The Grenada sentinel., 1904-04-02


sounding throughout the lensth ana
f.,]ni o'ni OF the Rtate. will have grown
.a'nter sand~as& ~distance lends en-
e"antmsnt"-perhaps, ~sweeter. At
any rate. those of us who are most
"eepiy concerned about the schools,
ouio md no cause for complaining
wren We consider the continued gen.
o'os1'y lof this body toward the pub
lie schools.
Indeed. it is cause for comment all
over these United States. that }Missis,.
s,pp1 sites so generously, to. the, work
% educeting her children. Compare
lively, she stands close TO, the very
Top OF the list in this respect, and it
isn the fault of her lawmakers if
every CHILD, regardless of "color, race
or previous condition. dies not take
MS degree in the three RS" at least.
nave not the exact figures at hand,
out l believe that we are given: the
privilege of spending annually about
one milliOn and a half, and this, in
population of about one and one
half million!
The wisdom of this generous per
mission rs doubted by many, of course
there must be, always, goodly per-
centages of "doubting7 Thomases" in
every community. Some OF these are
from the ranks of the best educators.
and their argument is that so great
an Increase over last sessions surpris-
1ngly large appropriation was not nee
essary; or, rather, it should not have
oeen made until stronger DISPOSE
1lon Is shown on the part of the coun-
ties to do their own share toward i'm
proving the common school system
by making additional tax levies there
fo;.
And these men are right in meas.
nre. 1t is a shame that the State
should have it all to do, while the
counties-so wonderfully benefited. sit
complacently by, with open hand, TAX
ing all they can get, but unwilling
to bestir themselves to do their mani
fest duty
Just think what glorius possibilities
await our boys and girls. as it is!
How much more glorious these would
he, If each county would rouse up
and do her share. There would then
be, in this great State of ours, con-
dition of things that would set us apart
among the States. So high would be
the point to which Mississippi would
ascend that her light would, like the
suns rays, reach the uttermost length
and depth, drawing people from every
class and every cline, to come and
share in the benefits with which she
crowns her children.
The great increase in our pOpula-
tion during the past eighteen years
is. OF course, due to a combination
of reasons. But, among these, one
stands pre-eminent because of it's pow
er of attracting desirable families in
search of homes. This is the wonder
! full uplift in the work Of the common
schools that has taken place during
these years. And while money-and
plenty of its required in work of
such stupendous proportions, precious
little would the many millions that
! have gone into the common school
fund have accomplished but for the
wise direction, tireless energy and
great executive ability of that trio of
superintendent, James Rhea Preston,
Henry Lewis Whitfield, whose united
1abors have rescued the States edu-
cational interests from the deepest
depths beneath which carelessness, in
difference, ignorance, ETC., had buried
it,
Before passing to other matters, it
may be well to speak of the interest
ing legal question that has been raised
regarding the poll tax distribution, -
as prescribed in the bill which passed
both houses Of the legislature, but was
80 <h@ ~
! of the session. The bill prescribed
the method of distributing poll taxes
collected In the counties, between the
country districts and the separate
] school districts. The purpose and in
tentiOn of the measure is to further
! carry into effect the amendment to
section 2O6 of the constitution, which
provides that the poll taxes shall be
retained in the counties where collect
ed, to supplement the common school
fund, and prescribes the basis for the
distribution of this supplemental fund
Owing to a delay in the senate (the
facts of which all the world know
this bill, with others of great i'm
portance to the State and of vital in.
terest to various companies and indi
| viduals, failed to secure the signature
of the presiding officer; hence must
lie in undisturbed repose for two
years.
AS no basis of distribution exists
owing to the failure of this bill, it is
unite clear that no distribution can be
made, and it is equally clear that the
Doll taxes collected cannot be sent to
the State treasury, for the constitu
tional amendment is already in effect
declaring that the poll taxes must be
-etained in the counties. The Clarion
1,edger, referring to this. says: II
therefore seems that the common
schools will be deprived of about $500,
ono during the next biennial period
and this sum will be allowed to liz
tdle in the county treasures until the
1eoislature meets two years hence ant