The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-03-13
IT IS A LOAN FUND
AND IS NOT A GIFT
Great Need of New School
Houses in the State.
THE PLANS ARE SET FORTH
fine too Short and too Precious Before 1909
10 Shorten School Terms by Using
Their Funds for the Erection
of School Houses.

4 now departure was made in school
legislation in North Carolina by the last
| General Assembly, and this was in the
act providing for the building of school
| houses.
The use of the Literary Fund of the
State was made available for this pur-
pose. To such County Boards as desire
it. money will be loaned to erect school
houses, or repair those that need it.
ample security being given the State
Board for the money loaned.
This money is to be repaid in ten an
nual installments and the loan is to bear
interest at four per cent. This return of
one-tenth of the money loaned each year
will make something of an endless
chain" loan, that which is returned be-
ing available for use by other dis
tricts.
The matter is one of interest to every
county in the State and especially so to
the rural districts, for this loan fund is
to be used only in the rural districts,
and not in incorporated towns. That an
explanation might be given of the plans
an interview was had yesterday with
Prof. ]. Y. Joyner the State Superin-
tendent of Public Instruction, from
whom the needed information was
sought
The first question asked of superin-
tepdent Joyner concerning the matter
was this:
What are your general views concern
ing the use of the fund for building and
repairing school bouses?"
ut is my purpose and desire" he re-
rlied, "to use the loan fund established
by the recent General Assembly FOR
building public school houses to the best
possible advantage. l shall endeavor to
use a part of it first where the needs
are greatest and to help to secure
| through its use as soon as possible
| reasonably comfortable school house for
| every child of school age in our dear
| old State. / wish it distinctly under
| stood that this is loan fund and not
/ gift fund. 1t will be used, there
| fore, to stimulate as far as possible self
| help. 1t is just and right that those re-
ceiving help from it should return every
cent of it that. the benefits of it may
| be passed on to others and that sooner
or later all who are entitled thereto
may have an opportunity of helping
themselves through it's use. Many dis
trict that either has no school house
or that has one that is uncomfortable
and sadly inadequate to its needs would
be compelled to close its school or great
ly shorten it's school term for perhaps
two or three years in order to pay for
the building of comfortable school
house. BY the use of this fund such dis
tricts can borrow enough to pay their
part of the cost of building their house
have the benefit Of the house at once
and pay for it in small annual INSTALL
nents for ten years. Many of these dis
tricts will be glad to pay these small an
nual installments in full or in part by
private subscription and thereby pre-
vent the necessity Of materially short
eninG their school terms. other districts
that need larger and better houses to
meet their growing needs will also be
afforded an opportunity of helping them
solves through the use of this fund"
How are you going to begin work in
learning Were the loans are wanted?"
'In order to use the fund judiciously
| shall endeavor to secure accurate in
of each couaty and accurate reports as
to the condition Of the school houses in
the various counties 1t will be my pur-
pose through the efforts of my new
clerk and myself to obtain as nearly as
possible a personal knowledge of these
things in every county before investing
cent of this fund in that county. I
shall en6eavor to conduct the business
;,, 10, 1,,SEl
methods controlling safe private invest
ments E"
What special work will your new
clerk do?" s
1.-THE new clerk allowed me by the
General Assembly will enable me to do
this work with more care and will also
enable me to do more field work than
I have been able to do heretofore. The
new clerk. Mr.. E. C. Brooks, Superin-
tendent of the Public Schools of Mon
roe, is a progressive and successful pub
lie school teacher. He was himself
reared in the country and prepared in
rural schools for college. He has taught
in the rural schools and has had excel
lent opportunities of acquainting him
self with these schools and their needs
With his help l shall hope to do much
more work also in the way of confer
ences with County Boards of Education
and County superintendent and in the
way of acquiring some first hand knowl-
edge of the condition and needs of the
rural schools of the State"
In the construction OF new school
houses will any particular plans be fol-
lowcd?"
The new law provides that all school
houses shall in the future be constructed
in accordance with plans approved by
the County Board of Education and the
State superintendent of Public Instruc-
tion. I have had prepared in pamphlet
form by slillful architects excellent
plans for public school houses varying
in size from one to eight rooms. These
will be sent to school officers. They con-
tain fun specifications and bills of ma
toriai for every house so that it will
cniy be necessary 20 send a printed PAM
phlet to any school committee and any
Intelligent carpenter can have erected
house in accordance with any plan