The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-03-24
SCHOOL LOAN FUND
Has Done More Than Was
Hoped for by Its
Friends.

The State Superintendent OF PUBIC IN
struction yesterday gave out the follow
ing interesting statement in regard to the
use OF the Loan Fund for building and
improving public schools:
Total amount of loans to date. $50, All 90
Number of counties to which
loans have been made. 81
Number of districts in which
buildings have been secured
through aid of this fund. ..... 2OS
Number OF new school houses
built with the aid of loan.... 173
Number OF houses purchased or
repaired ...... .............. 50
Total value of buildings secured
with aid of loan. .239, $3.50. 90
Number of these districts in
which there were no houses.. &c
Number of districts in which
were old houses valued at less
than $4,000, including log
houses, "shanties,'' "tenent
houses" Quotations are from
applications.) -. .......... Sc
Number OF houses built strictly
according to plans sent out in
pamphlet by State Superintend-
cnt of Public instruction. ZIG
Loans were made to only fifteen dis
tricts containing less than siXty-fve chill
drcn, and the loans TO these were not
made until satisfactory evidence was fur
nished of the impossibility of enlarging
the district on account of natural bar
riers. All the other districts to which
loans were made were of reasonable size.
At least ninety Of them were enlarged by
consolidation just before or just after the
loans were authorized. Others had been
previously enlarged. In forty-five of
these districts local tax for schools was
voted just before or just after the loan
was granted. All the districts except six
teen to which loans have been made are
distinctly rural or include small towns of
less than five hundred inhabitants.
The first loans were made to twenty-six
counties on August 10, 1903. The first in
stallment of one-tenth amounting to
%.440.72, due February 10, 1904. Every
cent of its installment has been paid by
every one of these twenty-siX counties
and paid promptly.
These leans have been made under
Chapter 561 Laws of 1903. Section of
which reads as follows: THAT the Coun-
t. Board of Education, from any sum
borrowed under the provisions of this act,
may make loans to any district in such
county for the purpose of building school
houses In such district, and the amount
so loaned to any district shall be payable
in ten annual installments, with interest
thereon at four per cent, payable annual
ly. Al the January meeting of said Coun-
ty Board, it shall dedubt from the appor-
tionmcnt made to any district which have
borrowed under the provisions of this act,
the installment and interest then due,
and shall continue to deduct such amount
at each annual January meeting until the
whole amount shall have been paid, togeth-
or with interest"
Under the rules adopted by the State
Board Of Education for the regulation of
this fund, preference is given to rural
districts or towns with less than one
thousand inhabitants, to consolidated dis
tricts, and local tax districts. Not more
than one-half the cost of grounds, build
ing and equipment has been or will be
lent 10 any district and no loan has been
or will be made for any house costing
less than $3.50. All houses must be built
in accordance with plans contained in pam
phlet prepared by architect under the di-
rection of the State Superintendent of
Public Instruction, or in accordance with
other plans submitted to him and ap-
proved.
From the above facts it will be seen
that by lending $50, 90 to sixty-one
counties, 20S districts have been aided in
securing public school houses valued at
S239, $780, adding that amount to the value
of the public school in those counties
The new houses have been constructed
in accordance with the principles of mod
err scfool architecture, and stand as an
object lesson in the various counties in
Improvement of school houses and grounds
and equipment, arousing the pride and
confidence and interest Of the people in
the schools. Through the loans made,
consolidation and enlargement of districts
and local taxation for public schools have
been encouraged, stimulated and, in a
number Of instances, secured, without the
aid of these loans many of these districts
would probably have been unable to Sc
cure good houses for years without great
~ decreasing the length of the school
term, and some of them would have been