The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-04-28

euiy lhis tax would be voted sometime in
the near future without aid from any
outside source: and it IS proper 10 say
mere that / had the promise of 81. 500
from Greensboro people for stimulating
purposes before the General Education
Beard agreed to duplicate all we would
raise. not exceeding 81 1000, but without
the stimulus OF its generous offer we
could not have hoped for a large fund.
and the voting OF the special local tax
in the rural districts OF Guilford county
would have been postponed to a consider
ably later dat-.
In less than two years from the date
OF the Greensboro Conference it is prob
able that Guiiford county alone will
nave more special school tax communi-
ties than all the State OF North Caro-
INA had ten years ago. including its
towns and cities.
Our able State Superintendent OF Pub
lie instruction, Hon. ]. y. Joyner. has
FURNISHED me statistics recently secured
from most of the counties, showing that
IN these counties there are now 70 towns
and cities and rural communities that
nave a special local school tax. tina elec-
lions are pending in 40 districts, and that
IN nearly 100 other communities the ques-
ton of a local school tax is being CON
sidered and agitated with probable cleo
tons soon.
1t is interesting to note that the three
counties aided by Greensboro, Charlotte
and the General Education Board, with
a bonus OF s20,0 900, have been more act
i've tnan any other three counties in the
state during the past year. this aid TO
the rural districts being exactly in the
line of the aid of the Peabody Fund to
tGrPPnShnrn Char1Otta and other fOyrnS
and cities IN North Carolina when they
first voted a special local lax for schools.
Guilford county now has nine local tax
districts, besides Greensboro and High
Point, and about ten other districts are
considered favorable for an election dur
ing the next six months.
Mecklenburg county has three local tax
districts besides Charlotte, and has one
election pending and three other districts
considered favorable.
Henderson county, in the mountains OF
Western North Carolina has three local
tax districts, elections pending in two
districts, and four other districts consid-
cred favorable.
AS showing the tendency to consolida-
ton the number of school districts in
Henderson county is three less than it
was last June; the number CT districts
in Guilford county is four less than ii
was last June; the number of districts
in Mecklcnburg county is six less than it
was last June.
RECENT LEGISLATION.
Assuming that this conference Of
friends from all sections of the country
will be interested in the progress made
by any State, whether it is due to the
work Of the southern Education BoarC
or not, l call your attention to the fol
towing facts in regard to the Legislation
| enacted by the North Carolina Legisla
ture which adjourned in March.
First. While it reduced many genera
appropriations and reduced the sum to
tai Of its appropriations below what the.
t were two years ago, it increased ever.
l educational appropriation.
| Second. 1t adopted every official re
commentator of the State Superintend
e ent of Public instruction with one ex
oeption, and that suggestion to provid
e for deputy state superintendent will b
i made again and probably enacted int
4 law two years from now.
. Third. : 1t increased the clerical fore
of the State Superintendent Of Public In
. struction and Increased the saIA. of tina
officer So 1-3 per cent. SO far as | re
call, this is the second State salary in
g creased by the Legislature during tn
q past twenty years. 1t is proper to stat
9 that, at Superintendent Joyner's Request
the increase in salary will not becom
e effective until his present term of Offic
| expires, Two years from now.
Fourth. 1t established a $500, vvv loa
: fund to be used under the direction Q
the State Board of Education for TIL
building and improving Of public schoc
e houses. Each loan must be returned i
+ ten annual installmcnts with 4 per cen
interest paid annually. This arrangement
provides a $500, 600 loan for this year an
a perpetual annual loan fund of $2S, OOt
S Fifth. The appropriation of s. 900 70
Y rural libraries was increased to $7,5
: So, 500 of which is to go to the improve
i ment of the nearly 500 rural librarlo
established within the past two year:
Y and the other SIS, 1000 to be used as tn
o first So, 600 was used to establish ne
libraries. Under this plan the school dis
Y trict raises SO by private subscription
the county fund pays $40, and the Stat
S fund pays SO, SO that this $500 appro
priation means S22, 500 to be invested i
h reading for the children of rural district
e in addition to the SIS, 900 gently so in
vested.
s Sixth. The compensation Of county ST.
e p~erintendents was increased so per cen
d and provision was made for paying tn
expenses of county superintendent TO al
S tend a State meeting Of the supeTintend
G. ents once a year.
II Seventh. The plans Of all new schot
t, houses must be approved by the Count
d Boards of Education and the State ST.
G. perintendent.
IT Eighth. The general law for local tax
o alton was made as favorable as pract
d cable and forty or fifty special acts WeI
)f passed allowing as many communities
vote upon the question of local taXatio
d and the establishment of graded school
lie Most of these, of course, were in the RI
, raj districts.
So much for education in North Care
1T lima. | do not pretend to claim That a
n these encouraging signs are the result
te the Southern Education Board. The boar
oil is simply a helper, and any board may
ID gratifed to aid in work where there
i so much activity and where the signs al
Sc all pointing in the right direction.
In addition to my work in North Car
to lima. have, since our last meeting