The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-08-17
HALIFAX COUNTY SCHOOLS.

1
fax county, contributed to last Sunday
educational edition of the News and
Observer the following interesting ar
tio,a concerning the schools Of Halifax
county
in reviewing the educational con-
ditinns of Halifax county 1t Is necaS-
sary to take into consideration the
fact that it is large county. almost
entirely rural.
I'VE have SIX towns, namely, Wei
don, Enfield, Scotland Neck. L!ttleton,
Halifax and the new manufacturing
town Of Roanoke Rapids By reference
+, the census you will note that they
are all compara,ively small towns, and
81, combined would not number as
raany people as you have in Raleigh.
Another thing that is worthy OF note
is. that we have only 3,Sl6 white chill
drep, while we have 1919 coloIed
children to educate. or about two ne
eroes to one white child The negroes
do not pay one dollar to the white
mans fifteen, for the purpose OF educa-
ton. So you zee we have right
heavy burden to carry as we march
along in this progressive educational
age. And yet we have averaged more
| than a five months term IN the county
during the last fiscal year and this
without one dollar from the second
$1,000 set aside by the legislature to
aid needy districts. In TACT Halifax
county has not received one single dol
lar Of this money at any time since
The legislature made such provision.
Not because we have no needy districts,
we have many districts that nave
Ineedsd aid, but the conditions to be
com s,lied with and the red tape neces
yary to secure any of this money put
it out OF our reach, for the districts
that needed it most even too small
= having less than IS children to claim
it. And right here ! want to say that
ia my opinion the legislature ought &c
do away with that superintendent @,
else give each county It's pro rata share
, On some equitable basis for / Go not
think it has served it's purpose TO,
WHICH it was intended. ] think oul
very efficient aud much beloved State
SUPERINTENDENT ard his assistants have
done all IL their power to distribute
but l am sure they have had a hare
. problem to solve. We have twelve
rural libraries in the county and
have the money subscribed for two
more and believe that this is the bas
money spent in the county, because II
helps to educate the Old people as vel
as the children, and we must get The
parents aroused and interested IT ".
expect to get regular attendance O
the children.
We have two we'll established
graded schools in the county, one a
Enfield and one at Scotland Neck, ani
an election has been held ana carried
almost unanimously Tor one at Weldon
and it will be in operation for the fall
session. The two schools above men
toned are doing fine work and the at
g tendance is splendid, showing tina
r when people are really interested tn,
e children get the benefit
| eve have a supplemented school a
8 L,ttleton that hope at no distant tim
$ to change to an up-to-date grade,
D school and I certainly hope the pro
gressiye people at Roanoke Rapids vii
+ rally to the support OF good grade'
, school there in the very near future
8 for it is certainly needed, and the,
: must keep up with the procession
: We have some good rural schools il
+ the county, among the nost progress
v sive of these is the clOOl at Aurelial
Springs, where the teachers have dom
excellent work, and where the attend
auce has been good and where | hon
to establish local tax or graded schoo
+ at no distant time, provided the peopl
9 VIII not allow themselves to be broker
Is up with local discussions. We ais,
d have good prospects at Hobgood ard a
l. Heathsyille, also at BrinkIeyville an,
Ringwood, but the people in thes
: places are not as much interested a
p they ought to be. Halifax Gown, toe
d needs awakening in the cause of edu
+ cation. However, we are not dis
is couraged, neither are we asleep, GU
It people move slowly, but they DO no
take step backward, our school