The Kemper herald. (Scooba, Miss.) 1875-1908, 1906-03-15
THE MISSISSIPPI
LEGISLATURE
OUR ESPONDENT'H
WEEKLY LETTER.
RESUME OF THE PAST WEEK
Subjects Of Legislature Recommend
ed and Acted Upon From Day to
Day---House and Senate Bills Pass
ed and Other Items of Interest.

eu duu OtACx 4tOAAo Va 49, ASS~S~S'
Chairman Eddins, of the education
al committee, has compiled the fol
ment to submit with his report when
lowing interesting statistical state
that comes up properly in code
routine.
"History teaches us that all great
reforms have generally encountered
the indifference of those most to be
benefited. / feel the same cannot be
true of us, for attribute to each OF
you the same lofty motives that
prompt me to do my best in the at
fairs of the state, and while do not
look for great reforms at this special
session, in the subject now up for dis
cussion, yet | pause long enough to
say that we have now come to the con-
sideration of Chapter 199, entitled
"tSchools" one of the longest, and, In
my opinion, the most important chap
ter in the code of law. | confess that
| have labored to the best of my hum
BILE ability to consider, along with
my committee every phase of school
work in our state. No other invest
ment Of Mississippi is equal to that
investment, we make in the cultlva-
tion and education Of the minds and
hearts of the white boys and girls
of our great country, and if l had my
way I would withhold no good thing
looking to the highest development OF
the Anglo-Saxon race. The states
making the greatest progress IN the
history of the nation taday are those
which sustain the best public school
for the people. I do not wish to appear
too forward in these remarks, but be-
fore we begin this chapter want to
say that your committee has given it
much time and attention; we have Of
fered some important amendments
looking to the beterment OF the pub
lie school system, and by way OF en-
phasis I want to say that our entire
public school system is operated
through these sections, and / hope,
gentlemen, you will give this chapter
the serious consideration that it de-
serves. But before we take it up l
want to call your attention to these
significant facts:
Through the provisions of this act
we disburse biennially the enormous
sum of over $3,000,O00, or by far over
half of the entire income Of the state.
This fact alone deserves our undlvld-
ed attention in dealing with its sections
Of law. Agreeable to the law
herein we have enrolled in Mississip-
pi 423,7 ,731 children between the school
ages of 5 to 21 years. Of this num-
Der 1925 are white against 224, ,43S.
negroes.
There are in actual attendance in
the public schools of the state today
114,7S1 white children and 121,l ,lS3
negroes, some of the Delta country
showing five negro children to every
white child enrolled. We have 5,O42
white teachers employed in the coun-
try schools at an average salary OF
$36.41, while 3,29S negro teachers in
in the country schools receive on an
average Of $20.59. In the separate
school districts of the towns the 1872
white teachers receive an average sal
ary Of $54.45, while the 271 negro
teachers in the towns receive an aver
age salary of $2S.06. Of the total
1888 teachers employed 5,774 are
white and 1860 are negroes.
The legislature has accepted an in
vitation to visit Gulfport, whose peo-
pie are so persistent in their earnest
and pressing invitation that to ignore
it was out of the question.
Colonel J. 7. Jones, of the Gulf &
Ship Island railroad, on behalf of the
committee of Gulfport citizens, ex-
tended cordial invitation to the two
branches Of the legislature and ten.
dered them special train in which to
make the trip.
This will be the third trip Of the
legislature by special train rendered
by people Of as many as seven diff
ferent towns. If there are any more
in sight for the remainder of this ses-
sion, it is not in evidence, though
there does not seem to be any place
to be visited besides these. The trip
made to Meridian by a majority of
the legislators was not pleasure trip
as the others have been, as it was to
Meridian, the city of sorrow and of
storm wreck, and on mercy and help
bent.