The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-04-17
least, made up of children residing out of

least, made up of children residing out of
the bounds of said district. 1t was far
from our intention to charge that the
school officials had returned pupils which
were not attending the schools. If the
expression irritated the board and prin
cipal, it must be attributed to our poverty
of language and not to a desire to inten-
tionally wound, for we knew of no other
word to express our meaning. Our ohJec-
ton to the words malicious and 'stealthy
roguery' was that it seemed to be the pur-
pose of our friend to attempt to place US
in the position of charging those officials
with an offense against good morals and
honest dealing, when such was not our
intention. Naturally we protested against
such construction of our language, for
it was not our purpose to stir up strife
aud ill-feeling in bringing out this ques-
ton, but an honest effort to correct what
seemed to US an inequality in the distri-
button of public school funds. The cause
of the people is the first consideration of
this newspaper in matters of public con-
Germ, and we would endeavor to remedy
public injustice practiced in the town of
Bamberg as quickly as anywhere else in
the county We know no town nor city
boundaries when we consider that the
welfare or best interests of the people of
Bamberg county are at stake. There are
several features of this question yet open
for discussion. Our reply last week was
written hurriedly, and we were forced to
omit some things we had intended saying.
But there is no use that we can see for
continuing the controversy, as our friend
has, in his replies, fully sustained our
position. In order to be as brief as pos
sible, let US state our contention: 1. That
the enrolment of pupils in the negro
schools of the Denmark district was not
confined to pupils residing in the district.
When Mr.. Virgins states: II must &C
knowledge that good number come to
these country schools from adjoining dis
tricts," he admits that we are correct. AS
to the question of the right to enroll these
pupils, we differ. He says they have, and
possibly from purely technical stand
point they have, but we most respectfully
submit that it is inequitable and an injus-
tice to other school districts. In this con-
nection we will state that We are informed
that at least d Few pupils are enrolled in
the Denmark white school who live nearer
to other schools. 2. Fiat the Denmark
Industrial School was not established as
and is not free public school of the
county. Mr.. Virgins admits that there
are a few boarders. Of course they are
returned in the enrolment, and the small
number makes no difference. If this school
uses the course of study prescribed for the
free public schools of the State, it is of
recent custom, for it was not done last
year. We would not wrongfully construe
our good friends language, but a careful
reading of his reply will show that our
position is upheld. So this ends the mat
ter as far as we are concerned. But a word
as to those figures before we close. This
newspaper has not made any mistake in
the classification of schools. The report
says ''town schools" as plain as daylight,
and if there is any mistake it rests with
some one else. We understand that Mr..
Virgins furnished these statistics to the
State Supt. of Education, so he must be
the party in error. But, come to think of
it, that report is surelya wonderful docu-
ment. Table No. 8 on page 272 gives the
total number of pupils in the Denmark
white school as 1S3,. while Table No. on
page 17S gives the total pupils of the same
school as 1872. Table No. 8 shows that of
the pupils of the white school only 95
live in town. Lizzie Wright in her report
to the county superintendent reports 3O3
pupils enrolled, while her pamphlet of
information gives the number as 300.
We do not mention these things to invoke
further discussion, but merely to show
the discrepancies in the various reports.
One thing more: Mr.. Virgins says they
open the doors oftheir schools to children
from other districts, and as these help to
swell the enrolment and increase the
districts share of public funds, doesn't it
seem nothing but fair and just that better
provision was made for accommodating
them? Denmark cannot plead poverty,
for the funds are available. The idea of
two negro teachers at $50 month teach
ing 297 children Ed. Herald.