The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1904-12-22
SCHOOLS.
sNsIBLE SUGGESTIONS AS
l6 THEIR Up-BUlLDING.
consolidation and Cooperation Urged
to Increase Their Etfieiency--APlea
for School Libraries.

for Scheol Libraries.
Within the past few years u deep
and growing interest in education
has been awakened throughout our
sSute. Nearly score Of colleges for
both sexes are now actively engaged
in the work of equipping young mel
!, and young women for more effective
axork in life. Most of our small
. towns have hourishing graded or
high schools; and u few enjoy the
privileges Of pubic library. But
the great majority of onr children
cannot 60 to college, and, even if
they could. it isquestlonabe whether
such training would prove beneficial
to many Of them. In the same NAH
ner the work of the town schools
must of necessity be somewhat limi-
ted in its scope. Hence the problem
that confronts as is how to increase
the efficiency of our rural schools so
as TO give to the country people the
best educational advantages. The
proper solution of this question IS
fraught with much for the future Of
South Carolina; for in all the years
to come, as in sll those that have
passed, will the welfare of our State
be inseparably bound up with that
Of the people who cultivate her soil.
i Everyone will readily concede that
as they are now run the vast majority
Of the country schools are very inef-
fcient. The causes of this condition
Of affairs are not hard to find. Short
terms and poor teachers are two of
the greatest curses that blight our
common school system today; but
these are not the only evils with which
they are afflicted. Neighborhood
auarrels and chickering's, together
With the lack of cooperation, are
most potent factors in undermining
the usefulness of the country schools.
A little more unselfishness would
probably allow the union of two or
more petty schools. thus giving
longer terms and permitting the EN-.
ployment of better teachers; or, if
the public funds we're limited, a CO.
operation of the patrons might result
10 an extension of the term. In fact,
large part of the efforts Of the State
to increase the effectiveness Of the
country schools will be wasted unless
shere is q hearty cooperation on the
part of the psople; and 20 urge such
cooperation is the purpose Of this
article.
Realizing the Importance Of stim,
alsting good reading as means of
culture and education, and feeling at
the same time the need of library fa-
cilities in the free schools, the legis-
iature, at its last session, passed an
act providing the means whereby a
Number of small libraries, not ex-
eeeding twelve in each county, could
be established in q like number of
country schools in every county of
she State. The terms of the act are
in brief, that whenever the patrons
or friends of . school have raised
ten dollars for the library, the State,
through the State and county boards
Of education, will furnish twenty
dollars more. thus making thirty dol
lars. This amount will be expended
by the local board O. trustees for
books which are to be selected from
. list adopted by the State board.
With every purchase amounting to
$50 will be furnished free a book
case with lock and key. Suitable
regulations for governing the library
have been adopted BY the State board.
Of course, the teacher is to be
, Librarian. A copy of pamphlet
containing the library law, rules for
the regulation of libraries, list Of
books, and other valuable informa-