The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-11-22
STATE HIGH SCHOOLS.
Agitation for the Embellishments OF
Them

The idea # stahlisbing number of
state high schools will he advocated
very strongly by the state superiDte
dent of education in his annual re
port Mr. Martin bas written the vari-
for an idea on this line and from the
replies received it is evident that in
the West there are large number of
state nigh schools that help the at
tendance at the COLLEGES great deal.
Omitting the letters Mr. Martin will
have the following in regard 70 it:
The absence Of high schools marks
weak place in the educational system
of South Carolina The time has
come when this want should be sup
piled. One of the raa phenomenal
growth. in any educational line is the
great growth of state universities in
the middle and far West This growth
is largely accounted for by tiie pro-
vision on the part cf the legislatures
of those states for high schools. AS
rule, these state Gnivsri:ies enroll
more than three thousand students.
This occurs in states whose POPULATION
does not exceed that of this state.
Such university growth is impossible
without COCA preparatory and high
school facilities. It is pco1 educa-
tional policy for state to spend ap-
proXimately a quarter OF million
dollars on four colleges and then
make absolutely no proTsion for high
schools to be feeders to those col
leges The statistics frar, tne s>.t-,s
oLo f0 cl, t,if n
school not only se7vss es :, feeder :cr
the university, but that tccusa"G> OF
boys and girls are prepare :or l;'e's
duties in these high schools. j. ract,
it is customary to offer two courses,
one for students who expect to 90 to
college or to the university, and one
for those who do not.
Some of tae states provide only Que
high school to the county. Some pro-
vide for as many as seven in cne coan
ty: and some provide for the organi
zation of high school in any terri
tory larger than township. Of
course, should not favor state aid to
any high school unless the community,
township or county should be willing
to aid itself, and also be willing TO
admit boys and girls free of tuition
from any nart of the county in which
the school is located. In order to en-
courage local effort and initiative, |
think The lew should provide state aid
to any territory as great or greater
than the township which would make
a special levy for high school pur-
noses. This levy need not be large.
In some counties which would gladly
take advantage of law of this kind,
a half mill would be amply sufficient,
and I do not beiive that any county
would need more than one mill for
this purpose.
A majority OF the high schools
would have a three years course of
study. Under that law, they get $500
aid. South Carolina gives nearly
twice as much to feed, clothe and
educate sixty eight boys with scholar
ship in a state college, as North
Dakota does to encourage system of
high schools, which prepared several
Thousand boys and girls for college.
It seems 10 me to be rank folly for
the state to give 81, 600 to feed and
clothe one boy and give him college
education, when that thousand dollars
might be used to encourage the estab
lishment of high school which
would prepare hundred boys for col
lege in the same length of tire. If
you will give boy such preparatory
advantages as will get him ready for
college, in zine cases out If ten be
will work to feed and clothe himself
while in college: nor should we for
get the vast amount of work along
scientific, commercial and industrial
lines, which can be done in these
high schools to prepare boys who
don't get to college, for lie. | know
of no possible legislation that would
be more tar-reaching With its good i'll
fuence upon our educational system
than the enactment of good high
school law.-Tbe Colnbmi Record.