The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-12-29
Especial to News and observer.)

Columbia, S. c.. Dec 2S-The discus
sion today in all the departments turn
ed to the condition of the rural schools.
AS one speaker today remarked; Ten
years ago the cry from the leading edn-
Gators was, You oughter,' and the
ready response from the audience was,
YES, you ought err But today the signs
are more propitious when the leaders
say, I'VE ought'er, and the reply comes
from every source, Yes, We ought'er.
Nearly everA speaker today reached this
conclusion, that the problem most inn
portant is, How to keep the country peo-
pie from fiocking to the towns. 1t SEEM
ed to be in the mind OF each speaker, no
matter as to his subject.
Superintendent Lawton B. Evans, of the
public schools of Augusta, Ca, and also
of the county, made one of the strongest
addresses of the session today. He
pleaded for this reform; the consolida-
ton of the public schools of the county;
the transportation of the children re-
mote from the centre, and the introduce
ton of practical nature study and in
dustrial training-in the place of Latin
and Greek and geometry superintendent
Evans address was especially interesting
because he has begun the reforms al
ready advocated. He says the county
should be made the unit. and schools
should be established without regard to
district lines. IN his county he has fol-
lowed this plan, placing schools in To-
cations where the greater number OF
children can have the easier access, and
those who live as far as three to five
miles from the school are transported
in covered wagons He says this trans
portation costs about $50 per month, and
the contracts for Transportation are
given out exactly as the rural mali
routes. superintendent Evans said that
one other county in Georgia has worked
out a similar plan with even more sue
cess than his. This experiment started
in Massachusetts about thirty years ago
and spread from there to New York,
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois. 1t is now advo-
Gated by nearly every State superinten-
dent Georgia is possibly the first South
ern State to introduce it. superintendent
Evans says it is great assistance IN
consolidating schools, where graded
school of three to five teachers does
with skill and with less expense the
work formerly done by nearly double the
number of teachers with practically no
skill and no system.
The association today has not been
very we'll attended. 1t is the concensus
of opinion that the Christmas holidays
is the wrong time to hold the association.
The time will be changed to the sum-
mer, and Lookout Mountain seems to be
the location that will be chosen.
North Carolina has strong delegation
present, and a considerable force of
the South Carolina contingent are native
North Carolinians. In this respect one
is reminded of the remark of George
AIDE, who is a native of Indiana. On
certain occasion a lady. of Chicago re-
marked to Mr. AIDE that large number
of bright men come from Indiana. Eyes"
replied Mr.. AIDE, "And the brighter they
are the sooner they come
Among the native North Caro-
linians now conspicuous in the
educational work of South Caro-
lima are Superintendent W. H. Hand,
of Chester, and as was remarked today,
the best graded school man in the State;
Supt. E. l.. Hughes, of Greenville, and
secretary of the Department of Superin-
tendents; Superintendent Thos. S. Sharpe
of Darlington, S. c., who left the asso-
citation today for Darlington, where he
is to marry Miss Emma Williamson on
the 31st inst; Superintendent w. w.
Boddie, of Kingstree; Superintendent
McNarry, of Marion; Superintendent B.
E. McIver, of Cheraw, and Superinten-
dent Nathan Toms. of Bennettsville.
The following North Carolinians have
arrived since yesterday morning: Col.
Robert Bingham, of Asheville; DR.. Ed
win Minis, and DR.. C. w. Edwards, of
Trinity College, Durham; Miss Mary
Petty, of Greensboro Principal /. B.
Handy, of Asheville Supt. j. |. Foust,
of Goldsboro Supt. E. P. Moses of Ra-
leigh; Messrs. S. T. Beckwith, Louisburg;
f. B. Arendell and ]. w. Thackston,
Raleigh; j. A. Baldwin, Charlotte; Rev
T. d. Bratton, Raleigh; Supt. L. c..
Brogden, Kinston; Principal A. j.
Barwick. Goldsboro. Besides these there
are several lady teachers from the vari-
Gus graded schools, whose names have
been unable to secure.