Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-04-17
ESTABLISHMENT OF HIGH SCHOOLS.
SUPERINTENDENT ISSUES IMPORTANT
PAMPHLET CONCERNING NEW LAW.

ENUENI ISSUES tMPUHIANI
PAMPHLET CONCERNING NEW LAW.
Columbia, April 12.-The State Super
intendent of Education will shortly issue
q pamphlet in regard TO the establish
ment of high schools under tho recent
act of The General Assembly. This
pamphlet will contain a copy of the
high school act itself, a copy of the
school bonding act and a letter from
Superintendent Martin in regvrd to the
methods by which high schools may be
obtained under the act together with the
rules and regulations on this subject
adopted by the State Board of Education
at it's meeting here last week. This will
give those DESTROYS of establishing high
schools all the possible information
necessary for beginning the work. aud it
is expected that there will be q number
Of applications soon filed for this pur-
pose, as there is evidently much interest
In the high school matter throughout the
State.
The letter of Mr.. Martin gives the in.
formation in condensed form and is OF
interest just at this tune. 1t is a. fol-
lows:
To the People of South Carolina:
The enactment of the high school law
Mt the recent session of the Legislature
will mark IN epoch in the history O
education in this State. 1t is a distinct
educational system. Considerable inter
est has already been manifested through.
out the State in the provisions of this
ACT. There have also been misunder-
standings in regard to what such pro-
visions actually mean. This pamphlet is
issued with the hope that it may help
committees understand the law, and also
that it may aid in starting the operations
of the law in their midst.
There are four distinct operations
necessary before a high school can be
aided under this ACT, viz:
An election.
An application.
An inspection and
A confirmation.
Care should be taken, in the beginning,
to interest people in a territory large
enough to support a high school prop.
erly. Section l, of the Act, allows a
county, a township, or several townships,
an aggregation of school districts or an
incorporated town of less than 1000
population, to form a high school dis
trict. 1t will be seen at a glance that a
single high school cannot become a high
school district, unless it happens to be
nm - lao
thousand population. A town of that
size will probably be too weak to support
a high school, so a high school district
will nec sssarily be composed Of two or
more common school districts. 1t is q
matter of cooperation to do this work
right.
This Office will furnish the county
superintendents with a petition form
which will aid communities in calling
elections. After an election is held and
the trustees appointed, the clerk of the
board should fill an application blank
which will also be furnished to the
county superintendents by this depart
ment. The county superintendent will
verify the application, keep a duplicate
in their office and forward a copy to the
secretary Of the State High School Board.
When the high school board receives the
application it. will send an inspector to
the proposed district. This inspector
will gladly give any aid and advice,
which will enable such districts to quail
ify under the Act. When the high
school district qualities, the State High
School Board will make the a~ppropria-
tions indicated under the first part of
Section IA, Of the regulations. This does
not mean that the high school may not
receive more than the amounts specified.
There will likely be a handsome balance
at the close of the fiscal year, which is to
be distributed to the schools which have
built up a good attendance.
: Inasmuoh as this Act guarantees free
tuition tn the boys and girls in the State
aided high schools, it is just that q
school with a large enrolment, repre-
sonting considerable territory, should
receive substantial aid.
1t will mean much to the future of
South Carolina If the provisions of this
Act are generally sought and generously
applied. The prospects are that such
will be the case. Let us all cooperate in
this laudable effort.
Sincerely,
o. b.. Martin,
State Superintendent of Education.