The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-04
THE SENATE AMENDS
PUBLIC SCHOOL LAW
And Settles the Question of
Color in Schools.
ROBSON co. CONTEST
After Hard Struggle Senator McByde Gets
through Bill for Vote on Pembroke
Lumbsrton County
Seat,
ROBSON co. CONTEST

There was breath of relief yesterday
about 2;40 in the Senate when the Penn
broke Lumberton- Robson County scat
question was disposed of and the bone Of
contention passed on to the House
Senator McBryde has made a gallant
and successful fight for it. Many of the
Robson people want to vote on the ques-
tion of whether Pembroke shall be made
the county seat or whether Lumberton
shall remain As far as Senator Nc
Bryde can go he has had that privilege
granted. for the Senate put the bill
through its third reading yesterday by q
vote of 20 against Is.
The discussio of the proposed amend
ment to the school law of the State con-
sumed over two hours yesterday, and
after many proposed amendments to the
amendments had failed, and few ac-
cepted, the Senate passed the bill and
sent it on its way to the other end OF
the capital.
When the bill was presented the vafi-
Gus sections went smoothly till section
four was reached. Here an amendment
by Senator Blow was accepted. which
did away with the power given to Coun-
~ Boards of Education to provide for
township high schools. out of the county
funds.
The plan of apportionment of the school
fund by the County Board provoked a
long discussion. The amendments pro-
vided that there should be per capita
distribution to the townships, after re-
serving contingent fund TO pay the
salary of the County Superintendent tie
amount for the County Board, and if
necessary, one-sixth of the total school
fund to provide a four months term for
all schools in the county and grad
uated amount for building, repairing and
equipping school houses, each race to have
as nearly as possible the same length
fschool term.
To this section Senator GODDARD offered
as an amendment the following, to be
added at the end of the section:
And provided further, that the pro-
visions of this section shall not apply
to any township, city, town or school
district now levying special tax for
schools, but in all such townships, cities.
towns and school districts the sheriff
or tax collector of the county shall pay
to the Treasurer of such schools tile
per capita proportion of the school fund
collected in said county. to be determined
according to the number of children Of
school age in said townships, cities,
towns and school districts respectively.
as compared with the number of chill
dren Of sch Dol age in said county, with
out reservati on for any purpose"
About this the battle ragged, it being a
proposition to give schools with special
taxes their share of the regular fund
before any reserve fund was taken off
For this amendment there was argu-
ment by Senators Woodard, Webb and
Lamb, each presenting strong reasons
why they thought it should pass.
Against it spoke Senators White. Hen
derson and Beasley. Senator White
made a forceful appeal for the country
boy and country school in opposition to
the amendment, while Senator ~
spoke also eloquently in behalf of the
factory child in the cities.
The amendment was finally lost, as
We're numerous others offered, that of
Senator Lamb being to hold to the old
law. One amendment that was accepted
was that of Senator Durham, who made
lower per cent figures in the reserve fund
to be held for the betterment of school
houses.
One section of the bill will settle all
controversy about the color line in
schools. The Code exempts the children
born from the third generation from the
color line In place of this the new sec
tion reads:
Section 6S, of chapter of the Public
Laws of the year 1901, is hereby re-
pealed and the following words are in
serted in lieu thereof: All white chill
dren shall be taught in the public schools
provided for the white race, and all col
ored children shall be taught in the pub
lie schools provided for the celored race;
but no child with negro blood in his
veins. however remote the strain, shall
attend school for the white race; and
no such child shall be considered a white
child
Among the bills of interest that were
passed was that incorporating the town
of Williams, in Yadkin county, on which
a fight had been made the day before. 1t
went through without comment.
Inc Dii LOT tne incorporation OF tbe
Roanoke Island celebration Company was
returned with favorable committee re-
port, but there were unfavorable reports
ITO the bills Incorporating Deu
ton, Doehead and Kingsboro in Edge
combe county, where liquor was to be
sold. Two new bills ask for the incor-
poration of Lancaster and Thornton, in
county.
Senator Wellborn introduced bill ifn-
posing as an additional franchise tax on
railroads the duty of furnishing free
to x-Confederates when
attending annual re-unions in the State.