The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1901-01-02
SCHOOLS AND RACES"

Discussing the subject OF Schools
and Races" the Columbia State in
recent issue, has the following to
say in reference to the County OF
Lexington:
Finally we come to the neighboring
coruty of Lexington. Lexington contrib
uted Sll. 437 to the instruction of SAL
pupils an average of S1.99 each. There
were 0Oe white pupils instructed at cost
of 50 a each and l,735 colored pupils
Lexington has large white majority-at a
cost of 81 cents each. The esteemed Lex
ins ton Dispatch has alleged that theschool
facilities of its county are such that the peo-
pie of Lexington county cannot be tempted
bv invitations to join themselves to Rich
land and share the school fund of this
county. We ask its attention and that OF
Lexingtonians generally to this brief COM
paratiye statement: School enrolment:
Richland. 1925; Lexington. 5,74I. School
expenditure per pupil enrolled; Richland,
S6 10; Lexington, S1.99. School expendi-
tpre on white pupils per capita; Richland,
sl505. Lexington, S2>44. School expen.
diture on coiored pupils per capita: Rich
land, s2.15; Lexington. 81 cents. This
ought to satisfy our Lexington friends that
they would be doing very good thing for
the education of h ,ir children if they should
attach themselves to Richland county and
share, as the country districts now do, In
the proceeds of the school taxes now paid
by the city of Columbia. Exclusive OF the
local special tax which is distributed in the
Columbia school district, this city pays
about two. thirds of the school tax of the
county. Isn't this a good thing for the
countsymen? Richland's countrymen, with
their schools kept open for the full term.
certainly think so. Why should not Lex
ington's think so also:'
The Dispatch still contends, not
withstanding the above apparently
disparaging figures, that an educa-
tional consideration is no inducement
for the people of Lexington to de-
stroy the identity of their county. in
order to crafty the extraVagant ideas
Of our ambitious neighbor across the
Congaree.
The State forgets that the COM
psrison it draws IN reference to the
amount contributed, and expended,
for the maintenance of the free
schools and the number of pupils
and the per capita, the large
number Of children attending the
city schools is an important factor in
tbe comparison referred to above.
II making the comparison our neigh
Dor has neglected to consider that it
was comparing two classes OF people
whose mode Of life is as far apart as
the polls and that 10 consolidation
of counties can mske them dovetail
and hermonize. There is a wide diff
ference between city and country life.
The one class are consumers, the other
are producers; the life and habits Of
the consumer requires him to dress
nicely all the time, society demands
az rale that city children attend
school until a certain age, conse-
quently TO meet this requirement the
municipalities form themselves into
school districts aud levy special tax
to supplement the funds apportioned
to the school district by the county
to keep tbe schools open for the full
term OF nine months. This ispraise-
worthy and is commended by all
right thinking people. Ga the other
hand the habits and avocst;ons Of
country life are entirely different.
It's citjz sHship is largely made up of
farmers whose business compels them
to depend entirely upon the seasons
for rem1reratiye harvest. There
is seed time aud harvest time with
8 large amount of hard and labori-
Gus work to be done between the
TIVE, which if left undone means fail
u;e and ruin. Consequently the