The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-02-22
The FOUR MONTHS SCHOOL TERM
1t is the Paramont Promise Made by the Dem
ocratIc Party.

Mr.. Editor: Several days ago Super
intendent Joyners letter to the effect
that the money appropriated two years
TO bring up the weak schools of the State
was not available was published in the
News and Observer. We naturally ex-
pected that the present Legislature
would Immediately take up the matter
and remedy it. but SO far it has been
given no consideration.
There is no doubt but what this is one
of the most important questions that
presents itself to this session for solu-
tion, question of vital Importance and
interest to the entire people of the State.
We have heard from many sources
that the passage of the London bill
would disrupt the Democratic party.
Upon that | will not venture an opinion,
more than to say, the temperance ques-
tion not being an issue in the last cam
paign leaves it with the conscience of
the representatives but increased school
facilities was pledged by the party
when the people were asked to ratify
the suffrage amendment two years ago.
And l unhesitatingly declare that the
failure of the party to give necessary
relief will bring severer .censure than all
the temperance legislation that can be
embodied in any bill.
The failure to run the schools four
months has already caused a stir in the
rural districts, and the school officials
are being constantly confronted with
such inquiries: Why must schools close
You promised us a four months term,
etc, and to give a satisfactory answer
and explanation to the average voter
and public school patrons, and at the |
same time endeavor to keep him in har-
mony with his party requires more tact !
than most of us possess
Last year We had a four months term
for the first time in our history and the |
school officials of the various counties ,
have never thought for a moment bur |
what that would be the unanimous |
length in the future, and so made it !
known to every one that the Democratic !
Legislature two years ago made it pos
sible to run all schools four months. !
When the fact became generally known /
that the schools would run four months
the officials went to work in their re-
spective counties with the determination
to better the condition of the schools,
Gnu plcdu Win the people 10 dSSlSI III
building better houses, consolidating
districts, etc, and in most instances the
people gladly responded, and now they
say, We have the houses, largely by our
own means and we are cut off with two
months or a three months school. The
people are dissatisfied and will demand
an explanation. The unavailable appro-
priations has given public education a
cot hap Wi ha M ri IN
recover.
The Legislature is being asked for
increase appropriations by the various
higher State institutions of learning
The State has stood nobly by these in
sttutions in past years and 1 believe we
should give them necessary means to
increase their usefulness if it is pos
sible to do so without efYecting the pub
tic schools of the State, but IL any are
to suffer it should not be the public /
schools.
The boys in the rural districts of the
State, and I say rural, because the towns |
of the State have graded schools, should |
be given every opportunity to learn to (
read and write between now and 1905 !
We promised their fathers to give them |
the opportunity, and even if no pledges /
had been made to the fathers, the State, /
as the guardian of the children, owes II |
to them.
We have placed a restriction upon the |
right Of suffrage and we cannot afford |
to withhold any opportunity for the re-
movai of that restriction.
We now have two acts, one appropriat- |
ing one hundred thousand dollars to be /
divided among the counties on a per cap
tia basis the other appropriating the |
same amount to be drawn on to bring !
up the weak districts to a four months .
term. Two years ago Mr.. l.. L. Smith |
introduced bill, the purport of which |
was to repeal the law making a per cap
ita distribution and to enact in its stead /
a bill appropriating enough money to give |
all schools in the State a four months ,
term.
Mr.. Smith has introduced the same bill
at this session. l don't know what in
fuences defeated his bill two years ago,
but it seems to me to be eminently fair
and just. Many counties draw their
share of the first hundred thousand when
their school fund is sufficient to run all
of their schools four months and over.
Why give aid TO county that does not
ask for help and does not need 1t? MT.
Smiths bill, l believe, is solution OF
the question, and If passed VIII give
every school in the State four monlhS
term and also insures an equltaple t'7-
tribution of the funds
r. w. COsTEN IR k
supt Gates County.
Section Fifty Does 9hiz