each of these towns
nave thus the advantage Of a free pub
lie school open for eight or ten months
every year.
superintendent c. II. Mebane has
Just issued a circular letter TO the may
ors Of other towns in the State urging
that steps be taken 10 supplement their
public school tax. This can easily be
lone without any additional legislation.
in accordance with section I6 of the
school law. if Il few friends Of public
schools in each town will start the bail
rolling.
Our list of towns with special tax for
schools is not complete. In fact the
movement has gained such Roadway that
We are unable to keep up with it. We
shall be glad if the authorities of these
schools not represented here will send
in reports for publication.
We hope 10 be able 10 report not less
than fifty such schools in North Caro-
lima at the beginning of the next new
year.
ALBEM ARLE.
The schools are supported by revenue
approNimatin@ $4,000, this fund being
derived from the county tax. from 4
special tax of 30 1-3 cents on 500 OF
municipal property and 4 capitation tax
OF ono dollar.
a new brick structure to cost about
$1,000 is being built for the school from
the proceeds of bonds. and. when com
pleted, will be eXcellently equipped. Pend
ing the completion Of this building. the
school. divided into sections. is conduct
cd in various rented quarters.
In the school for White children there
are nine grades with four teachers and
q superintendent. The enrolment. narm-
boring 10 at present does not Yet midi
cate the size OF the school. as it will be
llltltlI liilSfI NiltI TIC liz IllbN Is lHlt
its permanent quarters.
The school for colored children has
one teacher and an enrolment of forty
pupils.
~ASIIEVILLE.
The .Ashevillc schools have 81 regular
teachers and one special teacher of mu-
sic. There are four brick buildings
and one frame. Last spring the city
voted extra taxes for schools. raising the
tax from 20 to 30 cents on property and
from 60 to 90 cents on poll. BY this in
crease the schools will be extended as
rapidly as possible.
CHARLOTTE.
-Four rooms were added to the white
school during the summer. Work has
begun on Il new building for white chill
fdrcn. This house Will contain eighteen
recitation rooms and will accommodate
one thousand children. 1t Will cost S34.-
600.
The enrolment in the white school is
now 1.:5o9 and in the colored school 900.
These figures will be largely increased
after the holidays.
CONCORD.
The Concord Graded Schools have had
an unusually prosperous year under the
management of superintendent {. $.
Coler.
\ new charter has been secured. a new
course Of study adopted. and Il printed
code Of rules and regulations have been
formulated and put into effect.
Pupils are graduated from the ninth
grade.
DURHAM.
The enrolment is between so and 9O1
in the white schools. and about 400 IN the
colorcd. \ new brick building tFullel
Schnon u-ac arnctnl l1St Snnl,npr ~ :, COS
Of about ST. 900.
There are II regular teachers. | man
nal training teacher and one supply
teacher in white schools. and . teachers
in the colored schools. Manual training
has been taught in the schools for tn,
past ;, years. under the supervision 81
q graduate of Pratt Institute. Manua
training begins practically in the first
grade and continues through the tenth
Paper cutting. drawing. whiting. me
chanical drawing. wood carving ana ShoI
work are taught.
The pupils in the high school do bricL
work. using all kinds of tools. saws
planes. chiSels. etc.
\ now building Tin place of one burned
last winter for colored people WAS erect
ed last summer.
Cooking and sewing are taught in the
colored school. These subjects We're in
reduced last September and are decided
~ the most popular features of the school
Seventy pupils take cooking and about
100 sewing.
They are given II. hours practice PEI
day in classes of / each. The cost Of tn,
cooking department. outside Of teacher
salary $500 per month average aboW
500 per month or 10 cents per pupil PEI
month.
Pupils are not allowed in the kitchen
without white aprons. sleeves and caps
ECONOMY and cleanliness are the tw,
things emphasized.
FAYETTEVILLE.
This is one of the oldest graded schools
in the State. 1t was established in 1878
Within the last year the patronage ha>
been increased by about thirty-tive pc
cent, under the bile supervision Of Supt
y. Z. Hill.
Three grades have been added to tn
course.
GOLDSBORO.
The Goldsboro schools report Il prosper
DuS and satisfactory form a1DnU all lines