The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1905-05-25

The above table gives us interesting
information. 1t shows that county su-
perintendents get money two and one
half times as much as they did only
five years ago. 1t shows that county
boards of education are paid more than
twice as much as they were in 1899,
and 1t shows that the expenditures, not
itemizcd, but appear in the list Of ex-
penditures under the term "Other Pur-
poses," have more than doubled in the
short period of five years, as shown
above.
In 1901 the number of public schools
taught were 1858.
In 1902 the number of public schools
taught were 1888.
In 1903 the number Of publis schools
taught were 1924.
In 1904 the number of public schools
taught were 1917.
Consequently there were not more
schools taught in 1904 than 1901. in
fact fewer were taught, but the school
fund in 1901 was sl,119,746 and the
school term was II days. In 1904 the
school fund was sl,903,675 and the
school term was only S5 days, therefore
the school fund was $7SS,92S more in
1904 than in 1901, and as there were
only eight days more school it will be
seen that the average cost of each day 8
increase in the school term has cost
the taxpayers of our State $98,616.
We have seen above that the average
cost of days schooling in 1901 was
$500, and therefore to have increas-
ed the school term eight days at the
cost in 1901 and prior thereto, would
not exceed $4,000, but since the sta
tistics show that these eight days did
cost S7SS,92S, it therefore appears that
s672,92S more was expended for this
eight days increase in the school term
than it would have cost the State any
time prior to 1901.
The total school fund in 1894 was
only S777,O79.29 and that sum gave us
64 days school in the State; and just
why it has required $7SS,72 to increase
our school term only eight days since
1901 is not clearly understood by the
ordinary layman.
All this fund may have been judi
ciously expended, but these are strange
figures, and especially so when we re-
call that there were fewer schools
taught in 1904 than in 1901, and more
remarkable still when we find that the
| teachers of the State receive less than
$685. 900 of this $7SS,92S increase.
Since our State stands near the bot
tom of the list in illiteracy, it seems to
us that we should see that every dol
lar of our school fund goes to educate
the children and to decrease our rate
of illiteracy. with the strictest economy
possible in the expenditures for "other
purposes We should be just before
we are generous. Like the poor, we
need the necessities of life before we
are supplied with any of it's luxuries.
Expensive school houses, rural Ii
braries, high priced teachers and high
| er priced superintendents all do very
| we'll. but far more important to our
State, to it's reputation abroad and its
citizenship at home is that our enroll
| ment in the public schools be increased
and the length of the school term
| This will decrease our rate of illiteracy
and prepare our children for citizen
ship.
The writer of this article is friend
| of public education and desires to see
every child in the State qualify himself
| for citizenship prior to 1908, and there
fore wants no background steps taken
| in our educational system, but there
are features in this system that are
| open tA. comment and perhaps cr1Cl'
cism, and ne has directed the attention
of the public to these articles which
have appeared recently in the State
press. The department of education
have prepared two answers to one Of
these articles, the first article appeared
| in the News and Observer of January
8th and the second appeared in the
same paper of January 18th, and two
statements appeared in these answers
| that are open to comment.
The State superintendent says: "The
city school fund is not included in the
above calculations, nor was that FUND
| included in the fund on which Mr.. But,
ler based his calculation for 1898-1899
The reports of receipts of city schools
were first included in the State SUI
perintendent's report 1901-19O2.
In this statement there is error, fol
by reference to Superintendent Me
bane's report on page 155 the item FOL
disbursements OF city schools appear
and was included In the total sehoo
| fund, and, therefore, the total scheo
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