The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-13

1.-The ratio of the average number be-
longing to the total enrolment at in
tervals of five years since 1870, pre-
sents some interesting facts. These RAJ
tics. expressed in per cents, are as fol-
| lows:
1870 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. per cent
1875 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. per cent
| 1880 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 40 per cent
| 1888 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .....SO per cent
| 1891 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 80 per cent
| 1898 Observation-Disclosures. .oS per cent
| 1900 Observation-Disclosures. per cent.
1901 NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. per cent.
From this statement it is shown
that the tendency on the part of pu-
| pills to remain in schools when once en-
rolled has been steadily increasing since
the organization of the schools to the
present time. This is a very gratifying
result especially when we compare Sa-
vannah in this respect with other cities
of the country. In st. Louis, with one
of the best school systems in the United
States, only rs per cent. ofthe children
enrolled retain their places during the
school year, and yet this condition is
| considered as satisfactory"
New school Buildings.
The report states also that the past
school year has been one of substan-
tial development in school buildings,
and describes in detail the Thirty
eighth Street School, completed in
February, 1901, and the new Chatham
Academy which is described as "a
great improvement over the old one,
and a credit alike to our city and to
the Chatham Academy Trustees, by
whom 1t was erected"
Further in his report Mr.. Ashmore
states Il am glad to report the excel
lent sanitary conditions of the schools
and the general good health of the
children and teachers. All possible
care is given to the physical welfare
of the children and every reasonable
requirement looking to preservation of
good health is strictly enforced.
THE care which is taken to protect
the health of the children of the
schools may be better understood when
we consider the fact that for the past
five years, at least, no case OF diph-
iberia, scarlet fever, smallpox, or other
serious contagious disease has origi-
mated in the schools or spread from
them.
District Lines Changed.
Before the close of the schools in
June l obtained the necessary data to
enable us to determine the district
lines with reasonable certainty. From
a careful study of all facts and con-
ditions it appears that Charlton street
lane, instead of Liberty street lane as
at present, should be the southern
boundary of Chatham Academy dis
trict, and that Gwinnett street lane, in
stead of Bolton street lanes, as at pres
ent, should be the dividing line respec-
lively between Barnard and Henry,
and Massie and Anderson street scools;
Whitaker as formerly separating these
districts from north to south. The
boundaries of the Thirty-eighth Street
School district seem to be indicated as
follows: From the western city limits
along Thirty-third street lane to Aber-
corn street, thence along Abercorn to
Thirty seventh street, along Thirty
seventh street to the eastern limits of
the city. These divisions so far as I
am able now to ascertain will secure
the best equilibrium in attendance, and
distribute the pupils to the best ad-
vantage.
The COIOred Schools.
CAS- before stated, there have been
enrolled in the city colored schools o.
$50 pupils, and 1853 in the county
schools, making a total of 4,013. Our
present school accommodations are not
sufficient to meet the demand for col
ored children, and quite a number haze
not been able to find room in the
schools. The establishment of the
Duffy Street School has relieved the
pressure to some extent, but still there
is much need for further accommoda-
tions.
Notwithstanding the crowded condi-
ton of many of the classes the work
accomplished is very good. AS a rule
the teachers are quite skillful and the
strict discipline necessary to be main
tanned is of itself of great value to
the children in the schools.
The Country schools.
During the year there have been
maintained in the country twelve
schools for whites with an enrolment
of 625, and twenty-seven schools for
blacks with an enrolment of 1853,
making q total of 2,30S which is about
26 per cent. of the total enrolment for
the city and county together. The con-
| ditions of the country schools have
| very much improved in the last few
| years. and the work in most OF them
| is very satisfactory. Some of them
| however are so situated that it Is a
| difficult matter to get good teachers
| for them, and the irregular attendance
a common evil with country schools
seriously affects the efficiency of the
teachers work.
1.-THE people for whom new school
houses have been built appreciate very
highly the action of the board in af-
fording suitable facilities for educating
| their children, and the children. too
show their appreciation of their new
surroundings by the excellent care
which they take of the buildings and
| furniture. 1t must be said to their
credit that l have not yet seen the
slightest damages done by them either
to the buildings or the furniture.
The Cost of Tuition.
"It would seem that the fairest basis
to be adopted in ascertaining the cost
of tuition is to include in the dividend
the total expenditures for the schools
except the cost of school lots and
buildings. This would embrace salar-
les of every character, supplies, re-
pairs, etc. The average number of pu-
pills belonging to the school should
form the divisor. Upon this basis the
| following tabular statement has beer
prepared from the latest reports of 9
number of leading cities of the coun-
try. The per cent. of attendance tc
population, and the total maintenance
| of the schools per capita of population
| are also given for comma risen