The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-04-26

and some citizens have recently suggested
that we try the entire county at once
This last suggestion will probable not
be followed, and | only mention II TO
show progress in favorable sentiment and
growing confidence among the friends OF
the cause.
SO far our local Board in Guiiford
county has made no hard-and-fast rule
as to the amount of money to be ap-
propriated TO each district from the $o'-
600 fund, but usually in the districts that
have voted the local tax we have gwen
one dollar for every two raised by private
subscription to build and furnish schooI
houses. To illustrate, a district voted
the local tax and agreed to raise by prl-
vate subscription $500 for school house
and we gave them 5000. Another district
voted the tax and besides raised $500 10
which we added $400, making a total
building fund of 81 ,2VU OF this Sl,z0o
it will be seen, therefore, that the Gen
eral Education Board contributes $500 or
one-sixth. the private contributors at the
Greensboro conference 5000 or one-sixth,
while the immediate locality furnishes
two-thirds of the amount, besides voting
the annual tax to double its school fund.
| cannot conceive of finer educatlonai
investment than this, where one philan-
thropic dollar is met by another phllan-
tEropic dollar and four local dollars, all
rom private sources, and at the same
time a whole community is encouraged
TO vote an annual tax that will perma-
nently double the efficiency OF its schools.
If this proposition should be kept up
throughout the county the $4,000 given
by the General Education Board will re-
suit in the raising of $4,000 in the
county by private subscription and a
special tax for schools amounting an
nually to more than $4,000. Undoubt-
edly this tax would be voted sometime in
the near future without aid from any
outside source; and it is proper to say
here that l had the promise of $1,000
from Greensboro people for stimulating
purposes before the General Education
Board agreed to duplicate all we would
raise, not exceeding $4,000, but without
the stimulus of it's 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 consider
ably later date.
of the Greensboro Conference it is prob
have more special school tax communi-
ties than all the State of North Caro-
lima had ten years ago, including its
towns and cities.
Our able State Superintendent Of Pub
lie instruction, Hon. j. Y. Joyner, has
furnished me statistics recently secured
from most of the counties, showing that
in these counties there are now 10 towns
and cities and rural communities that
have a special local school tax, that cleo
tions are pending in As districts, and that
in nearly 100 other communities the ques-
ton of d local school tax is being con-
sidered and agtated with probable cleo
lions soon.
1t is interesting to note that the three
counties aided by Greensboro, Charlotte
and the General Education Board, with
a bonus of $4,000, have been more act
i've Ian 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
Greensboro Charlotte and other towns
and cities in North Carolina when they
first voted special local YAK 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 1t
was last June; the number of districts
in Guilford county is four less than it
Was last June; the number of districts
in Mecklenburg county is six less than ii
was last June.