The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-13

Seventy Eight Counties
Have Been Covered by
the Campaign.

Sixty-nine per cent. of the money
raised for public education in the
United States is raised by local taxa
ton In the North Atlantic States the
percentage of the school fund raised
by local taxation is 72.4; in the South
Atlantic States, $50; in the South
Central States 372; in the North
Central States, 1871; in the Western
States, $50. Massachusetts, raises 800
per cent. of her public school fund
in this way; ten States raise between
80 and 80 per cent. of their funds by
local -tsXation; eight States raise be
tween 20 and so, per cent. by local
taxation; sixteen States raise between
so and 20 per cent. by local taxation;
the others raised from IA per cent. TO
sc per cent. in this way. North Caro-
lima is still near the bottom of the
list i'm the percentage of her school
fund raised by local taxation, in spite
of the great progress made in recent
years. In 1904 the percentage of her
school fund raised by local taxation
was 17.6.
AS low as this percentage may
seem it yet represents Il most graft
flying progress in comparison with the
condition of but Il few years ago. I'm
fortunately statistics are not available
as to the amount of money raised in
this way prior to 1891. However, al
idea of the progress made can be gath.
cred in another way.
Thirty years ago, that is to say i'll
1875, there was not local tax district
in the State. Five years later, 1880,
there We're but 4 and il took ten
years more to double this number. BY
1900 these s had increased to 30, scat
tered here and there in widely separ-
ated communities, all of them in towns
and cities. During that year a wise
and eloquent statesman was called to
the helm of the State government
Announcing his intention of deVoting
the influence and power of his great
office to the Improvement Of the edu-
cational facilities OF the Common
wealth. he threw into the cause all
the force and strengths and persuasive
ness of his great intellectual ability
and wonderful eloquence. Through
timely financial assistance furnished
by the Southern Education Board
composed of patriotic citizens of the
South and of the North. and placed
absolutely al the disposal of the State
superintendent of Public instruction,
the Governor and President of the
State Normal and Industrial College
for Women, as a campaign committee
for North Carolina eloquent and
forceful speakers We're sent into near
ly every county in the State and into
hundreds of districts to discuss with
the people questions relating to the
education Of their children. Lawyers,
merchants preachers, teachers; pub
lie officials and private citizens; meh
and women took part in this great
educational campaign. They pointed
cut to the people Of urban and rural
communities alike the example of the
80 local tax towns in the State in
which We're found long school terms,
adequate school houses, trained and
experienced teachers, and effective SUI
pervision, all of which came only
through local taxation. Then other
communities cried out for relief from
The burdens of illiteracy and poverty,
and demanded an opportunity of tax
ing themselves for educational facili-
ties Ii IS no eXaggeration to say
that an educational revolution swept
over the state. The following table
will bear out the statement: