The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-08-05
THE SENTIMENT IS GROWING IN FAVOR
OF CONSOLIDATION AND LOCAL
TAXATION.
Cor. of The Progressive Farmer.

Cor. of The Progressive Farmer.
The partially to numerous small
schools, with only a few pupils to each,
has become strong from long continu-
u custom. This obstacle has stood
in the way of this improvement by
consolidation in every county where it
has been attempted and effected; but
when once secured, it's advantages be-
come so great that a return to the old,
system would be almost impossible.
Several counties in the State have
notified the State Superintendent that
the sentiment of the people is almost
unanimous for taking another adj
vanced step in the way of improving
the school buildings, employing bet
ter teachers, and increasing the length
of the school term. The county SUI
p-erintendents in most of the counties
are doing excellent work; and this ev-
idence, that about one-ffth of the
counties are about prepared to vote on
the question of local taxation with an
assurance that n or more cOnsoli-.
dated districts will vote a local tax,
is a most gratifying result. 1t can
more than appears on the surface. 1t.
is this feeling that something more
must be done for the children of
North Carolina than has yet been
done, that has caused about one hun
dred districts, in every section of the
State to ask the educational board to
send speakers in their midst to dis
cuss this question with the people.
THE EFFECT OF AN ATTRACTIVE SCHOOL
HOUSE AND A OOD TEACHER ON
THE.POOR CHILDREN
In one of the western counties three
small school districts were consolidate
ed and a new school building with two
rooms, well lighted and ventilated, was
built at a cost of 5000. Heretofore
these three districts had been running
from two and a half to three months
with one teacher in each. Last year
the three combined, taught by two
teachers, ran four and a half months.
At the Teachers Institute this sum
mer there was an honest but ignorant
old farmer present and he was the
most enthusiastic man in attendance.
He said that until the past year his
children never attended school, that
they didn't care to go, they preferred
to work in the field, and he never made
them go; but two weeks before the
school began last year the teachers
spent a few hours at his house and
talked with the family. The result
was that the children started to school,
and he added: my little boys think
these are the greatest teachers in the
world. Why, every night they would
get their books, and until they went
to bed they talked of nothing but what
the teachers had told them at school.
They never wanted to go to school be-
fore and they went; but they
never grow tired now, and [ am here
to-day to see if we can't make the
term longer" AS this honest old man
spoke these words there was an ex-
preston of JOY and pride in his rug
ged cormterance that would have an
swered any argument against the i'm
proyement of the public schools. His
children had been won by two faithful
women, ana what these have done can
be done in every county in the State.
Attractive school-houses and enter
tanning teachers will draw half the
children who now have no desire to at
tend school.
E. G. BROOKS.
Wake Co., N. G.