The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-11-24
The State Ought To Provide For
Public High Schools.
MIR MARTIN REVIEWS
A Work that has been Accomplished
Ia the Western States and Urges
the Passage Of Good High
School Law In South Car.
ollna.

State Superintendent Of Education
Martin is very much interested In the
subject Of high schools. He has taken
the matter up In his forthcoming an
nual report to the General Assembly
and he has these interesting suRges
lions to make on that topic.
The absence Of high schools makes
weak place in the educational sy;-
tenn of South Carolina. The time has
come when this want should be sup.
Piled. One OF the most phenomenal
yrOwthB In any educational line Ia
she great growth Of State universities
In the middle and far West. This
growth Is largely accounted for by the
provision on the part of the Ligisla,
lures Of those States for high schools.
AS q rule, these State universities Gu.
roll more than three thousand stu
dents. This occurs In States whose
population does not exceed that of
this State. Such university growth
is impossible withcu5 good prepara.
tory and high school facilities. 1t is
poor educational policy for a State to
spend approximately quarter of q
million dollars on four colleges, and
then make absolutely no pr. yiaion for
high schools to ha feeders for these
colleges. The statistics from the
States above referred TO show that
the high eohool not only serves as a
feeder for the university. but that
thousands Of boys and girls are pre-
pared for life's duties In those high
schools. In faot, it is customary TO
offer two oourses. one f0rstudents who
expect to 60 to college or to the uni,
versity, and one for those who do not.
In this connection ! wish to quote
from the reports Of a few State super.
'ntendents. where there Is provision
for the public high school.
Tho Hon. ]. w. Olsen, OF Minneso,
ia, says: II do not hssitate to state
that In my Judgment the State is
amply repaid In results for the en-.
couragement thus given to this class
of educational institutions. These
schools, coming under the supervision
Of the State high school board, must
comply with the rules Of the board,
and we employ inspectOrs to see that
these rules are complied with. This
results In better buildings, well light
ed, heated and vent lated, in good
working libraries, as we'll as physical
and chemical laboratories, etc. The
aim is to induce communi ties getting
this aid to do more for themselves,
This aid from the s ate enables the
county and many small town to
maintain high school that otherwise
could not afford to do so, which, In
turn, draws In vast number Of It's
best. young people for high school in.
struction, who would not and could
not receive 1t If 1t were not placed
within their immediate violnage.' -
superintendent L. j. kirk. Of Cali
fOrnia: Rapid strides have been
taken In the interest Of secondary pd.
ucation within the past two years. The
Constitution has Been amended by
popular vote 30 as to incorporate high
schools In the State schOOl syhtem, and
In pursuance Of such aMendment the
Legislature Of la03 enacted a law
creating fund for the benefit and
support Of high schools. An ad v8lor
em rate of one and one.half cents on
ono HUNDRED dollars Of all assessed
property In the State Is annually lev
led for the purpose ! think
it is safe to say that no spheol law OF
recent years has bean more highly ap.
preciated than this. 1t has helped
struggling country high schools where
some Of the very best seco ndary schools
work Is done. The terms of
this Act Ia reference to revenue are
similar to the A0s creating q fund for
the benefit and supporto OF the Univer
sity Of California.
The high school Idea has passed the
experimental gtage, and has beer
worked out very fully In Wisconsin
porintendent G. p. Gary, Of Wis.
consln, sayv: "Tne sum appropriated
to State aid for high sGhoola III nine
ty thousand dollaia. 9'nis is appor
bloned among the high schools
Of the State in proper tlon to tht
amount paid out for instruction.
In the high schools Each school re
ceives half the amount paid for In
Btruotion In the high school providing
the $40, doc ~!l! hold cut TO pay Chen
oil that much, Ii not Ii ls appor,i On
cd on that basis
y superintendent V; i, stockwell, 0
! North nakota "rhe law providing
for State high school board and fo
inspection and classification of higl
schools is now nearly tan years old.
wish to aaY that In my Judgment moth
Ing has had q moro deolded influence
upon she ghole acneme Of educatio,
In bhis State than has this olaasifoa
bion inspection and aiding high schools
1t has had tho tendency to build u
good, strong, eMolont high schools Ii
every part OF our Sta!e, and | thin
the Influence of good high schoc
is felt Ghrl uIhout the entire commpn
ity In whicd that high sohQol is loca
ted, beoAA 9 of the faDt that many c
the rural school teachers are draw
; from among the graduates OF our hig
b schools.
The North Dakot9 high achool la,
iaa very simple ons. | quote th
leading features! "The high schot
! board shall receive applications fror
suoh schools for aid as hereinafte
! provided, which appcatlons shall b
8 received and ACTED upon In the orde
o OF their receipt, Tho said board sha
Q apporbion to each Of said schoo
8 whlch shall have fully complied wit
j the provisions OF this Act, and who's
4 applications shall hays been approve
d by the board, the following sums
wit: -Four hundred dollars each ye;